A review by gummifrog
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

adventurous challenging dark mysterious 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? Yes

4.25

I loved The Silent Patient, so I was excited to give this book a try. Although this one has a different approach to similar ideas, I felt it hit very hard at the climax and was equally exciting and twisty! 

The author is a master of misdirection, using literary analysis and psychological expertise to guide your thoughts in a specific direction. Although I guessed the killer about halfway in, the motive was so shocking that I yelled "WHAT?!" in my car, because it was SO much more fucked up than I had expected! But in thinking back, there were tons of clues. That's the best kind of mystery, truly. 

I felt the protagonist was particularly lovable in this one, if a bit unhinged and overly determined to be right when everyone is telling her she's blinded by her stubbornness. I really felt for her and I hope to see more of her in his work in the future. The little cameos from The Silent Patient were very welcomed in this book!
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