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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Sexual assault, Suicide attempt
This book bothers me so much. First, Mariana is super annoying. Also, all these random men that enter Marianas life are so weird. They don’t bring anything to the table and they just creep her out. This was not what I was expecting. I did not expect this at all and in a bad way. I thought it’d be an academia mystery with students but that is not the case. Also what was the point of Henry? There was no point to him at all. He was just creepy and weird. Also I kinda guessed Zoe was the killer but not for the reasons she had. Like her and Sebastian being lovers? What was that all about? My guess was that she didn’t like the Maidens or was jealous and decided to kill them but nope she did it for money? Makes no sense to me at all. Also in the end the maidens had no point at all so why is the book titled the maidens? I just did not like this at all and I did not like how it ended up. Definitely a one star read. I wish it was more secret society like.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I actually didn't realize this was by the same person who wrote The Silent Patient. I haven't read it, but I know people like that one a lot.
Anyway, I guess this novel was...disappointing? I was sort of hoping for The Secret History-esq sort of thing, but I got a...normal thriller that just happened to be set in a school with Greek stuff scattered about in the background. I mean, for a thriller, it was fine. No complaints from me about the format of a book as a general thriller. It just wasn't what I was expecting based on how it was sold to me, really, especially since I had really gone into this book thinking more ~dark academia vibes a la Secret History and not murder mystery set at a school.
In regards to the book itself, it was interesting enough that it kept me reading. Like yeah, I wanted to find out what happens, but that's true of pretty much any mystery. It was also interesting for me to read this while I'm taking a class specifically on Group Therapy (and generally studying to be a therapist) because I definitely thought about how the book measured up to the kinds of things we'd been learning in class and all that in terms of process groups. There were some aspects where I was super sus though, like where the main character said that she saw her supervisor for personal therapy. That's definitely not cool and something that would never happen in real life lol. (I've definitely had supervisors who I would love to actually have as a therapist though, so I getcha.)
I think the characters just sort of fell flat for me. There were so many characters where was just like "what was the point of you being there?" (like Henry, Fred) and who I felt like just didn't need to be there. Like with Henry especially, that entire plotline just sort of...disappeared midway through. He just quietly went away after all that buildup lol. And even with Fred, he just never really had much of a personality imo. The main character sort of annoyed me with the way that she was and how she went about things, and idk I never really jived with whyZoe ended up doing the crimes . It just felt like a pretty weak reason.
There's also the fact thatZoe was groomed by Sebastian pretty much her entire childhood and clearly manipulated and abused into thinking that she was in love which was completely glossed over and those implications ignored by the main character, who I did not feel reacted in a realistic way. Sure, she's mad and upset, but guilt was only mentioned once, and I felt like she was entirely mad at the wrong person.
Also the book just sort of...ended? It was very abrupt. I thought that there would be more and then it was just over. The mystery got resolved, but I felt like none of the characters' lives were resolved. I figured that the author wants to show that they're all still figuring it out and it's messy and all, but I finished the book feeling completely pulled out of the story because of how the author chose to show this. It didn't feel like a natural ending to me.
Anyway, I guess this novel was...disappointing? I was sort of hoping for The Secret History-esq sort of thing, but I got a...normal thriller that just happened to be set in a school with Greek stuff scattered about in the background. I mean, for a thriller, it was fine. No complaints from me about the format of a book as a general thriller. It just wasn't what I was expecting based on how it was sold to me, really, especially since I had really gone into this book thinking more ~dark academia vibes a la Secret History and not murder mystery set at a school.
In regards to the book itself, it was interesting enough that it kept me reading. Like yeah, I wanted to find out what happens, but that's true of pretty much any mystery. It was also interesting for me to read this while I'm taking a class specifically on Group Therapy (and generally studying to be a therapist) because I definitely thought about how the book measured up to the kinds of things we'd been learning in class and all that in terms of process groups. There were some aspects where I was super sus though, like where the main character said that she saw her supervisor for personal therapy. That's definitely not cool and something that would never happen in real life lol. (I've definitely had supervisors who I would love to actually have as a therapist though, so I getcha.)
I think the characters just sort of fell flat for me. There were so many characters where was just like "what was the point of you being there?" (like Henry, Fred) and who I felt like just didn't need to be there. Like with Henry especially, that entire plotline just sort of...disappeared midway through. He just quietly went away after all that buildup lol. And even with Fred, he just never really had much of a personality imo. The main character sort of annoyed me with the way that she was and how she went about things, and idk I never really jived with why
There's also the fact that
Also the book just sort of...ended? It was very abrupt. I thought that there would be more and then it was just over. The mystery got resolved, but I felt like none of the characters' lives were resolved. I figured that the author wants to show that they're all still figuring it out and it's messy and all, but I finished the book feeling completely pulled out of the story because of how the author chose to show this. It didn't feel like a natural ending to me.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
DAMNNN that plot twist! I had no idea who the killer was -
I also don’t like guessing and reading to far into it, enjoy the surprise! I’m a big fan of Alex Michaelides writing and I enjoy all the Greek references.
Did I find some parts of Marianna absolutely annoying especially in her crusade to get Edward Fusner. I had to pause and sigh In order to finish that bit of the dialogue.
ALSO kicking and screaming with every Silent Patient connection!
I also don’t like guessing and reading to far into it, enjoy the surprise! I’m a big fan of Alex Michaelides writing and I enjoy all the Greek references.
Did I find some parts of Marianna absolutely annoying especially in her crusade to get Edward Fusner. I had to pause and sigh In order to finish that bit of the dialogue.
ALSO kicking and screaming with every Silent Patient connection!
This one was better than the silent patient and I didn’t think I’d say that.