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adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I selected this as one of my Book of the Month picks.
"The Fury" follows a group of famous, well-off friends as they try to escape the dreary weather and venture to ex-movie star Lana Farrar's private island. Unfortunately, their happy getaway turns sour when one person ends up dead.
The story is told through the perspective of Elliot Chase, who feels like an unreliable narrative from the beginning. It feels like Elliot knows too much, and he seems far too knowledgeable about his friends.
This story is wild, with a lot of twists and turns, but it almost felt overdone. I felt like I was being told a story from someone that knew everything and just wanted to string me along so they could hear their own voice talking for longer. Because of this, I was not invested in the characters, the murder, or really the book. This unfortunately just did not grip me like "The Silent Patient" did.
I will still read from Alex Michaelides in the future, but I will likely be more selective about what I pick up.
"The Fury" follows a group of famous, well-off friends as they try to escape the dreary weather and venture to ex-movie star Lana Farrar's private island. Unfortunately, their happy getaway turns sour when one person ends up dead.
The story is told through the perspective of Elliot Chase, who feels like an unreliable narrative from the beginning. It feels like Elliot knows too much, and he seems far too knowledgeable about his friends.
This story is wild, with a lot of twists and turns, but it almost felt overdone. I felt like I was being told a story from someone that knew everything and just wanted to string me along so they could hear their own voice talking for longer. Because of this, I was not invested in the characters, the murder, or really the book. This unfortunately just did not grip me like "The Silent Patient" did.
I will still read from Alex Michaelides in the future, but I will likely be more selective about what I pick up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Murder, Toxic friendship
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
Enjoyably twisty.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting
Moderate: Murder
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
dark
mysterious
tense
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Drug use, Mental illness
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Felt there is a lot of things we’re mentioned in passing throughout the book which were never called back to or elaborated on that would have made for a better story. Ending felt rushed, unimaginative, and lackluster.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Violence, Stalking, Abandonment
Minor: Animal death
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Classism
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think this book would have been better if it weren’t written in 2nd person. The narrator came across as pretentious and annoying. Over all, it was boring, even though it started to get better around page 225… it was only a 300 page book. The pacing was slow and the story was all over the place. I get that was kind of the point, but it ended up being confusing. I didn’t really end up caring about any of the characters or who died. There were a few twists that were entertaining, but again, they would have been more successful if the writing was either 1st or 3rd POV. I enjoyed the little Easter Egg for The Silent Patient in the epilogue though.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“The real tragedy, of course, by always looking outward, by focusing so intently on the other persons experience, we lose touch with our own. It’s as if we live out entire life pretending to be ourselves, as imposters impersonating ourselves, rather than feeling this is really me, this is who I am.” (pg. 60)
This book started off pretty slow in my opinion, and I didn’t get invested until around page 50-60. During this time, I was questioning whether I was going to enjoy this book and what the point of all the exposition was, but the thriller aspect started to kick up eventually.
I was also able to understand why the beginning may have started as it did. Despite the narrator mentioning that starting a book with the weather is never the right move, I can see how it serves this book well. The island that the group of characters goes to is known for having terrible storms known as “The Fury,” which, coincidentally, is the namesake of the book. With the storm in mind, I see the boring exposition as the calm before it. Mixed with our unreliable narrator, who slowly begins to open up to the reader as the acts progress, the reader is being allowed a moment of stillness before the real twists start to pop up. I can appreciate it now, but forcing myself to power through at first was tough. It’s partially why I still can’t give it 5 stars no matter how I can appreciate it.
I will say, it did teach me to give a book at least 50 pages before considering a possible DNF. I’m glad I finished it, and the annotation process was enjoyable.
This book seems to have a theme that centers heavily on childhood trauma and how we carry that pain or that child with us as we go through life. The author claims that people who have gone through trauma at that age become the people they needed at that time as they age. There were many moments in the book where I could relate to some of the characters’ backstories. It reminds me of just how much I hate bullying and is a very dramatized telling of the lengths a person would go to protect themselves from their pasts. Being able to relate to something like that added an extra layer of complication that I always enjoy. Give me that wonderful mental challenge of morality, and I eat it up every time.
It was nice to see how the retelling of the events while they were on the island slowly became more clear as the narrator opens up. You are able to see how certain details didn’t quite add up or what changed from one telling to the next. The twist in this story is satisfying, and I like that subtle hints are sprinkled throughout that allow you to gradually piece things together.
I also liked the use of 2nd person throughout the book. It’s one of the least common to see when reading, and I think the author implemented it successfully.
This book started off pretty slow in my opinion, and I didn’t get invested until around page 50-60. During this time, I was questioning whether I was going to enjoy this book and what the point of all the exposition was, but the thriller aspect started to kick up eventually.
I was also able to understand why the beginning may have started as it did. Despite the narrator mentioning that starting a book with the weather is never the right move, I can see how it serves this book well. The island that the group of characters goes to is known for having terrible storms known as “The Fury,” which, coincidentally, is the namesake of the book. With the storm in mind, I see the boring exposition as the calm before it. Mixed with our unreliable narrator, who slowly begins to open up to the reader as the acts progress, the reader is being allowed a moment of stillness before the real twists start to pop up. I can appreciate it now, but forcing myself to power through at first was tough. It’s partially why I still can’t give it 5 stars no matter how I can appreciate it.
I will say, it did teach me to give a book at least 50 pages before considering a possible DNF. I’m glad I finished it, and the annotation process was enjoyable.
This book seems to have a theme that centers heavily on childhood trauma and how we carry that pain or that child with us as we go through life. The author claims that people who have gone through trauma at that age become the people they needed at that time as they age. There were many moments in the book where I could relate to some of the characters’ backstories. It reminds me of just how much I hate bullying and is a very dramatized telling of the lengths a person would go to protect themselves from their pasts. Being able to relate to something like that added an extra layer of complication that I always enjoy. Give me that wonderful mental challenge of morality, and I eat it up every time.
It was nice to see how the retelling of the events while they were on the island slowly became more clear as the narrator opens up. You are able to see how certain details didn’t quite add up or what changed from one telling to the next. The twist in this story is satisfying, and I like that subtle hints are sprinkled throughout that allow you to gradually piece things together.
I also liked the use of 2nd person throughout the book. It’s one of the least common to see when reading, and I think the author implemented it successfully.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Drug abuse
Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Sexual content, Suicide
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a really difficult book to review or recommend for others. I don't know who specifically this is for. I found the book entertaining but I'm struggling to parse out how I *feel* about the book, having read it, which doesn't happen often.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Abandonment
Minor: Child abuse
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship