A review by archaicrobin
Maeve Fly by CJ Leede

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

Maeve is a Disney princess that also happens to be a psychopath on the edge. She is full of trivia about Halloween, Halloween music, sex, movies, and local LA history. She is also a serial killer trying to hide in society. But once her grandmother’s health starts to decline and a new relationship escalates she begins to lose control.

I did not like this book. Maeve was not a character I liked, could relate to, or was even interested in, nor were any of the other characters. All of them come as pretentious in the worst way with no redeeming qualities, I couldn’t relate or care about any of them. 

This book was very slow in my opinion with the real killing not occurring until halfway through the novel, and since I don’t enjoy gore or torture porn the entire novel was boring and unenjoyable for me. I had heard this novel was amazing and a must read and I could see that if you’re a fan of gore or extreme horror, but if you’re not I’d pass. 

Maeve is essentially a female Patrick Bateman, and the character even alludes to this in the novel in a not so subtle way that just, again came off as pretentious to me. I wouldn’t recommend this for anyone looking for a great horror read, UNLESS American Psycho was appealing to them (I also hated that book….). 

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