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#6Degrees of Separation: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
It’s the first Saturday of the month, and that means only one thing: a new #6Degrees of Separation Post! Here’s a recap of the rules:
This month, Annabel and I are starting off with Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, the mega bestseller of 2012, which is still in the charts almost two years after original publication. A brilliant, twisty-turny tale, the original marriage thriller, is definitely on my recommended reading list. The film (with Ben Affleck) is coming out soon.
Here’s my chain:
Gone Girl/ Gillian Flynn
This book follows the story of Nick and Amy Dunne, a married couple who aren’t quite what they seem. Flynn expertly plays with the reader’s expectations of plot, and the motivations of the main characters fluctuate often, keeping the suspense going and making it one of those books that you don’t want to put down.
Before I Go To Sleep/ S. J. Watson
Another book which follows the tale of one marriage, and also toys with the readers expectations of who to believe, the husband or the wife. Many readers have compared my book with S. J. Watson’s, and Gone Girl too – as mine is also a sort of marriage thriller with a twist.
Before We Met/ Lucie Whitehouse
This is a much more recent book which falls into the ‘marriage thriller’ genre, exploring the early marriage of a young couple and asking if the husband is as perfect as he first appears. It was wonderful to do an event with Lucie recently at Forum Books in Corbridge: we discussed the similarities of our novels, our writing processes, and our lives overseas.
Mrs Hemingway/Naomi Wood
It’s rare for me to find a book I switch off my critical ‘writing voice’ for. Mrs Hemingway, like Before We Met, is a recent read which I couldn’t wait to get back to. It’s the story of Ernest Hemingway’s life told through the perspective of his four wives, and is endlessly illuminating and brilliantly written.
Seating Arrangements/ Maggie Shipstead
I’ve just started this book and I’m already blown away by the stunning, evocative writing style, which I’m in awe of in a similar way to how I felt about Mrs Hemingway. I’m hoping the novel will be another one of those I love.
Battleborn/ Claire Vaye Watkins
Seating Arrangements won the Dylan Thomas Prize in 2012, and Battleborn won it in 2013. I haven’t read it yet, but I look forward to it. Mrs Hemingway has been longlisted in 2014, so this #6degrees post is full of Dylan Thomas Prize nominees!
Jhumpa Lahiri/ Interpreter of Maladies
This book and the previous one are both short story collections. I read Jhumpa Lahiri’s collection while I was studying for my Masters, and loved her crisp style which seems so effortless but is very difficult to perfect.
So this chain has taken me through a series of marriage thrillers, to Dylan Thomas prize nominees, to a wonderul collection of short stories. I haven’t been tempted to use any titles I’ve mentioned before which is a nice bonus.
I wonder what Annabel Smith came up with…
What does your chain look like? Please post it or a link to your blog post in the comments below.
Our next #6Degrees post will be up on Saturday 6th September and we’ll be starting with All The Birds, Singing by Evie Wyld, which recently won the Miles Franklin Award.
Brilliant list Emma! I almost started my chain with Before I Got to Sleep (the reason? I read BIGTS on the plane on the way to the US a couple of years ago and I read GG on the plane on the way to the UK this year – both great picks for a long trip!).
I have Before We Met and Mrs Hemingway in my TBR stack. Looking forward to Mrs Hemingway in particular – it sounds similar to T.C. Boyle’s The Women (about the wives of Frank Lloyd Wright).
Enjoy Seating Arrangements – it was one of my favourite books the year I read it (although Shipstead’s second novel, Astonish Me, didn’t have me feeling the same…
Here’s my chain: http://booksaremyfavouriteandbest.wordpress.com/2014/08/02/six-degrees-of-separation-from-gone-girl-to-a-room-with-a-view/
Hi Kate! Sorry for the late reply – just getting my head back on straight after Indie Book Crawl. I’d so recommend Mrs Hemingway – it had me utterly engrossed. Before We Met is a quick read and very enjoyable too. I’ve finished Seating Arrangements now and loved it: so beautifully written. I’ll have to get to her new one at some point too. Love your chain – you’ve given me a hankering to watch Devil Wears Prada now! Em
P.S. What book is next up? *will start thinking*
I adored The Interpreter of Maladies, as well as both The Namesake and The Unaccustomed Earth. Unfortunately I didn’t really enjoy The Lowland; the writing was as magnificent as ever but the story was just too tedious and dreary for my liking.
Here’s my list: http://wp.me/p3dB1g-fY
Also – I’m glad your Indie Book Crawl went so well. I would have loved to come and say hi (hence why I kept asking for your updated itinerary) but having a 6 month old son can restrict your movements!
I’m going to give The Lowland a go, but I’ve heard similar things from other people. Love your chain – I’ve heard so many great things about The Miniaturist that it’s another one I need to get to! Sorry we didn’t have a chance to catch up on Indie Book Crawl – but congrats on the baby! Em
Finally got on board with this meme after reading about it for months. Here is my chain: http://thedailydosage.com/2014/08/02/6degrees-of-separation-gone-girl-by-gillian-flynn/
And no, I am not trying to “suck up” with reference to How To Be A Good Wife…it just fit so perfectly within my chain.
Hi Marisa, thanks so much for joining in and for your kind words about my book. I haven’t read many of the others, but The Wife sounds super good, so I’ll have to look that out. This meme offers up so many book reccommendation, which is not so good for my TBR pile! Em
I really want to read Mrs. Hemingway, but haven’t found the time yet. Thanks for the fun meme.
Here’s my chain.
http://mytime2read.blogspot.com/2014/08/six-degrees-of-separation-gone-girl-by.html
Hi Kim! I absolutely loved Mrs Hemingway and highly recommend. I haven’t read any on your list except for Gone Girl, though I haveheard a lot about Beautiful Ruins – maybe I’ll steer clear of it if you say it’s overrated though. Em
I have Mrs Hemingway on my TBR pile – it sounds very tempting. And Lahiri has been a favourite of mine for quite some time.
But this month I went from dark, dysfunctional modern life to genteel Edwardian Jane Austen 🙂
http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/six-degrees-of-separation.html
Hi Brona! Awesome chain. I’ve wanted to read The Dinner for ages. I have a rule at the moment not to buy any more books until I’ve read all the ones I have, so it may be a bit of time before I get round to it. I absolutely love To Kill A Mockingbird, but I haven’t met many people who don’t!
Great blog meme. I have a lot to read for August but will join you in September.
Brilliant Lisbeth! Look forward to reading your chain then.
Awesome chain 😀 sorry I’m late to the party! Here was mine 😀
http://chasedbymyimagination.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/six-degrees-of-separation-gone-girl.html
Here is mine!
http://ageeksbookshelf.blogspot.com/2014/08/6degrees-of-separation-august.html
I ended up going down a route of classics!
Here is mine! http://ageeksbookshelf.blogspot.com/2014/08/6degrees-of-separation-august.html I ended up going down a route of some classics
That’s great Sarah – thanks for sharing! I love the chains that link books and films: just shows how much different genres overlap these days. And then you head on to the classics too!
Just wondering what book the chain is starting with in September….
Hi Kim!
It will be All The Birds, Singing by Evie Wyld!