Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

69 reviews

ilutzer's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

2.75

The Maidens follows a very human character — Mariana struggles deeply with many losses and subsequent grief, as well as a complicated relationship with her father. Michaelides’ ability to pull the reader into the paranoia of the protagonist is admirable, as is his knowledge of psychotherapy and Greek tragedy. However, I find his analysis of psychotherapy quite Freudian, specifically that many of the psychologist characters encourage Mariana to look at how her relationship with her father affects her life now. While this can be a helpful theory, people are more complicated, and I found myself wishing he went into the feelings of grief associated with loss rather than transference. The novel centres around a group therapist who — while each therapist practices differently — I found it odd that the group therapy scene later in the book centred more around Mariana and her own thoughts rather than the clients.

Michaelides also does a phenomenal job with red herrings, though I did suspect and correctly guess (half of) the ending. However, he managed to fool me and convince me it was someone else before the reveal. Again, Mariana’s paranoia bleeds into the reader as they try to figure out whodunnit. Perhaps that is the reason for all of the suspicious and seemingly unnecessary characters - to encourage the reader to fall into a similar sense of paranoia that Mariana experiences. 

I do wish we were given a greater explanation or depth into the Maidens and this academia-based cult of young women; it did not feel as fleshed out as it could’ve been and served mostly as part of the red herring. I also would have loved a greater resolution with most of the characters in the end, as the end feels abrupt and unfinished after the reveal (ie the epilogue). 

Overall, it was certainly a page turner. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Abandonment

Moderate: Body horror, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Infertility, Sexual content, and Death of parent

It is a disturbing read at times, with many explicit descriptions of death and post-mortem bodies as well as

the grooming relationship between Sebastian and Zoe

folded_between_pages_of_books's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Abandonment

reader00's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Mental illness, Violence, and Stalking

allidone's review against another edition

fast-paced

4.0

I’m not entirely sure how, but I guessed the whole thing at one point, as kind of a “wouldn’t that be a wild twist”? I knew who the killer was from the 60% mark, but the rest of it? Wild.

I’m not sure if I liked it? If it was good? Right now I’m at a 4 but that might change.

As a therapist, it’s wild that she didn’t see any of what was going on.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Murder, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Minor: Infertility

meeklovestoread's review against another edition

dark informative sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Honestly, I wished I typed this review out as soon as I finished this book. Four days have passed and I honestly don't remember much about it. I remember the plot and everything just fine, what I'm trying to say is that this book is very forgettable. I was really excited after reading "The Silent Patient" two years ago (around this time, funny enough) and learning that this book is centered around greek mythology (which I love). I was initially pumped and sadly underwhelmed when I finished. The best way I could describe this book is just lacking. It lacked a lot. It lacked in the plot. It lacked in intricately incorporating the Greek mythology into the story. It lacked when it came to the side characters. It lacked with the plot twists

I knew it was Zoe, but there was a lot of unnecessary misdirection with the twist that had me questioning if I was right. Also, the subtle incest twist was so unnecessary. Felt cheap.

. I just felt like things weren't as intricately woven out as he was making it seem like they were. I found certain side characters to be extremely redundant. The society plot device, underutilized. And the plot twist to be incredibly lubricious and disappointing. Not gonna lie, a little part of me wanted to dnf this book, but I trudged along because it was short, and weirdly enough I thoroughly enjoyed his writing. It is very flowery (I think "purple prose" is what it's called) which I wasn't expecting when going into a thriller. I really enjoyed his writing here, however, due to the things I listed above as well as the fact that his storytelling (he's what I call a "slow burn" thriller author; meaning he relays his stories like a mystery with a big twist at the end rather than presenting various mini-plot twists throughout the story which is my preferred method of thriller storytelling) isn't my favorite way that I'd like to consume thrillers. It just didn't make for the most enjoyable reading experience. I don't think this is the worst thing ever by any means. I just think it was mid, mediocre. Nothing crazy. (something cool though was how this book was lowkey a prequel to "The Silent Patient"; we got to see Theo which was really cool)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

cinderpot's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Amazing book! Amazing twist!!! I read the silent patient about a year ago and really like it. This book follows a similar premise and over all ties in greatly. Some professional decisions from the main character is questionable… but what can you get with a fiction.

The added cameo from Theo was my favourite

Will be ready his next book with anticipation!!!! JUSTICE FOR FRED!!!!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

filipa_maia's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.0

I'm not a huge fan of 'The Silent Patient' and I found this book even less enjoyable. I definitely don't like Alex Michaelides' writing, I always feel like his books could be movie scripts. That is something that don't work for me.

Overall I liked the plot. The story is well built and the characters are interesting with complex and very dark backgrounds but the ending... my God... Why? I didn't like it one bit. It definitely subverted expectations but was completely unnecessary.

I enjoyed the "crossover" with 'The Silent Patient' though.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Forced institutionalization, and Death of parent

Minor: Incest, Infidelity, Car accident, and Suicide attempt

soswiin's review against another edition

dark 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

2.75

the more i think about this book the lower i rate it 

the good

- loved the setting and the way it was written almost worshipfully. i too idolize cambridge and all its uneven cobblestones and river-soaked undergrads 

- + 1 star because the best breakfast spot in the city was mentioned: the copper kettle 

the bad

- the way mythology was used. OKAY yes i picked this up because it was so “heavily versed in greek mythos”. it just felt very elementary. i wasn’t opposed to the vengeful almost teenage-bully nature of persephone but i didn’t love it. fosca’s lecture on the cult of eleusis was a great mythology-centric plot point but it was only truly relevant that one time. 

- for a book called “the maidens” the actual maidens really aren’t that prevalent. there’s not much of a cultish/abuse of academic authority vibe going on despite the fact that it’s a selling point of the book (it was for me) 

-the red herrings; spent the entire book trying to guess who the bad guy was because the wrong choices were so obvious. i did get fooled but it wasn’t satisfying or well done in the slightest. 

- maybe i’m just looking for things to complain about but a lot of the phrasing was just very cliche 

the ugly 

- the ending. rushed, confusing, and unnecessary. also really gross

- the characters. i’ve walked on floor tiles with more personality. there is not a single  person in the entire story that i was rooting for or who’s downfall i was praying for 

- where do i even begin with the pedophilic/incestuous subplot. what?? thrown out there without an ounce of comprehensible elaboration. made no sense to the story despite it basically causing the entire thing. just a nasty shock grabber

there were so many aspects of the book that would’ve been so interesting if they hadn’t been brushed over; henry’s role in the story, morris’s blackmail, the actual maidens themselves, the abuses of power. the author spends the entire book reiterating how terrible men are but never shows any woman successfully winning against the circumstances imposed on them. an amazing concept with poor execution

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, and Self harm

Moderate: Body horror and Rape

lmaokaro's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

4.5 stars.

I usually give many reviews as I am reading but this time I was so enthralled in the story, I had no thoughts to share, I just wanted to keep reading. 

This story was so addictive towards the end. Whilst I do have some issues with some of the choices in this book, I overall felt it was so good. Definitely would recommend it if you enjoy whodunits and psychological thrillers although it's more of a whodunit than psychological thriller. 

Minor note, going to be extremely vague here so as to not spoil anyone but I am still so disappointed that the ending and the revelations weren't explored more. Like with therapy and psychology being so central to the book how could no attention be given to the grander issues at play and the unfair consequences it dealt everyone who it seems didn't deserve it. That for me knocked a few points off.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Child abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Forced institutionalization, and Stalking

Minor: Drug abuse

arbramirez's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Xenophobia, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Gun violence