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A review by justinkhchen
Who Is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews
3.0
3.5 stars
A quick, efficient mystery thriller in the spirit of The Talented Mr. Ripley, Who Is Maud Dixon? excels in its unique setting and a cast of lively characters, even if some odd character developments and overt plot conveniences hinder it from reaching its fullest 'identity-swapping-in-foreign-land' potential.
Firstly, a strong advice: stop reading the synopsis after its first couple sentences (or simply going into this blind); I'm surprised at how much plot details was given away, essentially summarizing the first quarter of the novel.
Other than that, Who Is Maud Dixon? accomplishes its page turner goal through Alexandra Andrews' economical, yet colorful writing style, a sense of vacation escapism with its Morocco setting, as well as some worthwhile twists and reveals. I flew through this novel in 2 days, and my typical reading rate is around a week per book.
While Who Is Maud Dixon? conveys vivid depiction of New York and Morocco, as well as a convincing representation of the publishing world, the mystery thriller aspect requires some suspension of disbelief that is beyond what I can overlook. Using once again The Talented Mr. Ripley as a point of reference, certain acts of deception that are completely plausible in the 50s are less convincing to be pulled off in the 21st century. Lastly, the depiction of protagonist Florence Darrow can be somewhat inconsistent, sometimes she appears overly feebleminded (asking very uninspiring questions regarding literature even though herself was described as educated in the field, and somewhat well-read), and others extremely ruthless and skilled (pulling off some high level crimes). She comes across more like a malleable puppet driving narrative forward (to initiate an exposition for the reader, providing shock value, etc.) than a realistic, fleshed-out individual.
Overall Who Is Maud Dixon? is a competent debut; great choice to pick up if you need something fast and entertaining, just don't overthink the detail and enjoy the ride!
***This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!***
A quick, efficient mystery thriller in the spirit of The Talented Mr. Ripley, Who Is Maud Dixon? excels in its unique setting and a cast of lively characters, even if some odd character developments and overt plot conveniences hinder it from reaching its fullest 'identity-swapping-in-foreign-land' potential.
Firstly, a strong advice: stop reading the synopsis after its first couple sentences (or simply going into this blind); I'm surprised at how much plot details was given away, essentially summarizing the first quarter of the novel.
Other than that, Who Is Maud Dixon? accomplishes its page turner goal through Alexandra Andrews' economical, yet colorful writing style, a sense of vacation escapism with its Morocco setting, as well as some worthwhile twists and reveals. I flew through this novel in 2 days, and my typical reading rate is around a week per book.
While Who Is Maud Dixon? conveys vivid depiction of New York and Morocco, as well as a convincing representation of the publishing world, the mystery thriller aspect requires some suspension of disbelief that is beyond what I can overlook. Using once again The Talented Mr. Ripley as a point of reference, certain acts of deception that are completely plausible in the 50s are less convincing to be pulled off in the 21st century. Lastly, the depiction of protagonist Florence Darrow can be somewhat inconsistent, sometimes she appears overly feebleminded (asking very uninspiring questions regarding literature even though herself was described as educated in the field, and somewhat well-read), and others extremely ruthless and skilled (pulling off some high level crimes). She comes across more like a malleable puppet driving narrative forward (to initiate an exposition for the reader, providing shock value, etc.) than a realistic, fleshed-out individual.
Overall Who Is Maud Dixon? is a competent debut; great choice to pick up if you need something fast and entertaining, just don't overthink the detail and enjoy the ride!
***This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!***