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daybreakreads's review
- 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
I actually suspected the right person early on (ultimately for the wrong reason), but mostly dismissed it because of a very powerful red herring (even though I at one point suspected the red herring as being such). I would say the true ending would be very difficult if not impossible to guess the first time through; I almost want to re-read it again now that I know how it ends.
The audiobook was fascinating to listen to; they used a different voice actor for the alternate perspective.
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Car accident, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
nessazee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Pedophilia
syinhui's review against another edition
- 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: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Grief, and Stalking
Minor: Confinement, Pedophilia, Suicide, and Abandonment
its_erin's review
- 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: Domestic abuse, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Stalking, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Death of parent, and Abandonment
gondorgirl'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
beeper's review against another edition
- 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: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction, Physical abuse, Violence, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol
kccool12255's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
There are MULTIPLE adult-minor relationships in this book that make me feel icky (Fred and Mariana I don't count because that's a 7-year age gap, but they're both adults), and there's just a lot of sex this time around that I feel like was unnecessary. The Maidens is basically just a big orgy with Edward Fosca, one of the other professors is sleeping with one of The Maidens too, and Zoe and Sebastian had a relationship going while he was married to Mariana, and it's just...a lot. I haven't even mentioned the fact that one, Zoe and Sebastian have a 16-YEAR AGE GAP, and two, HE IS HER UNCLE BY MARRIAGE. It's fornication, infidelity, adultery, incest, adult-minor relationship, it's all the things. They also DON'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HE'S HER UNCLE. I just...feel SO bad for Mariana.
BUT THEO FABER IS IN THIS BOOK. HE IS IN THIS BOOK.
In conclusion, wow. Just wow. Alex Michaelides writes some messed-up stuff. (also, are you okay, dude? I'm not even that concerned about all the murder and sex and stuff, but your characters have some MESSED-UP families. Did you have daddy and mommy issues? Because your MCs do. Just some food for thought.) A lot of messed-up things, but I love them. These books have FANTASTIC plot twists, and I want to do something like that in my own characters, especially with the MCs meeting each other. Just incredible.
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Gore, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol
threadsof_kate's review
4.5
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
edhyndman's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Murder
itisnatal'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
2.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Drug use