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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
I just could not get into this book. Not that it was terrible-I just wasn’t dying to know what happened next. Also the ending? Pshh not believable
Thanks to LibroFM and MacMillan Audio for the gifted ALC.
That was a good twist! And I liked the call backs to [b:The Silent Patient|40097951|The Silent Patient|Alex Michaelides|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1582759969l/40097951._SX50_.jpg|59752778]. The narrators did an excellent job. Louise Brealey narrates the main story, and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith narrates the interstitial chapters of a male character who isn't revealed until the end of the story. For Holdbrook-Smith's chapters Michaelides uses a similar journal format as he did in The Silent Patient for Alicia Berenson.
What didn't work for me was Mariana. She is dull and out of place. If I was in her situation, I would have pulled my kid out of school after the second murder, if not the first. I wouldn't linger around investigating a serial killer. Sorry to my kid for the loss of their friend, but pack up you're grieving at home. The extreme focus on her was at the expense of the potential for some excellent drama and intrigue in academia. The maidens in are underutilized, and Fosca is not a convincing target for Mariana's suspicions. There are lots of inappropriate relationships in the story - mostly men who have a clear power advantage over the young women they become involved with, and This book gets three stars on the strength of the twisty reveal.
That was a good twist! And I liked the call backs to [b:The Silent Patient|40097951|The Silent Patient|Alex Michaelides|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1582759969l/40097951._SX50_.jpg|59752778]. The narrators did an excellent job. Louise Brealey narrates the main story, and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith narrates the interstitial chapters of a male character who isn't revealed until the end of the story.
Spoiler
However, I thought Holdbrook-Smith's accent was too revealing. Mariana's main suspect is American, but the narrator for the male character speaks with a British accent. It would just be too easy to try to divert attention from Fosca by having him fake an accent, so I immediately crossed him off my list of true potential suspects.What didn't work for me was Mariana. She is dull and out of place. If I was in her situation, I would have pulled my kid out of school after the second murder, if not the first. I wouldn't linger around investigating a serial killer. Sorry to my kid for the loss of their friend, but pack up you're grieving at home. The extreme focus on her was at the expense of the potential for some excellent drama and intrigue in academia. The maidens in are underutilized, and Fosca is not a convincing target for Mariana's suspicions. There are lots of inappropriate relationships in the story - mostly men who have a clear power advantage over the young women they become involved with, and
Spoiler
in one case, a young woman reveals that she was raped as a child.Spoiler
(albeit inappropriate)
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
so much wasted potential… I feel like I’ll keep reading Michaelides’ books exclusively because of the crossovers between the therapist characters lol
“Once you kill another human being there is no going back… it’s a bit like being reborn, I suppose. But no ordinary birth—it’s a metamorphosis. What emerges from the ashes is not a phoenix, but an uglier creature: deformed, incapable of flight, a predator using its claws to cut and rip.”
This book was what I needed to get back into my murder mystery, dark academia obsession. Alex Michaelides tells the story from point of view of a therapist who is not only dealing with her own loss but gets roped into a murder case. Clever but troubled, Mariana becomes intrigued with the "The Maidens". A group a friend of her dear niece Zoe, was involved in and was murdered. As Mariana tries to figure out who is causing the grotesque killings, life has other plans for her, and personal and past occurrences seem to consume our protagonist.
This book had a lot of hope, and although the story was clever and I was still shocked by the twist, it seemed too easy. I felt the story repeated itself, and it went around in circles.
I was also confused by some of the other characters added to the story. I'm not sure what their purpose was, besides adding more side plots?
The writing style was also pretty simple. So I wasn't too captured or engrossed as I hoped. And I think this simplicity caused me to put two and two together which ultimately caused me to figure out what was going on. Even if I didn't know who the killer was, I had an inkling that there was more to the plot than just Edward Fosca and his Maidens.
Overall, I enjoyed the point of view and our main protagonist. I loved the aspect of adding therapy to figure out a mystery as well as figuring out self-healing.
This book was what I needed to get back into my murder mystery, dark academia obsession. Alex Michaelides tells the story from point of view of a therapist who is not only dealing with her own loss but gets roped into a murder case. Clever but troubled, Mariana becomes intrigued with the "The Maidens". A group a friend of her dear niece Zoe, was involved in and was murdered. As Mariana tries to figure out who is causing the grotesque killings, life has other plans for her, and personal and past occurrences seem to consume our protagonist.
This book had a lot of hope, and although the story was clever and I was still shocked by the twist, it seemed too easy. I felt the story repeated itself, and it went around in circles.
I was also confused by some of the other characters added to the story. I'm not sure what their purpose was, besides adding more side plots?
The writing style was also pretty simple. So I wasn't too captured or engrossed as I hoped. And I think this simplicity caused me to put two and two together which ultimately caused me to figure out what was going on. Even if I didn't know who the killer was, I had an inkling that there was more to the plot than just Edward Fosca and his Maidens.
Overall, I enjoyed the point of view and our main protagonist. I loved the aspect of adding therapy to figure out a mystery as well as figuring out self-healing.
Had high hopes as I loved The Silent Patient so much. I knew early on it was Zoey, and I find that all of the other characters were only created to make us think it was them instead.
What was the point of Henry’s character?? I feel that it didn’t add anything to the story other than place her role as a group therapist.
It seemed cheap when he gave Fred father issues as well, which made it more unbelievable, and led me to think even less about the characters he created.
I may be missing key points with my lack of Greek mythological knowledge, but this story was disappointing when seeking a psychological thriller. I think it would be a better movie than it is a book, as someone would be able to portray the story better than the author himself, adding to what it’s missing. I don’t know what’s missing, but the story fell flat.
What was the point of Henry’s character?? I feel that it didn’t add anything to the story other than place her role as a group therapist.
It seemed cheap when he gave Fred father issues as well, which made it more unbelievable, and led me to think even less about the characters he created.
I may be missing key points with my lack of Greek mythological knowledge, but this story was disappointing when seeking a psychological thriller. I think it would be a better movie than it is a book, as someone would be able to portray the story better than the author himself, adding to what it’s missing. I don’t know what’s missing, but the story fell flat.
Love a nice murder mystery/thriller with a twist! Very fun crossover to The Silent Patient!
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
