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A review by livreads54
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
2.75
I truly don't know what to think about this book. The premise was intriguing, but I just don't think it quite worked for me. The beginning was a bit slow, but still interesting enough to keep reading.
My main issue was with the ending of the book. The conclusion also came together far too quickly for me. I was left with a lot of unanswered questions, and the conclusion made most of what I read feel pointless. It could have been an interesting twist if it was drawn out a bit more, but it was so rushed that it didn't seem to make sense with the rest of the book.
The characters also didn't feel fully developed. I finished the story feeling completely detached from everyone, including Mariana, which was really disappointing.
All this aside, the middle of the book was pretty solid and entertaining. For me, it just couldn't make up for how slow the beginning was and disappointing the ending was. If you're a fan of thrillers, maybe this book will be for you, it just wasn't for me.
TW:
This book definitely leaned into the graphic violence, which isn't unusual for a thriller, but this book had me feeling nauseous at times. The main character was also kissed twice without her consent. There were also brief descriptions of sexual assault (one occurrence describing a sexual relationship between an adult and a minor and one description of a woman being drugged and assaulted).
My main issue was with the ending of the book. The conclusion also came together far too quickly for me. I was left with a lot of unanswered questions, and the conclusion made most of what I read feel pointless. It could have been an interesting twist if it was drawn out a bit more, but it was so rushed that it didn't seem to make sense with the rest of the book.
The characters also didn't feel fully developed. I finished the story feeling completely detached from everyone, including Mariana, which was really disappointing.
All this aside, the middle of the book was pretty solid and entertaining. For me, it just couldn't make up for how slow the beginning was and disappointing the ending was. If you're a fan of thrillers, maybe this book will be for you, it just wasn't for me.
TW:
This book definitely leaned into the graphic violence, which isn't unusual for a thriller, but this book had me feeling nauseous at times. The main character was also kissed twice without her consent. There were also brief descriptions of sexual assault (one occurrence describing a sexual relationship between an adult and a minor and one description of a woman being drugged and assaulted).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Stalking, and Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Death of parent