Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

274 reviews

lottieingham'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Death of parent

katlinstirling_reads's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

After reading and loving the silent patient I saw this and had to grab it. Great read!! Suspenseful, thrilling, twisty and the characters are well developed but creepy. Great plot and very well written, so well I had the feeling I was being watched myself and had to look to check. Unpredictable and dark, I was in shock with the twists right up until the last end page. I do wish the ending was longer, felt it was a little rushed. Couple of references to the silent patient too which I thought was clever. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

doodlebeanz's review against another edition

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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wow... Alex Michaelides has done it again. Left me completely confused and grasping at straws and then wanting to throw the book across the room when the twist inevitably reveals itself. I actually DID throw The Silent Patient across the room and proceeded to pace around my bedroom for 10 minutes before I could continue reading... but with this one, I was on a packed train and had to keep my total shock and 'omfg' moment to myself but oh BOY I was floored.

I read The Silent Patient a few years ago and I have never been able to find a mystery/thriller that got me the way that book did. Other books came close, but nothing surprised me like that twist. I read The Fury by Michaelides back in March I think, searching for that same WTF moment, but it did not impress... in fact, it fell so flat and horrible and so I thought that Michaelides was just a one hit wonder and didn't rush to grab this one. I came across it at the library over the summer and figured I'd give it a shot... I put it off for a few months and finally picked it up for spooky szn since it's dark academia and all that, and I read it in just a little over 24 hours. It FLOORED ME. 

I liked all the characters. I was suspicious of everyone, feeling tense and putting my head in my hands very often. I was convinced certain people were the killer, but nothing compared to the truth. I had some inklings that the murderer was indeed the murderer, or at least an accomplice in some way, but... even my thoughts did not come close to what was actually going on.

I saw some people online say that the book was pretentious, but I never felt that way. I loved the whole Cambridge scenery and the nods to Ancient Greece and Greek mythology. It was perfect for cozy autumn reading which is exactly what I was looking for (if you consider murder/thrillers to be cozy like I do!). Other people said it was boring and drawn out, and I could not disagree more. I thought the writing was so smooth and it flowed so well, it was such a page turner and it left me wanting more after every single chapter. There was never a moment where I was bored or felt like a scene could've been cut out, especially knowing what I know now. I especially loved the random journal entries thrown in, giving a look into the murderer's mind. I get goosebumps looking back at them now and knowing... fuck, this book was SO GOOD!

There are some dark and heavy topics covered in this book and I would suggest reading the TWs before going in. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Abandonment

beccaburchett's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Animal death and Drug use

maryconney's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, and Sexual content

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, and Alcohol

sfulabhai's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Blood

samgyupsal's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Since it was Alex Michaelides, I already expected a plot twist but I still didn't see it coming. I just don't understand why the FMC was so nosy in the first place, I get that she was protective of her niece and her psychologist background made her really invested but, she was so nosy???

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt

radlizareads's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Blood

Moderate: Sexual assault and Death of parent

deanchaudhri's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.5

halfway through this book i ended up in a little reading slump but the final half really redeemed it for me. the book kept getting more tense & dizzying & immersive i loved it so much. also really cool how the plot weaves in greek tragedy. also the plot twist… GAGGED. truly had to sit in silence for a few mins. but also i have so many questions and need a sequel pls thxx. also definitely read The Silent Patient before this for reasons i can’t say without spoiling:

i am so here for the Alex Michaelides multiverse - was not expecting to see THEO FABER and Alicia from the silent patient in this book wtf

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Self harm, and Suicide attempt

waytoomanybooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I enjoyed the first 75% of this novel. I like the references to Greek mythology, but it never really added anything to the plot. I like that the plot gestures towards dark academia; that was my initial draw to it. But again, it never went passed “old college = spooky.”

I enjoyed the mystery until the stupid twist in the final 25% of the novel. It feels like the author decided a twist was needed, but it really wasn’t. It would’ve made more sense if the killer had been one of the three actual suspects, or perhaps a less fleshed-out secondary character. It made me go, “Well that was stupid.” And soured me on the preceeding 75% of the novel.

This novel is what I’d call “just okay.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Classism