‘I think it’s MISOGYNIST to say it is misogynist to write about bad women,’ said Gillian Flynn, author of best-selling novel Sharp Objects, the TV adaptation of which is now showing, episode by episode (‘olden-days style’) on Sky. Like Amy Dunne of Flynn’s Gone Girl, Sharp Objects’ lead character, Camille Preaker, is ‘bad’ – messed up, unreliable, traumatised and tricky. As a result, Flynn is getting royally duffed up on social media – accused of, among other things, perpetuating misogynistic notions – which is entirely reasonable, because, as you’re well aware, All Women Are Wonderful. Fragrant, reasonable, righteous and kind; noble, intelligent, loyal and brave. Horribly suppressed by the patriarchy. Beaten down through millennia of oppression and objectification and wolf-whistling and toxic masculinity. But now – finally, triumphantly! – fighting back.…
