(spoiler-free!)
Sharp Objects is my favorite book by
Gillian Flynn. I read all of her published novels while awaiting the movie adaptation of
Gone Girl four years ago and this novel was by far the best read out of the things she has written.
Flynn is extremely gifted when it comes to creating complex, dark female characters, not just the protagonists but the supporting women in her novels too. It's such a unique thing when for years it was only the men who had the right to be damaged and fight their demons and when women were expected to be perfect and pristine.
The story follows beautiful, smart and very damaged Camille Preaker (
Amy Adams). Camille comes from a small town -Wind Gap in Missouri. She left the town eight years ago but now her editor sends her back there to write a story. A year ago a corpse of a young girl was found and now another girl is missing. Camille reluctantly agrees to take the assignment and goes back and as she does, so do the demons she has been battling her entire life.