Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Boy meets girl. Boy marries girl. Girl disappears.

Amy Dunne disappears on the day of her fifth wedding anniversary. What follows is the police investigation, suspicions and flashbacks of a dysfunctional marriage. This is a real page-turner, not high paced but it's something in the writing. The rhythm, the structure - every other chapter presenting Nick's view, and half of the chapters the perspective of Amy, through her diary notes, leading up to her disappearance. The nuances between the happy, perfect couple marrying each other, the fed up couple and the dysfunctional married couple. The cracks building along the way, causing devastation.

This is a psychological thriller. It's what's being said between the lines, in glances and behavior, that's thrilling. The diary flashbacks of the atmosphere between Nick and Amy. Nick's very strange behavior after her disappearance. The suspense is in the small details, and they never fail to bring a new twist. However, as much as the unpredictable twists and turns along the way are thrilling, the ending somehow isn't that much of a surprise. But, nevertheless, it's a fitting and interesting ending.

What's special about Gone Girl, compared to other thrillers, besides the detailed plot and an intelligent way for it to unfold, is the themes that Flynn explores through the book, as when presenting us with the "Good girl" - syndrome. A "Good girl" - referring to the kind of girl always listening to her husband. Indulging, accepting and forgiving his short-comings. Obeying him, agreeing with him and having sex on his terms. Furthermore, she is beautiful, thin, can eat what she wants without gaining weight and likes sports. A girl created by men, to serve men. Every girl wants and tries to be her, but the problem is she doesn't exist, exactly like the perfect man who always listens and obeys doesn't exist. Sooner or later, a married couple figure this out, the fact that they aren't the same people they once knew. And when that happens, one might be disappointed, if not worse.

This book discusses many interesting topics, it's a thriller, a crime novel, but the fundamental part is the concept of love, marriage and what the word unconditional really means. It's a refreshing thriller in a time when everyone seems to think of themselves as authors and the assembly line of average crime novels being produced are longer than ever.