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A review by ali_enza
The Maid by Nita Prose
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I’m so confused about this book. There were sections that I really enjoyed but for a very large portion of the book I was cringing or just befuddled and annoyed.
I read the second book first by accident so I was expecting to find the same character. A smart but neurodivergent Molly (the lack of specificity drive me a little crazy overall but I’m the second book I was willing to accept).
What I found here was bizarre. A reliance on stereotypes and playing on naïveté. And then simultaneously the main characters is incredibly intelligent when it serves the story (the final chapter revelations are startling and out of place in comparison to Mollys character throughout the rest of the book).
Apologies for the continued comparison to Molly in the second book but there here observational skill is applauded. She’s not good at understanding what people’s motivations are but she sees the details of everything. In this book, it feels like she’s split in two. She’s reliant on the other characters completely too put together the details of her observations.
I rushed through entire passages because of this.
Aside from my issues with the main character I still had an issue with the setting. It’s not clear where the hotel is located. I can’t tell if they’re in England or in the US. The formality in which all the main main characters speak is most of it. But the texting and shorthand from some of the characters is so much more modern and colloquial. The lack of diagnosis for the main characters diagnosis doesn’t help. I can see that Molly may not have been diagnosed as a young child because maybe she grew up in the 80s or 90s but I find it hard to believe that no one hinted , that she had no label for herself aside from “different” especially since it’s seemingly caused her so many different issues that she doesn’t seem to learn from.
My final grievances with the book are in the final chapters. I won’t say any spoilers but truly shocked by some of the revelations. Not only was there no hint for them but they truly felt out of character. I had a hard time believing the two shocks introduced.
I read the second book first by accident so I was expecting to find the same character. A smart but neurodivergent Molly (the lack of specificity drive me a little crazy overall but I’m the second book I was willing to accept).
What I found here was bizarre. A reliance on stereotypes and playing on naïveté. And then simultaneously the main characters is incredibly intelligent when it serves the story (the final chapter revelations are startling and out of place in comparison to Mollys character throughout the rest of the book).
Apologies for the continued comparison to Molly in the second book but there here observational skill is applauded. She’s not good at understanding what people’s motivations are but she sees the details of everything. In this book, it feels like she’s split in two. She’s reliant on the other characters completely too put together the details of her observations.
I rushed through entire passages because of this.
Aside from my issues with the main character I still had an issue with the setting. It’s not clear where the hotel is located. I can’t tell if they’re in England or in the US. The formality in which all the main main characters speak is most of it. But the texting and shorthand from some of the characters is so much more modern and colloquial. The lack of diagnosis for the main characters diagnosis doesn’t help. I can see that Molly may not have been diagnosed as a young child because maybe she grew up in the 80s or 90s but I find it hard to believe that no one hinted , that she had no label for herself aside from “different” especially since it’s seemingly caused her so many different issues that she doesn’t seem to learn from.
My final grievances with the book are in the final chapters. I won’t say any spoilers but truly shocked by some of the revelations. Not only was there no hint for them but they truly felt out of character. I had a hard time believing the two shocks introduced.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying