The Barga book Club met on a cold February evening in a cozy firelit home at Canale, Tiglio, to discuss Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn. As always, the food, provided by members new and continuing, was fabulous.
Kerry initiated the conversation. Gone Girl, which had come extremely highly recommended was a proportionate disappointment. A Thriller? she remarked, more like a yawner.
The convoluted story obsessed about a purportedly brilliant and famous young woman’s disappearance and possible murder.
Others were more generous. Isobel said, and rightly so, although it was about a strange relationship, manufactured, controlled and getting stranger, without getting overly analytical, it was a good easy read, to take you out of yourself. Helen felt it was an entertaining romp about multiple, flawed but genuine characters. An easy read. Boo, who we happily welcomed to the book club for the first time, also mentioned that it was an easy read that could have been better, and referred to the passive aggressive dynamics of typical dysfunctional relationships. Margaret found it unpleasant, the voices indistinct, author’s voice not credible, not funny, unpleasant, nothing rang true, the book missed its point, ending was revolting. Liz refused to read it after a couple of pages. Krysia, had seen the movie and didn’t like either, and felt it was a post modern fantasy mystery. The characters were stories not people, whom she didn’t care about, it was a parody of 30 year olds. Some were amusing, she liked that the author wrote the male perspective from inside his head. It was too long. Salene: the supposedly perfect NY marriage collapses, Amy was a plotting and manipulative, weak character, who spots weakness and exploits everyone. Everyone was just too perfect.
Once again it was a great meeting with fascinating feedback. We also mentioned a few other books to recommend, Boo opened with The White Massai by Corrine Hoffman; The Lowland, Jhumpa Lahiri; Married to a Bedouin by Marguerite van Geldermalsen; The Magus by John Fowles.
Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed. We look very forward to seeing you all at the next meetings, which are as follows:
Thursday, March 26th at Krysia’s, The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng
Wednesday April 22, at Helen’s, My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
May date and venue to be announced Bel Canto by Ann Patchette
