🕯ARC BOOK REVIEW: The Maidens
Author: Alex Michaelides
Page Count: 352
Publish Date: COMING SOON: June 15, 2021
Audio: 👍🏻 well done
3.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Fans of the Greek Classics and dark academia will be interested in this sinister story. I loved the Cambridge University setting and the intricate weaving in of Greek mythology.

The Maidens is more psychological and eerie than a true thriller, but there is a definite creep factor. - It’s a slow burn murder mystery that takes the reader on a whodunnit journey when high society young women begin to be murdered in ways that replicate the Greek tragedies they are studying.

Although the book was more cerebral than full on scary, it had me intrigued throughout. I appreciate how this author explores psychology through his storytelling. I do wish there was more dimension to the characters, but this aspect didn’t take away from the overall feel of the novel too much.

I was super excited when there was a slight crossover with characters from Michaelides’ first book, The Silent Parient, mixed in with this one. That was fun to spot! (I LOVE when authors do this, and have been noticing it more & more... writers, please keep it up!)

🎧 The Audio of this was great! I really appreciated being able to hear the Greek words spoken when clues were read instead of trying to sound them out in my head on my own. The narration was executed perfectly.
3.5/5 stars rounded up to 4

This was totally awesome . The story was fantastic and the audio narration was excellent, I got totally immersed into the story and was disappointed when it ended,

I was super thrilled to participate in celadonbooks LFL book drop off campaign! I read The Silent Patient last year and was captivated by the story, the suspense and the final twist and am in complete awe of Alex Michaelides!

I could not contain my anticipation while reading The Maidens and this book did not disappoint a bit! The Greek mythology, the fictional setup of the Cambridge university with rich ancient history and the author’s build of suspense kept me on my toes from page one!

Mariana is pulled into the mystery of her nieces’s friends murder at the Cambridge university and after diving deeper into the search, she learns about the secret society of the female students named as The Maidens. The Greek tragedy professor Edward Fosca is very loved and popular amongst the students and Mariana suspects him to be the most likely culprit of all the mysterious tragic events.

I listened to the complimentary ALC by Macmillan audio and netgalley audiobook and the narrators did an amazingly chilling job of portraying the characters and building the suspense. The end was so unexpected! I cannot explain how much I enjoyed this book and am very grateful to celadon books for the complimentary copy of the book!

This was one of my most anticipated red of this year and I am eagerly looking forward for it to released!

I’m probably going to be in the minority for this one, but I was a bit disappointed. The story definitely kept me guessing but it also just kind of fell flat for me. I wanted more from several of the characters and felt we just got a glimpse and not anything in depth from them.
I’m sure many will really like this, I just wanted a little more. I thought the narration was great. I throughly enjoyed the listening experience.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Celadon Books for the opportunity to listen and read this book for an honest review.

Holy moly I couldn’t put this thriller down! I had high expectations after devouring The Silent Patient. This book did not disappoint. With many twists I didn’t see coming, I couldn’t put this book down. With a satisfying ending I didn’t see coming. Would highly recommend!

The Maidens is a dark thriller with elements of Greek tragedy fixed in. I really enjoyed this audiobook and when I started listening to it I couldn’t put it down, plus the shocking twist towards the end I never saw coming. I highly recommend this book the narrators were great. Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillian Audio for this ARC.

What a wonderful thriller that was completely entertaining as an audiobook. Both narrators made this twisty novel of murder, academia, and Greek mythology come alive. I listen to audiobooks as I walk and found myself doing extra miles each day.

I was so excited to read and review The Maidens. I was a huge fan of The Silent Patient and I had big expectations for The Maidens. I am pleased to say it did not disappoint.

This novel did a great job of weaving in Greek tragedies into the plot and making significant comparisons to our characters and the murders occurring throughout.

I was able to figure out the ending but really enjoyed getting there.

I had high expectations after The Silent Patient, and I think this book delivered. It was easy to get hooked and stay interested in the plot line. I love guessing what the twists might be, and you're set up to wonder about several of the story arcs before being given confirmation at the very end.

Those interested in Greek tragedies will enjoy the addition of some of those tales. (Though you don't have to know anything to stay interested in the story.)

I did this one as an audiobook and the narrators were both great.

Having read Silent Patient by this author, I was very excited to read this new book. Alex Michaelides has a gift for delivering psychological thrillers with twists that the reader will not see coming.

In The Maidens, I loved the gothic feel of the story, and the setting added to the foreboding atmosphere of the story as it unfolded. I'm a fan of books with themes in dark academia, and the mix of Greek myths with the thrill of a serial killer lurking about at the school made for an intense page-turner.

I would have liked getting to know The Maidens a little bit better, but other than that, this book was great and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery/thriller with a twist.

Wow, I am so happy to have listened to this book! I was immediately sucked in. The narrators were incredible - I loved their voices. This is one of those audiobooks that made me glad I didn't read it myself because it added so much to the story.

I loved the elements of Greek mythology, history, and psychology. There were multiple seriously creepy characters which really added to the suspense, and I honestly could not figure it all out until right before the end - if you know, you know.

I haven't read The Silent Patient, but now I absolutely have to! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me listen early!

If you're looking for a dark academia thriller with lots of atmosphere and a truly shocking twist, you may want to check out The Maidens. (seriously, I yelled out loud. I almost always at least partly see things coming and did not at all expect this one)

I don't want to say too much about it, but this follows Mariana, a woman who is a group therapist, grieving the recent loss of her husband. When a young woman and friend of her niece is murdered at Cambridge University, Mariana returns to the campus where she met her husband for the first time since his death to support her niece. While there, she becomes embroiled in an unsanctioned investigation of the young professor she is convinced was the murderer. Lots of atmosphere, quotes from ancient Greek, references to mythology, and themes involving how abusive childhoods can lead to people perpetuating abuse themselves. The story is a bit slow to get going, but once it does I really sank into the atmosphere and tension of the plot.

I'm going to say this is definitely one to go in knowing the content warnings because it can get quite dark. The murder is obvious, but there are also flashbacks to and discussions of abuse of children in various ways, as well as general abuse of power. I don't want to get any more specific than that because spoilers, but it's worth noting. I think there are things about this that will bother some people, although it all felt thematically consistent to me if that makes sense to those who have read it. This also makes me much more interested in picking up The Silent Patient by this author. Oh, and there is some crossover! There are cameos of characters in that book and references to the titular patient. I always think that kind of in-world consistency is fun to see. The audio narration was also really fantastic. I received an advance audio copy for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides is my first book by this author but it will definitely not be my last. This book threw my so many curves and spins and I still didn't see the ending come. Well done, Well done.
This is a story about a troubled group therapist Mariana and her obsession with a Greek professor Edward Fosca. She is determined that he has committed a murder after a body of young female student is found. This student so happens to be one 6 in a group called the Maidens. The leader of the group is professor Fosca.
Mariana has a little shaky past herself and only has one surviving relative her niece who is also a student at the college. It all intwines so well and will keep you turning the pages.

I listened to this on audio from NetGalley and highly recommend the narrator. I have this a 5/5 star on goodreads and will definitely be picking more up by this author. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity.

Alex Michaelides has done it again! I absolutely LOVED The Silent Patient with all of my heart, so I was anxiously awaiting his new release, The Maidens. And it was worth the wait.

Reading The Maidens had all of the same elements that I loved in The Silent Patient, and Michaelides somehow managed to stay perfectly true to his voice and unique writing style while also bringing us a fresh, new mystery.

I absolutely LOVED the setting for The Maidens; the feel of Cambridge as the backdrop provided the perfect atmosphere for this book, and allowed the dark intricacies of the story to shine. I loved every twist and turn of this story and already missed it the second it was over. This book is pure brilliance!

Wow: I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook version of <u>The Maidens</u>, read by Louise Brealey and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. Brealey's dramatic reading tone injected a mesmerizing sense of dread and suspense into the narrative, and Holdbrook-Smith's husky tone did an excellent job of creeping me out!

Mariana Andros is in deep mourning: Her beloved husband, Sebastian, died a year ago while they were on vacation in Greece.

We watch as Mariana struggles to move on with her life, but one day she receives a panicked call from Zoe, her only living relative. Zoe is a student at Cambridge, and one of her school friends, Tara, has disappeared under suspicious circumstances. Zoe's fears are confirmed that very evening when Tara's body is found: she had been brutally murdered.

When Mariana dutifully arrives at Zoe's college the next day, she is disturbed to discover that the charismatic Professor Edward Fosca has seduced the entire college. Mariana immediately suspects that Foscas is behind the deaths of several of The Maidens - six young female students who are Fosca's adoring and devoted acolytes. Zoe's friend Tara had been one of those Maidens. Then, another body is discovered....!

As you would expect from a thriller, there were a ton of red herrings and loads of misdirection in this novel - as well as the potential for two unreliable narrators. The story is told from two alternate points of view: Mariana, in the third person, and a mysterious psychopath who regales us with harrowing recollections of his abusive childhood. (That poor dog, and what it revealed about his family dynamic! That was a jaw dropper.)

I did suspect the culprit/s - no spoilers here - but couldn't figure out the when and how of it all. The why was pretty obvious, but I will leave you to figure that one out for yourself. Even though my suspicions were correct, I was still gasping and squealing with delight at that action-packed ending.

I have to say, my most favourite character in this novel was young Fred: he just cracked me up and I was rooting for him all the way (but don't count him out as a suspect - just saying!.) I'm still chortling with laughter at all of his "moves"- I'd take an apple from him each and every time!

I'm rating this one a 5 out of 5 because I was truly entertained.
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
(P.S. I am now planning on ordering the audiobook for The Silent Patient, even though I read the ebook version. Theo Faber's reappearance in this story is not really pivotal, but I'm intrigued - what if Mariana and Theo reappear in Michaelides NEXT thriller! I think I had better refresh myself and take some notes!)

I received advance copies of The Maidens in both etext and audio form, so my review is going to be pretty similar - albeit with some additional thoughts on the audiobook's narration and auditory choices.

I had such high hopes for The Maidens. Dark academia set at Cambridge, secret societies themed around ancient Greek tragedies, murders and general intellectual/poetic creepiness... I'm SO here for that. But while the concept was promising, the actual execution was tragically disappointing.

Despite the multiple murders, The Maidens was remarkably slow-paced. We spend a LOT of time with Mariana's backstory, getting much more than we probably need and, more frustratingly, getting it through shoved-in exposition chunks rather than more organically during the course of the story. The already slow-paced story is interrupted here and there by chapters from a second, anonymous, perspective, read by a second narrator, which are...technically necessary for the plot, I guess, but honestly, there's a lot of it and none of it was very interesting. Furthermore, the choice of reader for these scenes was kind of a spoiler that clued me into something I wasn't supposed to know for a while. (That sounds vague, but I'm trying to avoid spoilers myself.) This wasn't really the fault of the reader, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, who has an excellent voice for the troubled character in these portions, but it did make certain revelations obvious too quickly.

The primary narrator, Louise Brealey, does a lovely job of reading Mariana's chapters, and tone, pacing, and lightly distinct character voices all added to the story. Unfortunately, I just didn't really love the story itself.

The details of the plot don't really hold up well to scrutiny, and too many pieces just don't connect; the official investigation's total lack of anything like questioning a flimsy alibi, red herrings that don't even go far enough to count as red herrings, and nonstop awkward attempts to make Mariana's therapy background more relevant than it really felt. I was hoping that, despite the obvious plot holes, a lot of these threads would tie together better in the end, but the solution is fairly nonsensical and messy, without wrapping things up the way I'd hoped.

A major component of dark academia is the atmosphere, aesthetic, and just general vibes, and I will say, The Maidens has that. It just has nothing really backing up that atmosphere. The Greek tragedy element, the Demeter & Persephone stuff, the supposed secret society angle - they all seem designed to give the book the veneer of dark academia that's so trendy right now, and to give it some intellectual heft, but they don't...really...do much? It's really a pretty basic thriller dressed up in fancy robes.

I didn't actually hate this book, for all my complaints. As I said, the atmosphere works, and the audio version is well-read. It's all right, if insubstantial and weakly plotted - I was just hoping for more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance review copy!

Totally captivating audiobook. I liked it better than The Silent Patient (also by this author), and the little crossover was fun and even creepy. Mariana, a group therapist, returns to her alma mater Cambridge to comfort her niece, whose friend has been murdered by what seems to be a serial killer. Through her expertise in psychology, she becomes involved in the case, and her own grief at losing several of her loved ones plays a role in her journey. I loved the way the mystery unraveled, and the audiobook kept me engaged the whole time. My only critique was one minor character that didn’t seem necessary and I wasn’t sure why the story needed them. I don’t want to give a spoiler, but I’ll discuss in detail with anyone who would like to!

<i>Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!<i>

As Mariana Andros continues to deal with personal tragedy, she is called to Cambridge University by her niece Zoe after Zoe’s best-friend is murdered. Despite her initial hesitation, Mariana is soon embroiled in the investigation and on the hunt for a killer. Who’s her number one suspect? Edward Fosca, a popular professor with a secret society or “study group” of female students. When another member of The Maidens is killed, this puts Mariana on a collision course with the killer. But who is the real killer? Is it truly Edward Fosca, or someone else even more devious?

I have not read Michaelides’ The Silent Patient, so I came in to The Maidens without the extremely high expectations others will come in with. What attracted me to this book was the dark academia feel combined with the references to Greek mythology. The atmosphere and the setting of the book was spot on, and really immersed the reader into the story.

Mariana was a difficult character and an interesting narrator. Learning about her and seeing the book through her POV, the reader wonders if she is a reliable narrator. Many readers may even view her as unlikeable. I find the some male authors really struggle to write a strong female character, and I think that was unfortunately the case in The Maidens. I think there was much more opportunity to develop Mariana and the other female characters in the book that was overlooked.

The thriller and suspenseful aspects of the book were bogged down at times. Every male character was made to seem like the killer, but instead of helping the story, it made the story lag at parts. In addition, when the killer was discovered I did not find it a big shock and saw it coming early on in the book. The ending was thrilling and fast-paced, but many parts of the plot were glossed over too quickly at the end. However, while this book may not live up to the hype for some readers, for the most part it is an enjoyable read that any mystery/thriller lover will enjoy. 3.75 stars.

I received a free digital ARC from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely Loved this audiobook. The narration was fantastic. I couldnt Stop listening. Knowing his previous work and the throw you for a loop ending, I couldnt Wait to see how he would conclude this book. Incredible writing, and loved the gothic mystery and Greek mythology elements. Highly recommend.

Alex Michealides avoids the sophomore slump with The Maidens! This was a really solid book. Michealides' debut The Silent Patient was a smash hit last year, and often success like his is difficult to follow. The Maidens follows group therapist Marianna as she consoles her niece, Zoe, after the death of a classmate and friend, Tara. Marianna visits Zoe on campus at Cambridge, her own alma mater, and quickly gets wrapped up in the mystery surrounding Tara's murder. Marianna, still grieving in her own right after the disappearance of her husband, investigates what turns into a string of murders, with the help of a few oddball professors and co-eds. The setting of Cambridge lead to a nice mysterious atmosphere for this novel, and the list of potential suspects runs deep. The ending is stunning, reminiscent of The Silent Patient's wow factor. I didn't so much care for the many references to Greek mythology, but I suppose it did tie things together.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for my honest feedback.