Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

38 reviews

tbell0211's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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

2.5

This is one of the worst books I’ve read in a really long time, but the weird thing about it is that you don’t know it’s horrible until you’ve finished it and are thinking back on plot holes and terrible development, like the graveyard sex and the pinecones. Disturbing grooming scenes added for shock value just undid any hope I had for it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Stalking, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Mental illness, Infidelity, Grief, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death, Child abuse, and Blood

ledichose's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

3.0

All of my issues with this book have to do with the ending, so I'll have to cover it in spoiler tags.

The ending of this book is absolutely, stunningly ridiculous. The niece and the husband? All of it is absurd, and it wasn't built into the book. Instead of actually locating a story within the world of the university, between the main character and her niece, it made everything a giant conspiracy that couldn't be resolved with the memories of the main character. It also removes agency from the main character and her niece, basically making it all about how they turn on one another due to the actions of a man.</spoiler.>

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Pedophilia, and Violence

wellreadmegs's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

2.75

Read this one for book club & it was definitely out of my comfort zone. 

I didn't hate it but I didn't love it. If someone is into Greek mythology I think they would really like this one. A mystery/thriller but mainly just a case of the whodunnit. There was a twist at the end but I personally feel like I can't enjoy a book until I get to the end to find out what happens & then decide if I like it - which is why thrillers are so tricky. 

Overall the women felt one-dimensional and all the men in this book were creepy. Mariana somehow was the most "normal" person in this. Lots of daddy issues in this one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Sexual violence

Moderate: Rape and Pedophilia

wormgirl's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual assault, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, Sexual violence, Rape, Pedophilia, Stalking, Domestic abuse, Blood, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Drug use

yulecogs's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Car accident, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Rape, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Murder, and Blood

vinsynt's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

astuteratiam's review against another edition

dark 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? Yes

2.0

Compared to The Silent Patient this was a disappointment. I was hoping to be on the edge of my seat the entire mystery but to put it plainly… I didn’t care for the characters or the suspense of figuring out who the murderer was. I listened to the audiobook until about 60% in.. and at that point I skipped to the end. Check the  trigger warnings before reading this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, and Animal cruelty

stephaniezd's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-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

3.25

Solid thriller/whodunnit. I felt lost at times due to not having any background in Greek mythology. The ending caught me by surprise, tho, so that was really a nice twist. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Domestic abuse, Murder, Self harm, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Violence

skyejay95's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Murder, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Stalking, Abandonment, Grief, Self harm, and Sexual violence

Minor: Animal cruelty, Suicide attempt, Animal death, Blood, and Body horror

vi__'s review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

When the god of plot twist writes a book, you read it. After the "Silent Patient" I was so excited to read this book, but I was sadly disappointing. I had so much expectations for this book, that even if it was a good book, I would have still been disappointed. The book follows Mariana after the loss of her husband Sebastian. Since I have read Michaelides books before I already knew that something big was going to have happened to them. I honest to god thought that Henry and her had killed him. I still do. And then when Zoe was introduce I immediately knew that she was the murderer. I just think there is such a good ensemble of people, that were all used as red herrings. I suspect everyone, EVERYONE, except Edward Fosca. The actual plot of the Maidens was the most disappointed. They were so interesting and were so misused. I'm just...HOW do you introduce a group of eklektic confident women in love with a sadistic man who teaches them about greek myths and MAKE IT A RED HERRING. It is ridiculous. Sebastian, Zoe, and Mariana is so boring. I am sorry but it is. This book introduces such good characters and then turns it all to trash choosing the boring plot line. This was all so disappointing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Self harm, and Sexual violence