Gone Girl - Book Club Discussion (4)

MissDemeanor

As always feel free to answer all of these questions, or just some of them. Also, add your own thoughts. Ask your own questions, or make your own poll. Happy discussing!

1. While in hiding, Amy begins to explore what the “real” Amy likes and dislikes. Do you think this is a true exploration of her feelings, or is she acting out yet another role? In these passages, what does she mean when she refers to herself as “I” in quotes? 

2.Discuss Amy’s description of the enduring myth of the “cool girl”—and her conviction that a male counterpart (seemingly flawless to women) does not exist. Do you agree? Why does she assume the role if she seems to despise it? What benefit do you think she derives from the act? 
 
3.Is there some truth to Amy’s description of the “dancing monkeys”—her friends’ hapless partners who are forced to make sacrifices and perform “sweet” gestures to prove their love? How is this a counterpoint to the “cool girl”? 

4.What do you think of Marybeth and Rand Elliott? Is the image they present sincere? What do you think they believe about Amy? 
 
5.How does the book deal with the divide between perception and reality, or between public image and private lives? Which characters are most skillful at navigating this divide, and how? 

6.As experienced consumers of true crime and tragedy, modern “audiences” tend to expect each crime to fit a specific mold: a story, a villain, a heroine. How does this phenomenon influence the way we judge news stories? Does it have an impact on the criminal justice system? Consider the example of the North Carthage police, and also Tanner Bolt’s ongoing advice to Nick. 
 
7.What is Go’s role in the book? Why do you think the author wrote her as Nick’s twin? Is she a likable character? 

8.Do you believe Amy truly would have committed suicide? Why does she return? 
 
9.Were you satisfied with the book’s ending? What do you think the future holds for Nick, Amy, and their baby boy? 

10. Book vs. Movie? Discuss

hammysmommy

9. book ending - Nope, I hated it.  The ending that is.  I really wanted Nick to push for some way to get Amy in jail... Somehow prove that she'd faked it all and was truly a sociopath.  And I second @dnmolakides about how messed up their son is going to be...

hammysmommy

7.  I'm really not sure what purpose Go served... I suppose there had to be someone in Nick's life that he'd actually listen to - even if he did ignore her advice sometimes.

hammysmommy

4.What do you think of Marybeth and Rand Elliott? Is the image they present sincere? What do you think they believe about Amy?

IMO, they are the most fake, most ridiculous characters in the book.  Marybeth has some deluded vision of her daughter, possibly brought on by all the baby deaths.  They both seem overly concerned with how they are perceived by others, and if they'd ever taken a closer look at their lives and Amy's life during her formative years, perhaps Amy wouldn't have been the source of Nick's troubles (he would have found others as screwed up as he was thanks to his dad... "dumb b*tch").