Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

25 reviews

beeper's review

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

chrstnlvly's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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

Well, I didn’t see that one coming. It caught me a bit off-guard (only a bit because I suspected all of them ha ha ha). 

I enjoy reading Michaelides’ books because 1) I love mystery, and 2) I like that psychology is always incorporated. However, I have yet to read a work from him that will satisfy me. He does his descriptions well (he's a good writer, no doubt about that), but the “reveal” is always unsatisfying. The ending felt rushed. I read The Silent Patient and I had the same problems.

Side note: what was the point of Henry's character? Personally, I think there will be no difference even if his character didn't exist.

I’ll still read his future books, though... because I have a lot of fun reading about crazy people.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Animal death, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Mental illness, Abandonment, Addiction, and Child abuse

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, and Suicide attempt

nicolastrouse's review

dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, and Blood

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Gaslighting

Minor: Addiction, Death of parent, Drug use, and Alcohol

jusreadz's review

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Mental illness, Blood, Murder, and Suicide attempt

lecari's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

3.0

I enjoyed the setting (Cambridge University), the mythology and the fast pace. The writing style with lots of short chapters kept me interested, and I read it quickly. 

But I didn't like the characters. Mariana especially annoyed me - why does every man want to date her? And her clumsy interference with the murder investigation just annoyed me. 

Spoiler

I also didn't buy Zoe as the murderer. If the note was written by Sebastian, why didn't she recognise his handwriting? I know I'd know my partners anywhere. I just wasn't convinced. And the last few lines just made me dislike Mariana more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Murder, Blood, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, and Adult/minor relationship

alexisgarcia's review

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

graveyardreads's review

dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

1.5

300 pages of filler only for the book to climax and end in the last 20. The ending of this book left me feeling disgusted and betrayed by the author. Setting was cool, dark academia vibes and stuff but again the ending just really pissed me off. Also, Marianna, the main character is literally the most dumb, daft and clueless character I’ve read. This author truly had no idea how to write a woman dealing with creepy men. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Stalking, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Violence

tietie's review

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Death

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Stalking

Minor: Rape, Self harm, Addiction, and Drug abuse

trycerabel's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Murder, Stalking, Blood, Body horror, Death, and Physical abuse

mitskienjoyer's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Violence, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Addiction

Minor: Sexual assault