Hallie Melville
Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
In the early hours of January 3, 1985, it was said that Ben Day murdered his entire family. This excludes his youngest sister, Libby.
"Bang bang, chop chop, choke choke" (2).
Twenty-five years later, Libby Day is an angry, fiery, red-headed woman who is running out of money. For years she has been receiving sympathy money from those who found pity in her family's murder, however, her story becomes less and less relevant as stories of hot new murders show up in the media. Libby cannot hold a job and continues to panic about finances until she is introduced to Lyle Wirth, who offers her cash to participate and speak at Kill Club meetings. The Kill Club is a group of people who are obsessed with murders without a clear person to blame, particularly the Day family. By attending these meetings, Libby and the reader alike start to question if Ben Day is the real culprit of the murders that took place decades ago.
Throughout the novel, the perspective shifts from Libby in the present day, as well as Ben and Patty Day who describe their lives before the murders occurred. While these different points of view can be confusing at times, they offer important clues that all tie together in the end. I was interested in the viewpoint of Libby's mom, Patty. In the days before her own murder, Patty describes her struggles to make money, hold her family together, and to remain present in Ben's life. Patty fears that Ben is becoming too unlike his family by dyeing his hair jet black and practicing satanic rituals. This makes it very easy to point the finger at Ben for his family's murder, but it is soon found that things are more complicated than that.
Libby describes herself as a liar and a thief, and admits to her own selfishness: "I have a meanness inside me, real as an organ"(1). Although she is depressed, mean, and an overall unlikable character, I was still interested in her story and wanted to read on. In fact, not many of the characters in Dark Places are very likable, yet Flynn manages to make the reader interested in those who are standoffish, solemn, and arrogant.
Overall, I give Dark Places 4 out of 5 stars. For anyone who enjoyed Gone Girl, another novel by Gillian Flynn, I would recommend this book. A story that should not be read before bedtime, Dark Places is a psychological thriller with and ending that you could never have guessed.
Throughout the novel, the perspective shifts from Libby in the present day, as well as Ben and Patty Day who describe their lives before the murders occurred. While these different points of view can be confusing at times, they offer important clues that all tie together in the end. I was interested in the viewpoint of Libby's mom, Patty. In the days before her own murder, Patty describes her struggles to make money, hold her family together, and to remain present in Ben's life. Patty fears that Ben is becoming too unlike his family by dyeing his hair jet black and practicing satanic rituals. This makes it very easy to point the finger at Ben for his family's murder, but it is soon found that things are more complicated than that.
Libby describes herself as a liar and a thief, and admits to her own selfishness: "I have a meanness inside me, real as an organ"(1). Although she is depressed, mean, and an overall unlikable character, I was still interested in her story and wanted to read on. In fact, not many of the characters in Dark Places are very likable, yet Flynn manages to make the reader interested in those who are standoffish, solemn, and arrogant.
Overall, I give Dark Places 4 out of 5 stars. For anyone who enjoyed Gone Girl, another novel by Gillian Flynn, I would recommend this book. A story that should not be read before bedtime, Dark Places is a psychological thriller with and ending that you could never have guessed.
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