Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

252 reviews

san_cam78's review against another edition

challenging dark informative mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Grief, and Murder

Minor: Classism

alanaschulte's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Grief, and Death of parent

katy_bee's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

1.75

In its favour this was a quick read, and I kept going to see what the solution to the mystery was. 

But overall I didn't enjoy it. It felt like a loosely strung together series of dramatic events without much coherence or logic. The driver was to keep the reader guessing with misdirection and possibilities but nothing felt very satisfying and it came off as silly. I didn't connect to the main character of Mariana who's choices seemed quite random and yet each one led her to exactly the right place and time to find the next plot point, and be misled by it.  It might have worked as a farce but this seems to have been trying to be some kind of psychological thriller.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Death, Drug use, Sexual content, Stalking, and Death of parent

aaannina's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

somesortofwitch's review against another edition

mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Mental illness

Minor: Suicide attempt

niceonehros's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

The ending felt rushed and a bit more contrived than I would like. Still a compelling read, but as plot twists go, this one didn't blow my mind.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol

sarawoltz1's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad 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

1.75

if you’re going to have the Big Reveal revolve around pedophilia and grooming, you simply have to address those themes through the whole book AND have more then two pages wrapping it up. ALSO every single character in this sucked balls and i don’t think that’s purposeful

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Violence, and Grief

viicech's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

sierrabowers's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

 I thought it was an okay story, but mostly it was very slow. The mystery itself was not that compelling, but I thought the ending left me with more questions than anything. If you haven’t read the silent patient, I would recommend reading this book first, because one character is linked to that book. I have already read the silent patient, so now I feel as if I need to reread it in order to understand it better or in a new light. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

lexm's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

1.0

I’m not normally one to write many reviews, but I’m having Feelings about this book. 

I wanted to like it so badly. The mythology elements sounded interesting and I love a murder mystery. But this book was filled with deeply unlikable characters, frustrating plot holes, and a twist ending that feels like it was added for shock value without considering how it would tie in with the rest of the book. There was also no time to sit in the chaos and aftermath of the ending, it was too abrupt. The epilogue didn’t even make it feel like we got a proper resolution. 

I also wasn’t crazy about the writing style

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Violence, Grief, and Murder

Minor: Adult/minor relationship