The Maidens

by Alex Michaelides

• ISBN10: 1250304458
• ISBN13: 9781250304452
• Publish Date: 15 June 2021
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Celadon Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 352
• Language: English

Reviews

[lessthelonely]

I realized this was going to be dumb 1/4 of the way in. Can't really say I was surprised to find out I was right.

While this is a follow-up to what very clearly was an incredibly popular book (The Silent Patient), it's noticeable just how much the author wanted this to be another hit - not only is there a level of self-indulgence in this that screams Go read "The Silent Patient"!, it also seems to completely misunderstand why that book was good.

I will say this again and again, but I don't care about a plot twist that shocks me. "Shocking plot twists" make or break a book because some people equate shocking with unpredictable, while I believe the most shocking twists very rarely have that quality to them.

At the same time, I feel the need to be harsh with this book, because if there's anything I don't like is when a book doesn't leave me with something while also thinking it was a great read: what was the point of this book? Because not even the twist saves it, though the writing is definitely compulsive and, in my opinion, better than the author's debut. It's way more grounded, descriptions are slick and tight, dialogue flows nicely.

This is an effort that ends up biting more than it can chew, and it does absolutely nothing of value with all the things it injects into itself: misdirection to the point of annoyance (the amount of red herrings here is jaw-dropping, yet it doesn't amount to an achievement. There were so many, I was bound to be caught by one, because the author wanted to trick me) and themes and motifs that are half-baked at best (Is it a Greek tragedy? About grief? Mental health and obsession? Trauma? It falls flat on all of these, in my opinion.)

I believe whoever went through this book as an editor and thought that The Silent Patient's success excuses this mess should be fired. Sorry to say it. There's no other plausible explanation for why this book seems like it didn't get any editor love to fix its problems.

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The Maidens is a well written academic mystery set at Cambridge by Alex Michaelides. Released 15th June 2021 by Celadon, it's 337 pages and is available in all formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

I was most impressed by the actual prose in this work. The story flows and engages. The characters aren't always three dimensional and there are some troubling actions, especially from protagonist Mariana which which were so jarring and unethical as to yank me completely out of the story. There were also a few scenes which seemed disjointed and odd and felt as though they'd been inserted for red-herring value and didn't advance the narrative at all.

Despite that, I loved the brooding academic vibe and the story-line steeped in (often literal) theatrical Greek tragedy. The whole had a gravitas which I found compelling and which kept me invested in finding out how it ends. It's not derivative at all, but in some good ways, this standalone reminds me of the Kate Fansler books by Amanda Cross (though they're set in the USA). Just about every other reviewer has commented on the twisty ending. I can't say I foresaw the entire denouement and resolution, but neither was it a complete shock.

The language is mature, not egregiously so, but it's peppered with moderate amounts of profanity. The book's populated by young adults in a university setting, so it's honestly mild by comparison to my experience of university students in real life, but it is there. There are also some explicit sexual elements, so readers might want to be aware and read accordingly. (It's not pornographic, and it's used in context).

Overall, it's a beautifully lyrically written story with loads of atmosphere and the prose is sublime. Michaelides writes very very well.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[maggiefan]

Well... The twist was... A choice, to say the least.

[Quirky Cat]

The Maidens was one of my three picks for June's BOTM (the other two being Half Sick of Shadows and Aftershocks). Written by Alex Michaelides, this is a mystery thriller with strong psychological elements.

Mariana Andros is a talented therapist who specializes in group therapy. Yet even as she works so hard to heal the minds of those around her, she herself is struggling. She recently lost her husband, and she has yet to recover from that pain.

There's no time for her to stop and heal, not when young women are getting murdered at her old school. The school her niece now attends. Naturally, Mariana is about to find herself neck-deep in this investigation, and she has a list of suspects that she is determined to go after.

“After all, everyone’s entitled to be the hero of their own story. So I must be permitted to be the hero of mine. Even though I’m not. I’m the villain.”

The Maidens is yet another dark story with psychological elements written by Alex Michaelides. There's no denying that fact, not with Mariana trying to analyze the people around her, all while they do the same to her.

Yet, that description is only scratching the surface of this story. There is so much going on behind the scenes. And Mariana has become obsessed with getting to the bottom of it. So obsessed that she is quite literally missing other pieces of the puzzle.

The whole story left me feeling a little bit conflicted, truth be told. On the one hand, it really was quite the thrilling tale. It was dark and rich, and the added elements (Greek mythology and storytelling) really did help to bring the story further.

On the other hand, I do feel like the story was lacking in some ways. The final twist at the end was a disappointment, for one thing. Also, it felt like a bit of an injustice, both to the characters and the readers.

Speaking of the characters, I felt like many of them could have been fleshed out a bit more. For the most part, the main character (Mariana) was fine, but most of the secondary characters fell flat for me.

On the bright side, I really was on the edge of my seat, trying to solve the crime right alongside Mariana. So I can't fault the story too much, as clearly I got all sorts of invested in it! Additionally, I really do enjoy the way Alex Michaelides sets the scene.

Read more reviews at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks