Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

30 reviews

alexismoodie's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Blood, Murder, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship

miggyfool's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Murder, Abandonment, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Torture, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Death, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness

beeper's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Really enjoyed the first 3/4 of this book. The last 1/4 fell flat.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Abandonment, Toxic friendship, Violence, Death of parent, Addiction, Alcohol, Physical abuse, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

4.5

Super enjoyed this one. I didn't expect the twist like at all, but I'm also garbage at trying to figure out mysteries. Mariana is a good unreliable narrator, and l liked seeing her growth by the end. The ending did feel a little rushed and not entirely tied up, but I liked the reveal of who the letter/journal writer was. I feel bad for all the girls in the book who are victims of death and manipulation. 
There are some heavy topics within so def check out content warnings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Stalking, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Alcohol, Body horror, Child abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Rape, and Toxic relationship

amandacav's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

So disappointing. Overwrought, pummel you over the head metaphors, unnecessary characters and too many red herrings, too obvious foreshadowing, oblivious characters, flat out expository conclusions to the highest tension moments, disconnected plot points from the conclusion, so many loose threads.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Death of parent, Grief, Pedophilia, Self harm, Gaslighting, and Infidelity

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

this was a fun mystery/triller. i’ve noticed with Alex Michaelides writing starts off incredibly slow for the first part of the novel and picks up in the last 50-100 pages. i loved the greek mythology in this but wished to see just a bit more. i wasn’t a fan of the reveal either which definitely knocks this down quite a few stars. i personally preferred The Silent Patient. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Murder, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Cursing, Alcohol, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Toxic friendship

let_therebebooks's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

⭐️⭐️/5 

“It’s important to keep looking ahead. You mustn’t forever look back, over your shoulder. Think about the future.”

Y’all this book was WEIRD, and not in the good way. In the creepy, inappropriate way.

This book was slow at first and then it picked up in the middle, which doesn’t surprise me because I felt the same exact way with his previous novel, The Silent Patient. I will say, however, that it was clever how he connected the two books in a very minor and subtle way. Gold star for creativity! 

There were so many times I put this down and found 793 other things to do besides read it because I was bored. But I HAD to know how it ended and I was disappointed. 

I honestly don’t think I liked a single character. At. All. They all sucked. Also, it annoyed me that all these men suddenly are flocking to our main character. I always felt like there were characters introduced who didn’t need to be, and were kind of pointless. I did like the Greek mythology theme though, the author did a great job with that and it wasn’t too overwhelming. 

So many people RAVED about this book and loved it, so I was intrigued. Unfortunately, this being my second novel of his, I don’t think Alex Michaelides is the author for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Animal cruelty, and Death of parent

Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship

pphector's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Death of parent

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

danajoy's review against another edition

dark tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

This didn't wow me. It was alright and I was surprised by the twist but it didn't really capture me in the way I'd hoped. 
I liked the Greek Mythology lens. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Violence, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Stalking

Moderate: Rape and Death of parent

wormgirl's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual assault, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, Sexual violence, Rape, Pedophilia, Stalking, Domestic abuse, Blood, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Drug use