Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

52 reviews

cosycourtney's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

2.0

Please consider trigger warnings before reading this book. I went into The Maidens with fairly low expectations and indeed find it quite stupid in the end. I really enjoyed the Silent Patient but that was a time before I think I read critically or with conscience. Not to discredit my previous enjoyment but I just can’t turn off that part of my brain anymore (unless it’s fantasy smut x). I’m always very weary of a male author writing about the brutal deaths of young women; even more so when an adult woman is painted as crazy and is casually harassed along the way. Without spoiling the book I’ll just say, only a man would write an ending as such. I don’t think any female with an experience of any similarity would approach such a topic as is explored here. I found the inclusion of weird men like Henry & Fred to be lazy and the fixation on the professor got a bit boring towards the end. The big reveal was only half shocking because and I would have liked a bit more show than tell. Overall, it was fine, if you enjoy a mindless thriller definitely give it a read. If you can’t stand the suffering of women for mindless entertainment, I’d say give it a miss. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Drug use, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Misogyny, Mental illness, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, and Grief

ambenicole418's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-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

2.0

I’m pretty neutral on 90% of this book (it was just boring and lackluster to be honest), but I was hoping the book would redeem itself with a good ending and I could give it 4 stars. Unfortunately, I was sorely mistaken because I absolutely hated the ending. If we could all just stop using sexual exploitation, p*dophilia, and r*pe for shock value that would be great! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Death

Moderate: Pedophilia and Adult/minor relationship

elle_laine's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Blood and Stalking

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual harassment

grrrlbrarian's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• 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

3.0

Love the premise, the tension, and the depiction of Cambridge University’s darker side … but I just feel let down by the ending. 

The conclusion to Henry’s obsession with Mariana feels laughably rushed. Then we are flung into the reveal of the murderer, which wasn’t necessarily predictable but just ended up a bit hollow.

I didn’t object to it being Zoe, but the motive felt cheap and, again, rushed. The epilogue was also kind of unnecessary and added nothing to the story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Animal death, Stalking, Sexual harassment, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Grief, Murder, Death, Violence, Child abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting

Minor: Vomit and Sexism

pphector's review against another edition

dark 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Death of parent

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

shelbyrodger's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Violence, Domestic abuse, Animal death, Child abuse, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

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

rinku's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

3.0

 The idea behind The Maidens had so much potential but it wasn’t realized to its fullest. Hence, I only liked the general plot and story, and many moments in the course of the story were a bit flat and too cliché for my taste. 

The story follows Mariana; her husband has died and now her niece is the only left in her life. She visits her at her college after a friend of her niece has died where she tries to figure out who the murderer is. She becomes fixated on the Professor Fosca and the so-called maidens who he has gathered around him.  

In general, I found the story engaging and I was also guessing who the murderer could be. I especially enjoyed the references to different psychological and literary ideas. But there were some things I didn’t like too much: The story had some clichés, like the incompetent police, there was in some parts too much telling, and some moments didn’t feel as emotional as they were supposed to. 

The novel got so exciting when only a few chapters were left but the conclusion was just unsatisfying to me:

The plot twist that Sebastian was in love with Zoe and only married Mariana to be close to her was so disturbing, but I don’t know what to think about? Zoe being the killer was just … okay too, I guess, and I especially hated that Fred saved Mariana in the end

. 

I generally liked the setting and the writing style, which was easy and fast to read, especially with the short chapters. The characters were mostly okay but often a bit cliché as well. Mariana was an interesting main character, and her emotions were portrayed well but it annoyed me how naïve she was when it came to certain characters. I was also annoyed by the fact that almost every guy was into her.  

The Maidens was an average thriller that made me nevertheless interested in Michaelides other work because there were some references to The Silent Patient in this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Animal death, and Blood

Moderate: Death of parent, Pedophilia, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Drug use and Bullying

faithmari's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Pedophilia

Minor: Rape and Sexual harassment

_carly_'s review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Abandonment, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual harassment