Gone Girl - a review

I don’t like when critics or book reviewer’s give spoliers on the plot or sometimes the climax or even the conclusion of the book. I feel like, “yeah I know that the correct way of doing a movie/book review” but those things are appreciated by your teacher/professor when grading your paper. Not for enthusiasts who just wanted to check how others liked the movie/book before actually spending a dime for it. So I will try to review a book without giving out the entire plot, climax and conclusion of the book.


When I registered for an audible account, I saw this book – Gone Girl in New York Times bestseller. In terms of books, I am a “fashionista” in a sense that I want to see what’s hot and try it. This is one of the few things that I am not ashamed to go with the what’s “in”. So okay, its not a book, an audiobook that I bought, initially I got bored (yes, bored listening) because the structure of the book is that the two main (Amy and Nick) characters alternate presenting their own versions of what happened. But when I got to Part 2 (of the audiobook) it got interesting. I loved the suspense rising up minute after minute. I began to anticipate what Amy has to say on the version of what happened. The story became very real to me, because as they say there are always two sides of a coin. I loved how Nick got caught up on his wife’s (Amy) web of lies and there seems to be no hope of him being vindicated or the truth coming out. I began to hate the lawyer who wasn’t of no help at all, of the policemen/detectives who thinks its good police work to find obvious evidence. And most of all, I hated Amy, I felt the hurt and frustration that Nick felt when Amy seemed to be winning most of the time.

However, I didn’t like the ending of the book it was very anticlimactic, it was a letdown for me. Its like lining up for free ice cream and when its your turn the only flavor left is vanilla. I feel that the book is begging to have a sequel. I don’t know if the author has that plan all along or Book 2 is already in the works.

I would love to see this made into a movie. However, as I am not a big Hollywood fan I am struggling to think of the perfect actors to play Amy and Nick. Well, these are the qualities I think the actors should have:

Amy – someone beautiful but still has the homely charisma.
Nick – someone proud/strong looking with a slight “player” aura


I know it didn’t said much but I highly recommend the book, it is literally something that you would find difficult to put down.

So what do you want to do? Read, listen or watch?

I can’t remember where I once saw this question “ Can listening to audiobooks be considered as reading?” Sorry as much as I want to quote the source, I really can’t remember which website I came across. Anyway, I did not read the responses or discussion so there’s not much use quoting it.
Lately, I have enjoyed listening to audiobooks rather than reading the book or novel itself. The reasons are I am among those people who:
- Falls asleep when reading for a long time
- Wants to do something at the same time (ex. Working while listening)
- has short attention span, that when I don’t understand or get bored for more than 5 minutes, you would lose me
- don’t want to carry a bulky book everywhere

This reason which I try to convince myself is the primary reason is: it makes me feel more connected to the story thus enjoying it more.

I don’t think there’s nothing wrong with listening than reading the book as much as there is nothing wrong if you rather want to read at your own pace. But obviously that question was posted or raised by someone who would rather read the book than listen to it. I cannot understand why it would be an issue if you would listen to the audiobook. When we were young, most if not all of us grew up with someone ( mother/father, nanny, granny, sister, sitter etc) reading a story or simply listening to a fascinating story being told to us.

However, I believe watching the film version of a novel is a different thing. Since movies are usually around 1.5-2.5 hrs long only, it just shows the most important parts missing all the details and oftentimes present a different ending. That is why most novel readers get disappointed when they watch the film version.
The only advantage of film versions is that you see in your eyes the scenes, characters or settings that you have only imagined while you were reading. But unfortunately, sometimes some of this details are also not included in the movie. I remembered a friend who once told me that the reason why she is excited to see this specific film is she wanted to see the dress being described as the one worn by the female character. And yes, she was disappointed, because in the film, it was not the cutesy dress she imagined. Probably because who would think that someone will watch the movie just to check out the character’s costumes.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t totally dislike film versions. I am also like many others who get excited to see the novel I once read/listened to being unraveled before my eyes. Although of course, I sometimes end up disappointed or feel that something is lacking from the movie.

There is one film version that I liked although many of the reviews are not so positive because they said the film lack the elegance and beauty of the novel itself. This film is “ Love in the time of cholera”. This novel I have read and because Gabriel Garcia Marquez novel are so beautiful that I get lost with the words. Maybe that’s the reason I liked it *smiles*. It helps me understand the “big words” and yes I read the translated (English) version. I read this entry from Wikipedia : “His works have achieved significant critical acclaim and widespread commercial success, most notably for popularizing a literary style labeled as magic realism, which uses magical elements and events in otherwise ordinary and realistic situations.” That I guess is the beauty that is lost in the film, you can barely feel it there. But the movie made me appreciate the novel even more as the characters and the expression of their love for each other unraveled before me.

I guess since each one of us has different tastes and let’s admit, different levels of intelligence which is why we have different preferences on how to enjoy a story, some want to read it on their own at their own pace, some want to listen, hearing the words as if just eavesdropping on a conversation and some wants just to see the important events and don’t mind missing the details.

But one thing I know is for sure, we are all interested with stories other than our own. Again for reasons that are entirely different for each person.

The calling

I have read and heard from others that if you do something you want or enjoy what you are doing, you never have to work for single day of your life. Hmmm.. sounds reasonable. So what I have to find out now is what I want to do.
As a kid, I have always loved reading and writing. I can’t remember exactly remember at what age I have started on writing a personal diary but it sure was before my teens.

I can vaguely remember what I used as a diary, is it an old school notebook, yellow ruled paper or unused pads of receipts. What I do remember is I have always loved writing my thoughts down. It’s as if I would forgot them as they pass through my mind. It hasn’t always been a day-to-day journal. I usually right on it when I was scolded and feel that I was done injustice. You know how kids are, every little thing that happens against their wishes is an injustice for them. I also write my dreams and aspirations. I remembered one time, I was preparing a layout for my own newspaper. Of course I was the writer of every article, news or opinion column.

When I was in high school, I remembered trying to write a romance “novel” about my infatuation for a boy band that was extremely popular during my teens. I couldn’t imagine what my mother thought about what’s happening to me when she read it. She always reads what I write even if I try to hide them. I am have never been proud of my writing and oftentimes I am not comfortable when others read it. I feel like the reader is looking into my soul through my written words. Because every time I write anything even if it is a business email reply to a user, I always feel that I put a part of my personality in it. A part of my soul.

I always have an opinion of other’s writing style, even of how good the author is, I always have a different twist or ending of the story of my own. Which leads me to wonder.. will I ever be a writer? Or an author of something so beautiful that other’s would say “I like how she writes”.


But I am a great fan of authors who have great imagination and who takes time to do research on the settings of their story, either that or they have lived in that setting for quite some time to remember it quite vividly. That’s why I have great respect for J.K. Rowling on how amazingly good the Harry Potter series is. Truth of the matter is I have never literally read her books, except for ironically, the first and the last one. The others I “heard” the audiobooks or just watched the film version istead but I don’t think that would disqualify me as a fan. Because although I have only read 2 of her books, I can get totally “lost” in her imagination. She makes you really feel that you are there and everything she is saying is real. That I do not need a feel good love or romantic subplot to get my readers hooked.

That is why I am not confident of how I write even if its fictional, I feel that I still could not make the reader “lost” in my story, it’s if the story is their own, as if they are my characters. And when that happens, is when I could say I found my very own "the calling".

Boredom

I admire people who can simply stare in space and spend hours doing it. I could not do it. I have to at least think about something ( if not do something). Even long daydreams bore me, even if how sweet, funny, exciting the thoughts are. If I spend more than 15 minutes, I become bored of own thoughts.
That is why I hate attending seminars, trainings, workshops where the speaker/trainer talks and/or reads from a powerpoint presentation. I think I have adult ADHD. But I don’t want to get tested and waste money on a shrink. First and foremost because I don’t have the money to throw away and secondly, that is why I write, to put all my thoughts in words that I and others can read. That is why even as a child I keep a personal diary, which because of my clumsiness, my (foster) mother reads every now and then. And she would boast that she knows everything because she is old and wise (would not admit she reads my diary even if caught in the act). If she is still alive and would read this, I am sure she would be very furious that I put “(foster)“ before the word “mother”. She would scream and say, ”So now I am not a mother!”


In my previous work, I am being teased as being a loud mouth, which I am not, I just love talking :P Well, that is to people I feel comfortable with. My current boss and officemates tell me I am so quiet and sometimes they barely notice I am at my desk. That is because as talkative person I am, I am not exactly a friendly person. I am not like some people who smiles and chats to everyone they meet at a training, event or sometimes even at the line in the supermarket. I have nothing against people like that, in fact, I admire them for their confidence. I think that is what I lack. I remembered what a former supervisor of mine told me, “ you write such very good emails but when I talk to you, I do not hear that.” Another former colleague who I always chat with online, also told me, “ You seem very funny but when we met in person, you barely talked.” I think I am like that because I am always confronted with thoughts like, “ what if I say the wrong words”, “what if they don’t like me”. Hmmm or is it just fear of rejection? Or insecurity? But it’s the same, it’s because I am not confident.

Another reason why I am not your next door friendly girl is I don’t easily trust people. I choose the people I make friends with but oftentimes not good choices. A friend once told me, “you have a tendency to care for the wrong people”. Yes, I observed that. It’s always me with the 100% while the other one barely 50% and yes this is not with friendships only in ALL sorts of “- ships”. But wait before I divulge too much or burst into tears…..

See, I told you.. I have ADHD, I always stray from my original topic and now I am getting bored again.

Being a foreigner

I have been in a foreign country for more than 6 months now. At first, I was excited as I have always thought that this country is far better than my home country. Then I realized that the cliche is true. There's no place like home.
I have been warned before by a manager from my previous company that it's a little difficult to live here. "it's easy to get lost there" I just smiled but he continued, their street signs or store signs are in their local language script and they could barely understand and speak English. Honestly, I did not believe him. I said to myself, it couldn't be that bad, I have been to Kenya and they speak good English. And kenya is a poor african country, this one is one of the most developed countries in the region.And besides he gave a disclaimer that maybe it had improved recently, it has been a few years ago when he was here.
And when I arrived here, I almost want to give him a call and tell him that I should have listened to him.

It was like a nightmare communicating in English here, it wouldn't help if you present a nicely computer printed document unless its in their local script. You might say, probably not in the hotels, international hospitals, high end shopping centers or multi national companies. Well maybe not that bad. But still bad. You have to talk in broken English to have your message get through easily. Or you would waste a lot of time if you talk in your perfect English grammar or accent. I was once smirked at a copy center when I keep saying.. "scan" pointing at my document that needs to be scanned. And the lady told me in her irritated voice "is-skan".
It also doesn't help that I look a little like the locals. They tend to be more friendly to caucasians. I could no longer keep count of the times when I tell a saleslady, fast food attendant or bank teller "sorry, I don't understand " and they would either frown or roll their eyes as if I am pretending to be a foreigner.

Many times we also get stared in public when my kids ( 3 and 5 yrs old) speak in english. Some smile while others roll their eyes as if we are some kind of trying hard social climber.

Oftentimes we want to complain with the wrong order given, being cut in line, being pushed in the train or for bad service. But we end up just shrugging it off since it wouldn't be worth the time (1) they wouldn't understand (2) they would just smile at you even if you are already fuming red with anger.

It all comes down to tolerance and patience. And always bearing in mind that this is not your country. And like a guest in somebody's house, instead of complaining you just be thankful that they accepted you in their home.

To not being jolly

Most people are used to me laughing and always still funny stories. When I am suddenly silent, there are people who just can' t seem to accept it.
There are times when I don' t feel like sharing stories of my commute from home to the office. There are times that I don' t feel like talking while eating or waiting in line. There are timed that even when I am not doing anything I also would not speak to anyone. And I want people to respect that and not question it.

Insomniac?!

Writing this post at almost 1 in the morning might make many people think that I'm an insomniac. Well, I' m not. Its just that my son is still wide awake.hehe.
For many weeks now, I consider myself depressed. Several not so nice things happened to me that I had or still is having trouble, waking up each day with a smile. Yes, I admit that I am not what we Filipinos love to call " smiling face".That is what Filipinos call when a person has a very friendly face, one who almost never fails to have a smile on their face.