A review by ilana_pop
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

dark mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

This had so much potential to be a really strong and poignant story. There were great elements that, with a different approach, could've made for such an interesting book, both a great thriller and a book with lots of  discussion points to reflect. But it was not. Boooy, was it not.
So many unnecessary characters, so much trauma and psychological damage for no reason, dangerous and harmed characters just for showelement (quite unethical imo).  And Jezus was the main character annoying. Sadly enough a very obvious female-character-written-by-a-male-author, and this has nothing to do with the fact she was annoying. Every man she meets makes her 'uncomfortable'. Just for the sake of making the reader think that he might be the murderer.
Mariana might have been certain about the murderer being Fosca, but did anyone honestly believe he did it? The fact that she was convinced it was a man, because only a man could be so full of hate and kill someone in such a cold-blooded way... Only for it to be a woman?
The plottwist at the end came literally out of nowhere, no indications throughout the entire book for the ending to make sense.
This could've been so good, but it really was not in my opinion. It was scary, I'll give it that. 
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