Sharp Objects

[Ray]

I am excited to announce that our group read will be Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn! Feel free to join in, but there's no pressure—participation is completely optional. We're here to have fun! Feel free to use this thread to talk about anything related to this book.

[Blue Ghost]

Amazing! I'll get started reading it this week.

[Tiara]

I read the book's description and it sounds good to me. I can't wait to hear everyone's thoughts on the book. When is the last day for this group read before we move on to another book?

[Ray]

Tiara wrote: "I read the book's description and it sounds good to me. I can't wait to hear everyone's thoughts on the book. When is the last day for this group read before we move on to another book?"

I'm glad the book sounds good to you! I can't wait to hear everyone's thoughts as well.

Sharp Objects is a shorter book so I was thinking that we could let this one run for about two weeks. So since this group read started last week Saturday, the last day would be March 1st. But of course, anyone can still read or keep chatting about it even after we move on to another book.

[Blue Ghost]

I will be out of town tomorrow and away from my laptop, so here I preemptively post my thoughts on the group read:

TRIGGER WARNINGS: teen drug abuse; bad parenting; self harm
SPOILERS: significant plot points and who dun it

Wow, I was not expecting this book to be as disturbing as it was. This is Flynn’s debut novel (2006), and I have read her other novel Dark Places (2009) and her novella The Grownup (2015). Having read her later works first, her increased competence as a writer over the years is stark.

I’ve spent all my life in teeny towns—though none nearly as small as Wind Gap—and the homophobia, sexism and rampant pettiness (and meth usage) portrayed in this book is unfortunately very familiar. The perpetuation of those awful traits are absolutely sustained by generations growing up, living, procreating then dying in a small, uniform (EVERYONE IS BLOND/E) community as Flynn suggests. Our narrator, Camille, made it out and was able to grow up, while her peers that stayed never mentally made it past high school. This I have also witnessed in the town where I lived from ages eight to eighteen: everyone knew each other, everyone knew each other’s shit and there was no escape from cliques and drama, no matter your age (my Ma suffered from the small town affliction, even in her 50’s).

The superfluous sexualization of a thirteen year old was unnerving and hard to read. As a kid, I was a good religious girl and wasn’t privy to the drug and sex scene in middle and highschool. I had heard of some classmates’ sexual escapades in seventh grade, but I assumed they were either exaggerating or straight-up lying. Most of my non-religious friends had begun swiping their parents’ weed and alcohol by age fourteen, but what they were able to acquire was in pitiable portions. I did have a friend who began smoking weed at the age of six and whose brother was already deep into meth by his early teens (their father was a POS meth head). None of them had had sex before the age of fifteen. So the precociousness of Amma and her friends came off as unbelievable—I wondered if that was a result of growing up somewhere even smaller than where I hail? Well, segue to my next point:

I suspected Amma as early as when she and her goons were stealing the offerings from Natalie’s shrine; I was certain it was Amma come the scene at the park where she was stepping on Camille’s heels and twirling her lollipop in her sister’s hair. She was such a little shit, and any kid that acts like that is seriously troubled. There are child killers, and I don’t know much about them, but a child committing murder is near unbelievable, and Amma’s actions as a barely-teen is unbelievable. (Flynn seems to have a gift for writing intelligent and insufferable children.) Adora was an effective red herring, and I did switch my suspicions to her temporarily, but then I thought that perhaps mother and daughter were cohorts in crime.

Speaking of Adora: What I find very telling of a parent-child relationship is how they refer to each other. For instance: I call my mom Ma; it's casual, playful and admittedly influenced by regional dialects from where I've lived. Camille calls her mom Momma throughout most of the book; it's infantile, and suggests the yearning she still has to be loved and cared for by Adora. HOWEVER, there is one instance near the end when Camille uses the term of address Mother: In the beginning of chapter fifteen, Camille had begun to suspect that Adora had poisoned Marian and had come home to Amma recovering from a “sickness.” Camille asked, “What was wrong with Amma, Mother?” Flynn herself, through Camille, brings to the reader’s attention that Amma pointedly does not address Adora by anything; she looks at her mom and speaks. This could be signally how Amma is living in mutual manipulation and lack of love with Adora.

Last point: I’ll admit that cutting is in my blood and on my skin and that I’ve been to psych wards because of it as well. I understand Camille’s desire to hide her scars; I’ve hidden mine beneath tattoos rather than long sleeves and pants. It feels near awful to say, but the cutting of words, as opposed to more senseless cutting, is kinda creative? It’s horrible to be in such a head state where hurting oneself seems like the only solution, and I would never propose such a thing if I hadn’t been there before. I’m someone who needs to feel strong emotions on the outside as well as in—dancing when I’m happy, wandering when I’m confused—and expressing those emotions through words on the skin is different, but I know that particular itch it relieves. A last point about the last point: while in Camille’s bed with her, Amma mentions that cutting is often used as a tool to make strong emotions stop, but asks what it means when it’s used to feel something instead. Home run. I’ve done it for both of those reasons at different points in my life. It was validating to see the polar opposite causes that lead to the same result acknowledged.

[Ray]

I want to start by saying this book disturbed me. I don't think I've read a book that has had this effect on me in a while.

One thing I found particularly interesting is that I didn't find any of the characters particularly likeable. Including Camille. Her behavior unsettled me a bit at times. I don't think that's ever happened to me before (the fact that I didn't like any of the characters).

That being said, I did feel sorry for her. Having to return to a town she hated and face everything she'd tried to leave behind... I can't imagine how hard that would be. If I were in her shoes, I would have quit my job instead of going back.

*Major spoiler*
(view spoiler)[When I first read the description of the book, I jokingly thought to myself that the sister would definitely be the killer. Then, after the first couple of chapters, I still suspected Amma. But somewhere along the way, the story convinced me that the mother was the killer and I didn't second-guess that until the big reveal. Turns out, I was right the first time. (hide spoiler)]

[Ray]

Ratdaddy wrote: "I will be out of town tomorrow and away from my laptop, so here I preemptively post my thoughts on the group read:

TRIGGER WARNINGS: teen drug abuse; bad parenting; self harm
SPOILERS: significant..."

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I loved reading your perspective on this book. 🙂

[Tiara]

I posted a review last night on this book. To avoid retyping most of my thoughts, I decided to just copy and paste it and add some extra thoughts.

(view spoiler)[Woah...This was extremely disturbing. From start to finish, I felt unwell. Just about everything is so backwards, twisted, and sickening, and it creates an unsettling mood for the entire book. I come from a small Southern town so I'm familiar, at least to some extent, with how things are in such places. To be honest, I think that what helps make this book so unsettling for me. The unnecessary sexualization of the teenagers and their violent nature alone was sickening, but the way that no one addresses it and its silently deemed as normal is depressing. No one in that town seems to have grown emotionally or mentally from the time they were teenagers. It's like their stuck in an indestructible bubble of never ending gossip, toxicity, pettiness, and complacency. While gossip, pettiness, and phoney smiles were prevalent in the small towns I've lived in, it was never this bad and a lot of the unbelievable stuff that occurred in this book didn't happen. I did come from conservative small towns so maybe that's why. Nevertheless, I can understand why the main character, Camille, was dreading coming back home. Speaking of her, she didn't necessarily make it much easier to get through the book. Something about her was off putting. I can't really pin-point exactly what it was though. Don't get me wrong. I felt bad for her. Her family and home town situation was horrible. It's understandable that it took such a toll on her mentally and emotionally. I'm not a cutter. I could just merely relate to her writing words with pen on her body so I could only sympathize. But she wasn't exactly likable. However, no one really was, and I believe that's how the author wanted it.

I suspected that Adora had Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome about half-way through the book. The continuous mentioning of Marian's sickness, the details of Adora nursing Camille so much growing up, Amma being treated for small things, and little things in between made it increasingly obvious. By the time Camille realized, it was pretty much known already to the readers imo. Truthfully, a huge part of me believed that Adora murdered Ann and Natalie. Before the last chapter, I was unwavering in this belief. I want to say this was because I couldn't believe a 13yr was capable of such murders, but even that wouldn't be true. Besides the fact that there are numerous circumstances of teen violence mentioned, there was one particular scene that made me think otherwise. When Camille got high from X and Amma was talking about going swimming, I couldn't help thinking that she was going to try to kill her. I think my desire to not believe she'd do something like that and the details lined up against her mother removed Amma as a suspect in my mind. Unfortunately, her and her friends proved me wrong. Thinking back, I can remember multiple details pointing to Amma being the killer though. To be honest, I think for the sake of Camille and Amma it was better for Amma to be the killer. When I had read that Camille took Amma in, I wanted to cry for her. Amma is so messed up that I couldn't see that going well. I could only see that taking more of a toll on Camille, while Amma just got worse. Amma needed special treatment and psychiatric help. I think what adds the depressing sprinkles on top is how it ends. Amma and her friends are placed in psychiatric hospitals. Adora goes to prison for murdering Marian. Alan decides to live near the prison that she's held in. Camille is taken in by Curry and his wife, and it's probably supposed to be a decent conclusion to this story, but it didn't feel like it was to me. I think it's going to have to sit with me for a bit. (hide spoiler)]

Overall, the book was good. The writing could've been better in certain places, but it was nothing too major. I'll be checking out some of this author's other books. However, I'm definitely going to need a more lighthearted book or two before doing that.

[Blue Ghost]

Ray wrote: "I want to start by saying this book disturbed me. I don't think I've read a book that has had this effect on me in a while.

One thing I found particularly interesting is that I didn't find any of ..."

I will argue that Curry and his wife were likeable. Even though Curry shouldn't've insisted Camille go back to her hometown when she didn't want to and given her mental state. Otherwise the two were very supportive of her and seemed to act in the stead of her parents.

[Blue Ghost]

Tiara wrote: "I posted a review last night on this book. To avoid retyping most of my thoughts, I decided to just copy and paste it and add some extra thoughts.

Woah...This was extremely disturbing. From start ..."

I agree with needing a lighthearted palate cleanser after this one. Even though the conclusion wasn't necessarily "satisfying", I think it was the only possible conclusion. Amma, Adora and everyone left back in Wind Gap can't realistically have a happy ending. Camille had the happiest ending her circumstances could offer: officially cutting ties with her family and her hometown and finding a support system with Curry and his wife. Maybe in decades past the end of the book Camille could get into a better headspace with effort and guidance, but there's no space in this novel for a redemption arc.

[Tiara]

Ratdaddy wrote: "Tiara wrote: "I posted a review last night on this book. To avoid retyping most of my thoughts, I decided to just copy and paste it and add some extra thoughts.

Woah...This was extremely disturbin..."

This is true. I wasn't expecting a happy ending. At best, I think it's bittersweet. I find it kinda depressing because as you said, "Camille had the happiest ending her circumstances could offer..." It's not an ideal ending. It's just the only plausible one that doesn't veer into bad ending territory. You can wish for more for her, but it's just not possible in the book. Reality just hits you hard.

[Ray]

Ratdaddy wrote: "Ray wrote: "I want to start by saying this book disturbed me. I don't think I've read a book that has had this effect on me in a while.

One thing I found particularly interesting is that I didn't ..."

I'm easily influenced and you do make a good point. They did worry about her when she called and moved her in with them at the end. You’re right. They definitely stepped in as the parental figures Camille never really had. Their concern for her did feel genuine, especially compared to her own mother. Now that I'm thinking about it, it is kind of sweet since I think it was mentioned that they wanted children but couldn't have any because they got into a relationship later in life. In a way, now they have Camille.

[Ray]

I also agree with both of you about needing a lighthearted book after this one.

[Blue Ghost]

Ray wrote: "Ratdaddy wrote: "Ray wrote: "I want to start by saying this book disturbed me. I don't think I've read a book that has had this effect on me in a while.

One thing I found particularly interesting ..."

Oh! I forgot they had wanted children but couldn't conceive. Well, at least someone had a happy ending/got what they wanted.