*Don’t worry- no spoilers!*
So I made the classic mistake: I watched the film before I read the book. And I have to say because as I was reading it, I couldn’t help but think “this would be so much better if I didn’t know what was gonna happen!” Cos this book has so many twists and turns that it easily could’ve been a complete mind-bending shocker. But it wasn’t- because I knew *exactly* what was gonna happen- which was a real shame.
It didn’t completely spoil my enjoyment, because this is a really well-crafted book. According to Amy Dunne, cool girls don’t exist- but not to worry cos cool books definitely do- this one proves it!
I was also glad to see that the ending worked so much better in the book than the film. Half the reason it was better was because having literally been inside the character’s heads I was able to understand why they made certain decisions (as I said, no spoilers). That made it far less frustrating (I mean, there’s still an element of frustration, but at least it made sense). Also, the ending was given far too much space in the film- 30 pages worked out as half an hour and so much that was speculated on was added. Here, it felt condensed, to the point and just drilled home the whole point of the story. Which is another reason why I should have read the book first!
So the moral of the story is READ THE DAMN BOOK BEFORE YOU WATCH THE FILM.
Rating: 4/5 bananas
It’s kind of appropriate that I’m posting a review of “Gone Girl”, cos I may be gone for a few days (well, I may get the chance to read posts and comment, but I definitely will not be posting).
I liked the film but wasn’t too sure if I should read the books, but now I have read this I am definatly considering buying the books
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Oh you should definitely consider it- and if you do read it let me know what you think 🙂
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I’ve seen the film, too, but I haven’t read the book and I can definitely see myself feeling the same way about it. I still have a mild interest in reading it, so maybe I’ll pick it up sometime.
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I know right- it’s such a huge twist that it’s a huge part of enjoying the book. I just happened to come across a really cheap copy and decided to read it- it was actually surprisingly worth it!
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I loved the film! It was a great viewing experience, imo.
Then I listened to Gone Girl as an audio book and fell in love with this crazy story even more.
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It was a great viewing experience and I really enjoyed the movie- I now know to read Flynn’s books before they get turned into films now though!
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You know, it’s good that you posted this. I got the book recently, but was contemplating just watching the movie. You’ve convinced me otherwise. xD
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I’m so glad! It really is worth reading because it’s particularly well written and the twist comes across better in the book- I hope you enjoy it! xD
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I read the book but haven’t gotten around to seeing the film yet, but I enjoyed the book as well, it really suckered me in to the story!
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I know right- it’s a fabulous book! It’s a good adaptation if you are interested, but after reading the book I can see that the book is better by far
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I loved Gone Girl, especially the rant she goes on about all the things she did to make Nick love her. What a character. I really liked Amazing Amy. She was so insane I couldn’t stop reading. Rosamund Pike was a good choice for Amy. I wasn’t too thrilled about Ben Affleck playing Nick, but he has the whole not giving a crap thing down pat.
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I know right! She was so twisted that it actually appealed to my dark sense of humour! She really was. And he was decent too- I just don’t feel like I got his motivation as much in the film or saw quite what a slick phony he was!
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I know. I was wondering if I was nuts for liking Amy’s madness. She’s high up there on my list of favorite characters. I liked book Nick better than movie Nick. I wasn’t buying his I’m the loving husband act at all in the book or movie. I think I cheered on Amy because he was such a pig. I laughed when he found the stuff in the shed. That was awesome!
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Well, she’s a brilliant character, even if she is nuts. Me too- he made a lot more sense there- and there was more of an edge to him in the book and his phoniness came across really well. Yeah I don’t think I cheered on Amy- but I definitely thought he deserved it cos he was such a prat. He didn’t come across as prattish enough in the film. You’re right though- in the book there was more of an element of humour!
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Thank you for leaving out spoilers! I still have not watched the movie for that exact reason. But I just bought the book at a book sale for just $2!!!
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You’re welcome! I don’t always do spoiler free reviews (I always say if it’s got spoilers) but I was really concious for this one that I wanted to say certain things without going into the spoilery bits. Awesome!! I actually got hold of this book really cheaply at a second hand bookshop- so snap!!
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lolol 😀
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I liked both too!
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Cool- glad you did! 😀
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The ending of the book was so much better!
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I know right!!
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I can never do both, so usually just read the book. I have the horrid habit of noting the differences between the book and the movie, and my husband refuses to see any movie with me if I have read the book, because I talk the whole way through “I can’t believe they skipped that part!” or “She didn’t say that in the book!” or “the book was sooo much better!” etc etc etc…
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I know the feeling- I usually prefer to read the book too- but I made the mistake in this case cos I didn’t know it was a book- *shock horror*. I know ignorance is no excuse in the eyes of the law- but still- I feel like I should get some kind of dispensation for my mistake :p haha that’s really funny!!! I can definitely be the exact same!!
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I haven’t read the book OR seen the film yet – but I completely agree with your decision to read a book before watching the film adaption! I run a series over on my blog called What I Watched Wednesday, where I review a film adaption of a book, but I HAVE to have read the book beforehand! And thank you for not posting spoilers – that can be difficult to when reviewing certain things! I really enjoyed this post
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Oh definitely- that’s usually my rule!! The *only* reason I didn’t read this first was cos I didn’t know it was a book- otherwise I wouldn’t have made this mistake! I only found out after when I saw all the rave reviews of the book
You’re welcome! I don’t always do non-spoiler reviews (I always say if there’s spoilers though) but I was particularly keen in this case not to do spoilers- glad you liked it! 😀
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I haven’t read the book or watched the movie. 😭 After reading this, I will definitely do both… soon (but of course the former first) 😊 Great post!!
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I HAVE WATCHED THE MOVIE FIRST, HOW DO I DOOOOOO? xD
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hahaha DON’T PANIC!!! IT’S STILL GOOD!! (it’s just a huge shame I knew about the twist, cos the book was better- ah well good to know for next time! Lesson well and truly learnt!) xD
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I should have known better than to watch Rosamund Pike, I hate her. I haven’t forgiven her her awful performance in the movie she starred alongside David Tennant. Grrrrr
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ahh what movie was that? I don’t think I’d seen her in anything before this so I had no strong opinions about her (now however I may have an automatic “ahh she’s a psycho bitch” reaction cos of this film)
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It was What We Did On Our Holiday. Every time her face would appear, I’d want to throw something at the screen. That’s the effect she has on me xD
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haha oh dear! Never seen that movie- but that’s terrible that she had that effect!! Crikey!
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Haha! So true. I liked both, but the book was a little slow for the first half.
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That’s fair- I think if I hadn’t know where it was going, I might not have been as excited by that first bit- but then cos I knew where it was going there was less of a mystery to unravel- so swings and roundabouts
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I MADE THE SAME FCKN MISTAKE. GOD LOOORDD. THIS MOVIE made me realize how wrong I was to watch the movie first and read the book damn it! LOL I sowre to never do it again AHHA Def agree with you in everything The ending in the book was genius 😉 (at least THAT part was not spoiled in the movie HA) – Trang
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I KNOW RIGHT!! Gah!!! It really was- it totally worked there, but in the film I just went “what??? Why??!?!” definitely!
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That’s actually a very good point! I haven’t read the book OR seen the film yet, but I’ll definitely get my hands on the book first! Thanks for the tip! 🙂
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Thanks so much! I really hope you enjoy it!! 😀
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I read the book before the movie and I have to say that the first part of the book dragged a lot for me and then BAM! so much happened! I couldn’t put it down anymore because it was so twisted. I understood the ending as well, but I really would have liked something less frustrating nonetheless hahaha
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That’s fair- it definitely picked up in the second half. Oh definitely- but somehow I found it more frustrating in the movie cos I couldn’t understand why Nick stayed with her- even if she was having his baby- in the book it made a lot more sense cos I got to see inside her head. Plus he seemed like a weaker person in the book- so I totally got that he caved. But, yes, it was frustrating!
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I definitely understand what you mean by it made more sense in the book and I know that it sounds weird, but I think they somehow even deserved each other in a weird twisted way. Although I did pity Nick …
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Oh that’s exactly what I thought- in the movie I was just like “why???!?!” but in the book my reaction was just *shrugs they got what’s coming to them* But yeah, of course I felt sorry for him..
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Again, I am glad we are on the same page. 😀
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I’m probably one of the few people who generally like Flynn’s books but really, really didn’t enjoy Gone Girl. Neither the book nor the movie, even though I have to compliment the casting choices for the adaptation.
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Oh that is a shame! any particular reason? The casting was brilliant though- particularly the one who played Amy.
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I just couldn’t find anyone to root for in that story and I don’t like that.
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Oh that’s totally fair enough- they’re all horrible people!
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Are you referring to a general or a specific sentiment? Personally, I feel that you are far more likely to enjoy a movie that is well done if you have not read the book on which it is based. The movie will inevitably leave out something that you loved from the book, if not make numerous changes so that a condensed plot line makes sense, but that does not necessarily make it a bad movie, or even a bad adaptation.
And then, there is always Breakfast at Tiffany’s, which is my go-to for a film that I adore (barring, of course, Mickey Rooney’s racist character), but we must all admit that Audrey Hepburn’s Holly Go-Lightly bears little resemblance to Truman Capote’s. Is it terrible of me to love both? I don’t think so.
If you are talking in a specific sense, however, I will keep this in mind, having neither read the book nor seen the film as of this blog post writing. Thanks for the tip!
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Good question- I think it was more for this book in particular. Personally I prefer to read the book first, cos if I don’t then I’m far less likely to actually read the book- whereas I’ll usually watch an adaptation of a book I love. In this case, there were a few reasons why I would have preferred to read the book first- it’s not that it was a bad adaptation or movie, but quite simply that the book was better. I don’t think much could have been improved upon in the film, except making the ending slightly shorter (like it was in the book)- but that was something I’d criticised at the time cos I don’t like false endings and the movie felt like it had one. Also, the writing in this book was magnificent and I realised as I was reading it I would have enjoyed reading it a lot more if I hadn’t heard the bits that were lifted from the book before.
In general though, I agree with what you’re saying. And it’s not at all terrible to like both! Personally I *love* Hitchcock’s Rebecca, which has a *lot* of differences to the book, and it didn’t stop me loving the book either.
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I watched the movie and I loved it! Still haven’t read the book, despite the fact that EVERYONE has been telling me to 😅
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Ahh well I hope you do read it and enjoy it. The end was better in the book cos it was much shorter and it was really well written- it’s just annoying knowing the twist!
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Oh I watched the film first too but really enjoyed the book. Sometimes, if I’ve really loved the film, it heightens my enjoyment of the book even though I know what’s coming. Even better, though, is when the film missed loads of stuff out and I get lots of extra scenes in the book!
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Yeah I do get that from time to time- it really depends on the book/film. But I’m usually more happy to be “spoiled” by the book than the movie. Yeah that is true- and in this case I think the book certainly enhanced the movie 🙂
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Thanks for the warning! I’ll definitely read the book first now! 👍
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You’re welcome- hope you enjoy it!
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I usually try to read the book first and watch the movie late. With Gone Girl I just didn’t go through the trouble of getting the book as the movie was just about to premier when I heard about it. I am not sure if I made the right decision because it’s always a lose-lose situation for me. If I read the book first, I will always be disappointed in the movie and keep thinking ‘hey, that’s not what happens in the book!’. If I watch the movie first, as you say, I will know what comes next. So I found that the next to perfect balance is to either deal with the upcoming disappointment of the movie adaptation of the book or watch the movie first and read the book only when I have forgotten it. I can tell it’s going to take me a long time to get to Gone Girl, the book. It was not an easily forgettable movie. So yep, I totally get what you are saying and, as often as I can, I will try to always read the book first. It is a shame that you could not fully enjoy the book because of this. Interesting what you said about the ending being shortened in the book. I am extra curious now. But alas, still a lot longer to wait!
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Oh I completely get what you mean. I’m usually disappointed by book to movie adaptations
it’s very rare that I’m satisfied
I agree that the movie was pretty forgettable (even though I enjoyed it at the time)- but the book was really good- so it was a shame I didn’t just read the book
but knowing the twist was a bit of a pain. It’s really good though and I hope you give it a go! 🙂
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Oh, I will, I just need to let more time pass till I forget most of the twists xD And boy were there some. I want to be able to fully enjoy the book. Plus, from what I have read in reviews of the author’s other books this seems to be the best so I definitely want to be able to enjoy it 100%
I honestly cannot recall whether I ever preferred the movie version to the book’s. However, if I see the two options, I always want to watch/read them both.
Alas, I doubt I will ever be satisfied either way. Book or movie first? is, to me, a dilemma of the likes of what came first – the chicken or the egg. Just can’t win!
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That’s definitely a good idea!! It was still too fresh for me
I haven’t read her other work, so I couldn’t say for sure, but it is great in my opinion. Me too!
I know the feeling! It’s hard to ever be satisfied with this for sure! haha
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