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A review by ilutzer
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
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.
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