Sharp Objects

''Sharp Objects'' is the 2006 debut novel by American author Gillian Flynn. The book was first published through Shaye Areheart Books on September 26, 2006, and was later reprinted by Broadway Books.

The novel follows Camille Preaker, a newspaper journalist who returns to her hometown to report on a series of brutal murders. It garnered critical acclaim.

Plot

Camille Preaker works as a journalist at ''The Daily Post'', a small newspaper in Chicago. She is dissatisfied with her job, which involves covering stories about crime and human suffering. Camille has a complicated relationship with her boss, Frank Curry, who supported her after a recent hospitalization for self-harm. She has a history of carving words into her skin, driven by hallucinations. Curry assigns her to cover the case of a murdered girl and a missing child in her hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri.

Once in Wind Gap, Camille gathers information from the townspeople, including the family of Ann Nash, the murdered girl. The local police offer little insight, but Chief Vickery, the town sheriff, confides off the record that he believes the perpetrator is a local resident. When the missing girl, Natalie Keene, is found strangled with her teeth removed, Camille's editor, Curry, asks her to stay in town to continue reporting the unfolding events.

Camille reconnects with her estranged mother, Adora, and her 13-year-old half-sister, Amma. Camille's relationship with her mother has always been troubled, especially after the death of her younger sister, Marian, from an illness during Camille's youth. Amma, born after Marian's death, is a manipulative teenager who hides her rebellious behavior from Adora. Camille also forms a relationship with Richard Willis, a detective from Kansas City investigating the possibility of a serial killer.

As Camille continues her investigation, she enters into a sexual relationship with Richard but avoids revealing her scars. She also grows closer to Amma, who takes her to a party where they drink and use drugs. Afterward, Camille wakes to find her mother giving her medication, which makes her ill. Camille soon realizes that Adora suffers from factitious disorder imposed on another and was responsible for Marian's death. A letter from a nurse who cared for Marian confirms these suspicions. Camille also learns that Richard suspects Adora of murdering the two local girls.

Camille returns to her mother's house, where Adora poisons her and tries to "care for" her. Camille passes out but is rescued when Richard and the police arrive to arrest her mother. Richard is shocked by Camille's scars, and their relationship ends. Adora is charged with the murders of Marian, Ann Nash, and Natalie Keene. Amma is sent to live with Camille in Chicago. Initially, Amma seems to adjust well, but after a classmate is found murdered with six of her teeth pulled, it is revealed that Amma was responsible for the murders of Ann and Natalie: jealous of the attention Adora gave to the victims, she killed the girls. Amma is arrested. Distraught, Camille resumes self-harming but is stopped by Curry and his wife, who take her in as their own daughter.

Development

Flynn wrote ''Sharp Objects'' while working as a reporter for ''Entertainment Weekly'', writing the novel during nights and weekends, a few hours at a time. She described the process of maintaining the book's "moist", "gothic tone" as challenging, contrasting with the more upbeat style required for her day job.

Reception

''Sharp Objects'' attained critical acclaim. Literary critics praised Flynn for her exploration of psychological complexity, dark family dynamics, and her sharp prose. The novel was often lauded for its disturbing atmosphere and its handling of deeply flawed – yet compelling – characters.

Writing for ''Chicago Tribune'', Alan Cheuse described the book as "a first novel that reads like the accomplished work of a long-time pro", adding that it "goes deeper than your average thriller", blending "the narrative drive of a serious pop novel" with the psychological depth of a "mainstream character study". He called ''Sharp Objects'' "a terrific debut".

'' The Kansas City Star'' hailed it as "one of the best and most disturbing books" in recent memory, commending Flynn's skillful blend of tragedy and suspense. ''The Plain Dealer'' also praised the novel, describing it as "a sad, horrifying book" with characters that "will worm their way uncomfortably beneath your skin". The review noted that ''Sharp Objects'' felt more like a "literary novel than simple mystery".

''The Washington Post'' lauded Flynn's writing as "skillful and disturbing", praising her ability to write with both lyricism and sharpness, all while maintaining an "unsparing eye for human imperfection".

Awards

* ''New Blood Fiction Dagger'' from the Crime Writers' Association (2007, won)
* '' Ian Fleming Steel Dagger'' from the Crime Writers' Association (2007, won)
* ''Duncan Lawrie Dagger'' from the Crime Writers' Association (2007, nominated)

Adaptations

In 2008, British director Andrea Arnold was set to direct a film adaptation of the novel for French production company Pathé, but the project did not materialize.

The film rights to ''Sharp Objects'' were purchased by Blumhouse Productions and Alliance Films in 2012, with Flynn initially working as the screenwriter. By 2014, Flynn became an executive producer for an eight-episode television miniseries, alongside Jason Blum and Charles Layton. Marti Noxon wrote the pilot and served as showrunner. The well-reviewed series, also titled ''Sharp Objects'', was directed by Jean-Marc Vallée, filmed in California and Georgia in 2017, and premiered in July 2018, starring Amy Adams as Camille Preaker.

References

External links

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{{Gillian Flynn

American mystery novels
2006 American novels
Fiction about self-harm
Fiction about filicide
American novels adapted into television shows
Novels set in Missouri
2006 debut novels
Novels about alcoholism
Shaye Areheart Books books
Works about Munchausen syndrome by proxy
Southern noir novels