He Said, She Said

Money, or the lack of, can bring out the worst out of people. There are cases when everything has to be let out. It's not a pretty sight, which Gillian Flynn depicts in “Gone Girl” (2012). The author, a native of Kansas City, Missouri, trained in journalism at Northwestern University at Chicago. She intended to be a crime reporter, but something dawned on her during student reporting assignments.

"I found out really quickly that that wasn't going to work for me. I just don't have the necessary skills to get in there and ask the right questions and do it sensitively. The best crime reporters don't mind charging in - but they also know how to do it as decent human beings," she said.

Happy end - not

Nick Dunne was a journalist, writing mostly sports features. He met Amy at a party, which she seemed out of place. It was a case of opposites attract; he was a laidback guy who was drawn to a standoffish woman. It turned out that she was a successful author herself, so it didn't take long for the two to be together. Marriage was a bliss, as the couple loved quoting lines from classical novels. When the recession came knocking on their door, Amy assured Nick that everything would be fine.

The couple moved to North Carthage, Missouri after they lost their jobs. Nick was happy, as this was his hometown. He wanted to be with her ailing mother, but she didn't live long. Then trouble began at the Dunne household. Amy wanted a baby, which she saw was the only way to save the marriage. Nick balked at the suggestion. One morning, Amy disappeared without a trace. There were clues, which didn't lead to her. One of those was Amy's diary.

The diary described how the recession turned Nick into a slob. It showed how their marriage gone bad. Really bad. Not to be outdone, he also had a journal. He revealed his contempt for Amy, not liking the idea that their properties was technically hers. (Amy came from a well-to-do family, with a trust fund that her parents set up for her. It was used to buy a home and a bar, which was managed by Margo, Nick's twin sister.) Both have shortcomings, which they could have talked it out. But their notes hinted they haven't said everything yet.

I'm not gonna be ignored

Many readers find it hard to get along the novel's misogynistic tone. Amy is also someone who won't get lots of sympathizers, but this is fine with Flynn.