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lotteee11's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Parts of this book annoyed me from the start, and these things weren’t resolved in the final reveal. The plottwist wasn’t satisfying in my opinion. The use of mythology was also under-utilised: what is the symbolism of the number 22 for example? To me, this is just another mediocre murder mystery, which reinforces the belief that I don’t like thrillers (although this one hardly deserves to be called a thriller, as it wasn’t scary or tense at any time at all).
gr8kait's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
vivparr's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
xansullivan42's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
rachlawley's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I enjoyed this. The pace was good, the story compelling, the writing well-done. But… I didn’t love it like I was hoping I would.
There were some really unrealistic plot pointslike Mariana getting involved in the police investigation , and some unnecessary elements (like, why include Fred as a character? I thought he was going to be a figment of her imagination, and that would’ve been the only purpose I could see him serving) . The plot twist at the end honestly surprised me, which is always a plus. But, I kind of feel like it was just for shock value. Plus, what kind of psychotherapist doesn’t realize their husband is a sociopath? And I say that as a psychotherapist, myself. Unrealistic. Speaking of the husband, I felt it was unnecessary to include his perspective at the beginning of each section. I get why they were included, but it felt kind of forced once I knew who wrote them .
I did enjoy Michaelides’ writing style and the story itself was pretty original. I liked the setting - I’m apparently a huge fan of dark academia. I haven’t read a ton of Greek literature, and I didn’t think that would be a problem since I’ve read other books, like The Secret History, that relied on allusions to Greek literature and I could mostly hold my own. However, with this book, it felt like I needed a bit more of a background in the classics to really get everything I could out of the story.
There were some really unrealistic plot points
I did enjoy Michaelides’ writing style and the story itself was pretty original. I liked the setting - I’m apparently a huge fan of dark academia. I haven’t read a ton of Greek literature, and I didn’t think that would be a problem since I’ve read other books, like The Secret History, that relied on allusions to Greek literature and I could mostly hold my own. However, with this book, it felt like I needed a bit more of a background in the classics to really get everything I could out of the story.
ktea09's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Meh, didn’t like the twist at the end.
fmqs96's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
After reading The Silent Patient, I felt like Alex Michaelides could not replicate the same sense of dread and nervousness as his debut novel. I was (thankfully) wrong.
The constant state of urgency Mariana finds herself in, entices the reader to feel desperate, confused, and on high alert. The most compelling aspect of Michaelides' narration style is the similarities in speech for characters depending on context; it is perfect for keeping the reader uncertain of each character's true intentions. Furthermore, it is the perfect tool to manipulate the audience.
After The Silent Patient, I began The Maidens ready to notice every detail, to not allow myself to be fooled again by his carefully threaded narrative, alas, in my endless desperation to not miss anything, I looked too closely. Thus, I could have never predicted the last chapter from Part 5 or the entirety of Part 6. While the plot twist is satisfying, believable, and shocking, the true star of the show is the lingering sense of discomfort that is perpetuated from the first page.
While I do believe that some plot point were not entirely needed, or perhaps just not well closed at the end, the narrative is solid and engaging. Michaelides' writing is definitely to my taste and I cannot wait to read his newest release, The Fury, and see how he manages to surprise me this time around.
The constant state of urgency Mariana finds herself in, entices the reader to feel desperate, confused, and on high alert. The most compelling aspect of Michaelides' narration style is the similarities in speech for characters depending on context; it is perfect for keeping the reader uncertain of each character's true intentions. Furthermore, it is the perfect tool to manipulate the audience.
After The Silent Patient, I began The Maidens ready to notice every detail, to not allow myself to be fooled again by his carefully threaded narrative, alas, in my endless desperation to not miss anything, I looked too closely. Thus, I could have never predicted the last chapter from Part 5 or the entirety of Part 6. While the plot twist is satisfying, believable, and shocking, the true star of the show is the lingering sense of discomfort that is perpetuated from the first page.
While I do believe that some plot point were not entirely needed, or perhaps just not well closed at the end, the narrative is solid and engaging. Michaelides' writing is definitely to my taste and I cannot wait to read his newest release, The Fury, and see how he manages to surprise me this time around.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Grief, Animal death, Infidelity, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Infertility, Self harm, Mental illness, and Incest