Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

The Maidens: A Novel by Alex Michaelides

135 reviews

readbooksovermygrave'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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Grief, and Murder

kelisabeth's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

caroline_mclaughlin's review against another edition

dark reflective tense fast-paced

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

2.5

Disappointing and flat throughout. Way too many irrelevant characters who all have the same personality traits and are indistinguishable from one another. Literally every single character has daddy issues in the sense that they’re “gone”, which appears as both a major theme and the root of everyone’s issues. I’m shocked I was able to guess the ending though so early on, especially because the whole book seems built on pointless red herrings that make it clear something else is going on, but obfuscate all of the details to the point where it’s impossible to actually get a clear picture to try to come to the correct conclusion as a reader.

This is also why I’m annoyed with the specific use of premonition in the letter. Way too intentional especially when Fred is revealed to be following them, but has no payoff or purpose.

Also don’t even get me started on how the women are written and the stalker men. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Self harm, Stalking, and Death of parent

snowyshoes's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

the book revolves around a therapist and recent widow who is investigating a string of murders on the campus of her niece. the book takes a bit to pick up, but once it does it is very interesting. the language can be a bit flowery and sometimes feels as though the author is trying to fill empty space, but that is easily excusable as the inner monolgue of a highly educated narrator/protagonist. the story is woven together well and is one of the few mystery/suspense/horror books where I could not guess the ending

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Death, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Self harm, and Death of parent

I mean, it's a book about murders. there are graphic and gory details.

the dead husband of the main character was involved in an incestious and pedophilic relationship with the niece

thyapollo's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Grief, and Stalking

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Pedophilia

chassard's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-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

3.0

Rough awful characters. Never really felt super connected to any of them. Mariana was frustrating and did things I can’t imagine any somewhat self preserving woman would do, when I realized this was written by a man it made more sense. So many random side characters that were vague and mysterious but didn’t really make sense to me. One of those endings that was shocking but not impressive in the way that makes you realize you missed something along the way. Entertaining enough but struggled to get into it. Wouldn’t really recommend it overall but it was okay. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death

itsheyfay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Incest, Pedophilia, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Classism

hcrawfo3's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

madisonfrank's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment

r1vana's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

      “That was the horror of it. We all secretly hope that tragedy will only ever happen to other people. But Mariana knew, sooner or later, it happens to you."

I was really excited to read about a “dark academia/ mystery murder” plot. But it is obvious with my rating that I am disappointed. 

The first half of the book got me hyped up. Let’s say that at the end, I am a little disturbed.

I was really into it: the short chapters and the changes of POV between Marianna and the killer:

              “After all, everyone's entitled to be the hero of their own story. So I must be permitted to be the hero of mine. 

Even though I'm not.

I'm the villain.”

I was analyzing and overthinking everything about who can be the killer… anyone that Marianna meets are so sus…:

           “i don't want to be two people. I want to be one person. I want to be whole. But I have no choice, it seems.

boy was I right about Sebastian. What I was not expecting is Zoe being the murderer. I am traumatized. Poor Marianna. I did sympathize her a lot. But sometimes I disliked whenever she was being reckless and careless.

There are a lot of Greek mythological stories that seems a lot. But I think the author wanted to confuse the reader in finding the killer. Unfortunately, the suspense seems to decrease as the story goes because the plot seems to go on a loophole. 

When it comes to the actual murder mystery, it felt practically absent/non existent because Marianna made constant reckless actions like going on a date with a creepy younger guy. Or just confronting X person and “interviewing” them. She is extremely overbearing.

With everything going on, the story felt unrealistic. This woman has terrible boundaries; she can’t even say “no” sometimes. It did made me lose interest a few times, but since the chapters were short, I had to finish it. 

The ending had me satisfied on reading this book bcz I would have put a two star. I was shook. Nevertheless, as the story goes on, I was on the edge the whole time. 

All the men in Marianna’s life are major red flags and big ass creeps. It still makes me uncomfortable that Fred; Henry and Sebastian are all creeps and two of them are stalkers. Not that Edward Fosca was any better… with having relationships with his minor students…

 

Two passages that I had been in my mind throughout the whole book:

      After we die, all that remains of us is a mystery; and our possessions, of course, to be picked over by strangers. ;

       “I hold it true, whate'er befall;

         I feel it when I sorrow most;

         ‘Tis better to have loved and lost

         Than never to have loved at all…” 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, and Suicide attempt