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lelalu's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Torture, Stalking, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Death of parent, Blood, Death, Physical abuse, and Violence
trippalli's review
2.5
Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, Gore, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault
miggyfool's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Murder, Abandonment, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Torture, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Death, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness
syinhui's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.25
Zoe suddenly going unhinged and murderous in front of Marianna feels so random. Fred following her and for some reason knowing she’ll be in danger is just convenient.
I could see Zoe as a total nutcase. Still sticking with the plan to frame up her professor. She’s suspicious from the very start and I wouldn’t mind if the second pov was actually her alternate personality/identity. With a little tweaking, it would probably make sense. Better than a kid having romantic and sexual relations with a deranged man twice her age.
"Oh, I’ve got an idea for the twist! What if we make someone who has no established motivation so far whatsoever our mysterious killer?? Remember how I’ve repeatedly alluded to the story of the Maiden, Persephone? That’s the central focus. Not those characters who I already hinted to have daddy/mummy issues. Nooo! Everything else is a mere diversion. The goal is not to weave clues together but to have readers think in retrospect. For what could be more effective than the dead? The least harmless character in the story. Plus, this serves as a sort of divine punishment or justice, y’know. I bet no one would see that coming."
Graphic: Murder, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Grief, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Stalking
Minor: Confinement, Suicide, Pedophilia, and Abandonment
its_erin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
That being said, there were some interesting plot weaved in, such as the threads of Greek tragedy. But that's all they were, threads. Threads that, by the end of the book, you find didn't weave together anything of import.
Graphic: Gore, Murder, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Stalking, Adult/minor relationship, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Drug abuse, Death of parent, Abandonment, Mental illness, and Emotional abuse
beeper's review
- 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? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Stalking, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Abandonment, Toxic friendship, Violence, Death of parent, Addiction, Alcohol, Physical abuse, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
sashea's review
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
Initially intriguing but quickly got repetitive and almost boring. Only the short length of the book made me finish it. The men presented as suspicious have similar backgrounds
The twist at the end (for the motivation at least) was surprising but there was no connection to any of the characters and too many heavy-handed obvious red herrings that I wasn't even interested enough to guess at
In summary, this book is "Daddy issues and the (two-dimensional) women who pay for it."
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Blood, Murder, and Self harm
Minor: Infertility, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, and Animal death
lbg352's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Murder, Death of parent, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Pedophilia
Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, and Violence
literaryinluv's review against another edition
- 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
0.2 seconds after meeting her: "marry me"
the red herrings were just so... forced. like,
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
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
lifeofchrstnlvly's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It’s important to keep looking ahead. You mustn’t forever look back, over your shoulder. Think about the future.
Well, I didn’t see that one coming. It caught me a bit off-guard (only a bit because I suspected all of them ha ha ha).
I enjoy reading Michaelides’ books because 1) I love mystery, and 2) I like that psychology is always incorporated. However, I have yet to read a work from him that will satisfy me. He does his descriptions well (he's a good writer, no doubt about that), but the “reveal” is always unsatisfying. The ending felt rushed. I read The Silent Patient and I had the same problems.
Side note: what was the point of Henry's character? Personally, I think there will be no difference even if his character didn't exist.
I’ll still read his future books, though... because I have a lot of fun reading about crazy people.
Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Animal death, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Mental illness, Abandonment, Addiction, and Child abuse
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, and Suicide attempt