The Maidens

by Alex Michaelides

[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.