Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

56 reviews

literaryinluv's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

2.5

it was really okay. i appreciated the literary references and the allusions to greek mythology, but it just felt so forced sometimes? the way the author tried to force tennyson and the myths in SO MUCH. to, like the littlest detail. and mariana was so flat and sticking her head in a crime scene, which is not realistic at all. and fred??? 

0.2 seconds after meeting her: "marry me"

the red herrings were just so... forced. like,

oh fred has a picture with a dog, and the letter mentions "premonition," which he claims to have, it must be him!!! but like nobody thinks that, he's just some guy.

everything felt forced, and like the author was booping my nose and saying, "catch that? let me explain!"

despite all this, i enjoyed the pacing and the ending, as well as the

actual culprit

. i probably won't read it again, tho.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Cursing, Physical abuse, Stalking, Adult/minor relationship, and Grief

Moderate: Death of parent, Incest, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Alcohol, Abandonment, Rape, Sexual assault, Car accident, and Infertility

thebookpaiges's review

emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Self harm, Murder, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Blood, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Death of parent, Violence, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual content

Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis

joperceptions's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense 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

3.75

This book wasn’t bad (I’m being kind, it was quite bad). I think stepping into it after the silent patient, meant I had my own idea of the way the author may have set it up and I was right in a sense. It follows a similar vibe in regards to a mystery with a plot 
twist. The writing style was easy enough to follow for me. The only comment on that is, I feel as though the character development for supporting characters (important ones too) was just not as strong as it should have been at points. I found myself confused on who certain people were once I hit the end of the book, but that could easily just be a me issue. I’m not going back to check but I feel like it had some minor plot holes, or at least things that weren’t wrapped up in a way that was at all satisfying, nor helpful to answering any questions that the plot twist may have evoked. I feel like the reveal was dropped and somewhere it was forgotten that we’d still want to hear the aftermath (beyond the few pages of whatever we got). And also understand more about wtf that plot
Line was even about and elaborating on it more?? But we got none of that. It’s not a VERY BAD book, it’s actually a really good concept and I like the authors writing style in a general consensus, i just think this book could have been articulated a bit better and it would have been a really good read. 
⚠️SPOILER AHEAD⚠️

I really just don’t think Zoe being the killer made any sense to me, the whole ending  sort of felt like it was decided last minute. I don’t feel like it had any build up, or things that happened prior to even create a sense of suspicion toward her at all, which sort of made the reveal, shocking yes, but a bit less interesting. TW: (pedophilia, grooming) Also the lack of conversation on the fact that Sebastian groomed a minor, was so incredibly concerning to me. Like i understand it was brought up mid “fight scene” or whatever that last bit was. But I still feel like that bomb was just dropped and not at all critiqued besides her being upset that zoe and Sebastian weren’t who she thought they were. Not the literal fact that Zoe was a minor, a literal CHILD when all of that shit happened. It was not approached in a way that was appropriate in my eyes.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Medical content, Body horror, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Rape, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Incest, Grief, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, and Violence

vibingandy's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

kelisabeth's review

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

aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

4.5

Super enjoyed this one. I didn't expect the twist like at all, but I'm also garbage at trying to figure out mysteries. Mariana is a good unreliable narrator, and l liked seeing her growth by the end. The ending did feel a little rushed and not entirely tied up, but I liked the reveal of who the letter/journal writer was. I feel bad for all the girls in the book who are victims of death and manipulation. 
There are some heavy topics within so def check out content warnings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Stalking, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Alcohol, Body horror, Child abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Rape, and Toxic relationship

jelliclecax's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

That twist!!!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Infertility and Suicide attempt

snowyshoes's review

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, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Blood

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

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

ksanderss's review

challenging mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Adult/minor relationship, and Blood

bethboo's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

2.0

This book was no where near as entertaining, shocking, or awe-inducing. I found myself hating the main character, finding her annoying, self-centered, and self-important. Maybe that's how we were supposed to see her, but she wasn't fun person to hear the story from. It wasn't even like an antihero type book where the MC is a horrible person and it's very yandere, it was just irritating and cringy at times.

OMG then every single guy in the entire book being obsessed with Marianna? What the hell is that? It's so annoying.

The Maidens did tie into the Silent Patient in small ways, but this 'sequel', as you may, was a let down compared to the first. Very disappointed. 

 

I DETEST that the entire plot twist was pedophilia. Not just that but cruel, twisted grooming from such a young age. And the Main Character REFUSING to see Zoe as a victim?? Disgusting. You really think that your life is soooooo important that a sick and abused girl attempting to kill you is worse and in need of more attention than the girl you essentially raised being sexually assaulted, molested, groomed, and brainwashed. Like that is so selfish. You should feel betrayed by Sebastian, not this girl. It's awful what she tried to do, but she can't be blamed.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Murder, Grief, and Child abuse