Flynn's unique perspective on an unusual topic

I thought it was really good. I'm a Flynn fan. She writes the sardonic, bitter, witty thoughts of the outsider, the dangerous screw loose loner, the hopeless case so well. In Dark Places, Flynn creates a unique set of characters and will suck you into a dark, twisted, gloomy perspective for the duration of the read. The book is not depressing though, because of the dark humor and also, because of the little glimmers of hope that shine through for the characters, and because of the beautifully rendered characters of the Mother and the Aunt, whose desperation shines through with humanity and warmth.. There was a realness and a compassion to the telling of their story, all in flashback, that stayed with me and gave me real insight into what it's like to be a really poor struggling mother. I won't really tell you what the book is about, the blurb will tell you that, but it's good, it's really good.

Warning: There is a scene with some cows that is pretty bad. I listened to it and had to put down the audio book for a few weeks. It's the furthest Flynn has gone, I think, into proper gruesomeness. Normally she keeps the reader at a safe distance from that kinda thing. Just a warning, you will see it coming from the character's actions. If your squeamish about terrible animal cruelty...do yourself a favor and skip that bit.

Apart from the story itself, the writing is beautiful, the construction of secondary characters is flawless, as is the sequencing of how the nights events are revealed to us. She really is very good at what she does. However, for those of you unfamiliar with Flynn, hearts and flowers and candy it is not. It is dark and twisted and sardonic. Be prepared.

27 people found this helpful

Unusual crime story

I needed to concentrate as the story flips back and forth between a brutal attack killing all but one of a family in 1985 and "now" narrated by the survivor Libby Day as she tries to reveal the truth about what actually happened compared with the outcome of the police investigation and court case that found her brother guilty. Gradually anomalies emerge as to whether or not he committed the murders as others also had a motive. And it is gradually: this is not a fast-paced page-turner of a book. Instead one in drawn into a web of digressions that flesh out the characters. Nobody, except perhaps the murder victims, is sympathetically depicted. At times there are some pretty gruesome descriptions that haunt the mind but mostly it is a complex analysis of interactions among troubled and dysfunctional people entangled in the aftermath of a terrible crime.

The final denouement was a complete surprise to me as there didn't appear to be clues laid in the narrative. This didn't matter as the strength of the book is the gradual revelations about the characters brought vividly to life as the story unfolds and one is led on false trails as to who might be guilty. Not an easy listen but a memorable one.

Lorelei King is one of the best audio book narrators and she does a grand job with this story.

24 people found this helpful

Hated Libby, loved Libby!

Like many others I came to this book after 'Gone Girl', and although this book is by no means as complex and convoluted it is still very good indeed. Libby Day is an exploitative character whom I really rather disliked at the beginning (as I'm sure is the intention) but I gradually came round as I began to understand the reasons why she is the way she is, and found her more and more likeable as the book progressed. Some memorable co-characters added extra life to the plot and kept me eager to listen whenever I could.

I must admit an unreasonable prejudice I had against the narrator meant that I hesitated some time before downloading this book. A while back I listened to a book that I really didn't like and found her accent annoying, thus in my mind she was associated with a negative experience. I'm glad I gave her another chance, because she really read 'Dark Places' extremely well.

21 people found this helpful

Could Not Stop Listening!

I loved this book. Having listened to Gone Girl and loved that (although the ending was irritating) I was delighted to find another Gillian Flynn on Audible. Another psychological thriller, I found this one even more gripping than Gone Girl and could not 'put it down'. The narrator, Lorelei King, did a brilliant job of giving us sulky, difficult, traumatised Libby who gradually transformed into someone who 'done good' and as her character matured as she unravelled what had happened the night most of her family were murdered 25 years earlier so did Ms King's 'Libby voice'. What I love about Flynn is that she meticulously plans her stories so that every detail is pertinent without you realising it. Everything pedestrian is a vital clue - very clever. One more of hers to read so I hope she hurries up and writes more!

21 people found this helpful

Gory, uncomfortable listen

If this book wasn’t for you, who do you think might enjoy it more?

Although a very well written book, I found it far too gory and detailed. The story was very dark which I was expecting to a degree, but it certainly made me flinch once or twice and I don't have a soft stomach!

What about Lorelei King’s performance did you like?

Lorelei King excellently narrated the book - she managed to give the characters a real sense of personality which matched the tone of the book brilliantly.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Dark Places?

It's tricky to describe without giving too much away.. but it would more than likely be the sacrifice, or perhaps not cut it away but softened the description slightly. I appreciate though that it was the level of detail which made the horrific crimes in the book all the more abhorrent.

6 people found this helpful

Gripping but sad

Would you listen to Dark Places again? Why?

I don't think this is a story I would listen to again and it builds up to who did it and once you know I'm not sure it would be the same again

What did you like best about this story?

The characters and the flashbacks to the night of the massacre

Have you listened to any of Lorelei King’s other performances? How does this one compare?

I haven;t listened to any other books she has read but thoroughly enjoyed this

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It was so sad really, the way the story turned out made you realise the harsh choices people have to make when under pressure

5 people found this helpful

The title says everything about this story

Would you listen to Dark Places again? Why?

I don't generally revisit books for a number of years, but in saying that never say never. I enjoyed this book but it was quite disturbing in places.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dark Places?

The conclusion. It all built up to that point and it didn't disappoint.

Have you listened to any of Lorelei King’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No, but I'll lookout for others. She was awesome

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not particularly, the book carried you on a wave of emotions in which you had empathy for certain characters one minute, then distaste for them the next.

4 people found this helpful

A violent mystery thriller

Would you listen to Dark Places again? Why?

I might listen to it again in a few years.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I liked the protagonist, she is a bit of an anti-hero.

What does Lorelei King bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

She puts her own stamp on all the characters. I think she does a good job.

Any additional comments?

This book is quite violent, much more so than Gone Girl. But I would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed Sharp Objects (Flynn's first book).

4 people found this helpful

Gratuitously gory

So unnecessarily and gratuitously gory that I gave up on it. Whilst I can see what she was trying to do, that amount of lingering on the grotesque just made me turn it off. In a novel, you can skip past something like that but unfortunately it was not possible on audiobook. A real shame as I LOVED Gone Girl and was hoping for another excellent read.

4 people found this helpful

Worth a Read.

Would you consider the audio edition of Dark Places to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print edition, but I'd say not. In my opinion I found the readers voice a little annoying. I think I would have come up with much better voices for the characters in my own head.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Lorelei King?

Depends on how good the book was. I probably wouldn't choose to listen to another narrated by Lorelei King on a whim. Although she reads well, her voice grated on me toward the end of the book, especially when she was portraying the male characters; so much so I couldn't wait for the story to be over.

Any additional comments?

Most reviews I read of Dark Places, before I bought it, said the main character, Libby Day was not so likeable at the start but then became likeable. I on the other hand liked her from the go get. I often found myself identifying with the way she feels about life and people. Her social awkwardness, the disconnect she feels from humanity and her sometimes apathetic demeanour. I liked the way the story flitted back and forth between present and past, and you got to hear perspectives from Libby's mum; although I found myself not very sympathetic to her plight, she seemed to me ineffectual and useless. Most of the Day family appeared to me this way, like as if Patty's hopelessness and completely enveloped her kids before they even started. No-one seemed like a fighter in the Day family, save perhaps for Libby, but mostly life chewed them up and spat them out. I like this realism in the writing, people and life is and can be sh***y. The twist was not so hard to guess at, but over-all I did like this story.

4 people found this helpful