I listened to this book in audio format and that really enhanced the experience. I loved The Silent Patient and find Alex Michaelides to be an amazing author. The Maidens was engaging throughout and the protagonist was endearing, although she did seem to make some dubious decisions that weren't altogether plausible. The twist ending also seemed a bit far-fetched and left a lot of unanswered questions but that didn't detract from my overall impression of the storyline.

I was so excited when I saw and got approved for the audio of The Maidens after having LOVED the Silent Patient so much, but this one lost me a little bit. It had a really strong start but then felt overwhelming with the amount of new characters being introduced all at one time. In addition, the narration wasn't my favorite, as I found it hard to stay engaged and interested - something I normally don't struggle with on audiobooks.

Therapist Mariana Andros is sure she knows who killed her niece. Very sure. And she's determined to prove it. So determined that she becomes obsessed. She will prove Edward Fosca is a killer, though it may cost everything she has. Her career. Her credibility. Even her life.

Lots of Greek tragedy vibes in this story. It's not overdone....just gives the suspense and story a bit more depth. The plot is a slow build. In the beginning, I was a bit confused, but kept listening....as the story built, things became clearer. I wish I could say I saw the ending coming, but I didn't. Nicely done! I do have to admit that I really didn't like any of the characters in this story, but I don't believe I was meant to. Mariana became so shrill, mentally fragile and annoying by the end of things....but that really was her purpose. And Fosca...so above it all and that overeducated, overprivileged weird icky vibe. And the "maidens'' -- disturbing. But.....an author who can make me actively dislike characters is doing their job. Definitely invoked an emotional response. And the story definitely kept my attention. All in all, an entertaining listening experience.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I didn't read the blurb. I didn't read any online reviews or opinions. I just jumped in and started listening with no prior knowledge. I find I enjoy slow-build, suspense stories like this so much more that way! I wanted it to keep me off balance until it was time for me to see the plot threads all pull together So enjoyable!

This is the first book by Alex Michaelides that I've read. I will definitely be reading more! Narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, the audio is just over 9 hours long. Smith has a pleasant voice, reads at a nice pace and gives a very good voice-acting performance. All in all, a very entertaining listening experience.

**I voluntarily read/listened to a review copy of this book from Macmillan Audio. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

This is a gripping, compulsive thriller with many twists and turns. I was so anxious to find out the ending
that I finished it in a day. The authors first novel, The Silent Patient is great; however, in my opinion,
The Maidens tops it. I initially guessed the killer but dismissed my thought as ridiculous, thus the reveal
and the reason for the killing was a shocking surprise. So many twists and turns ending in such
deception.

There are so many things to love about this book, the connection to the Silent Patient plus the
Cambridge setting and the interweaving of Greek mythology reminds me of being back in the classroom,
those carefree days. I know this is thriller and not a romcom, but I hope in the author’s next book he
connects us with Marion and Fred as that is one aspect of the novel, I wish there were clarity. After all,
Marian deserves some happiness!

2 🌟
This is another book I feel like I want to reread in physical form. I found the audiobook narration very slow and boring, which made ke lose interest in the story itself. I feel like this might have the same outcome for me as The Silent Patient ( not a favorite at all), but I want to read a physical copy before I give a final rating for this one.

This was a great audiobook. I loved the narrator and the story is so easy to get sucked into that I listened to this one in only a couple days. I love mysteries set on school campuses and this one did not disappoint. The author did a great job bringing the setting of Cambridge to life in the book. I loved the way the school is presented as pristine in the beginning and that view changes as Mariana really digs into the mystery. I really enjoyed the characters and the setting. There were great twists and turns that kept me reading and guessing. I definitely recommend it to any mystery fans.

I enjoyed this book. It’s hard to read it without comparing it to The Silent Patient, an absolutely brilliant book, but I enjoyed this . I thought all along that the teenager was shifty and had a feeling it was going to be her, but the twist at the end still got me. I am here for whatever comes from this author next, he’s such a great writer.
I thought this narrator did a great job with the audio. It totally enhanced the spookiness of the novel.

Audiobook Review: The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
(A Macmillan Audio production from Celadon Books, June 15, 2021)

Audiobook: ★★★★☆ (4.0 Stars)

In the finest tradition of British murder mysteries, Author Alex Michaelides enthralled us with that fixation of psychotherapist Theo Farber on his "Silent Patient", painter Alicia Berenson, all through the thriller's shock reveal in its final pages that few would see coming.

Now in "The Maidens" he takes the genre, fuses it with his University of Cambridge background, showcases his Hellenic heritage and academic knowledge of Greek mythology and tragedy, and gives new meaning to the term "Greek Life" in the book's sorority of secrecy dedicated to a maiden goddess.

And as with "The Silent Patient", a shocking, unexpected finale.

The Maidens.

Mariana Andros, London group therapist, Greek nationality, recently widowed, wealthy background, attended the University of Cambridge, England, gets a frantic call one night from her niece, Zoe.

Zoe's best friend at school was found murdered that night. Zoe, a Cambridge U student, is orphaned and Mariana's only living family member. Zoe is like a daughter to Mariana.

So Mariana takes the Thames Link Railway to Cambridge the very next day and finds herself back in her old school and soaks in the familiarity - the old haunts, the nomenclature, the reserved tables, the Cambridge Dons and personalities, her old mentor.

She finds out Zoe's best friend was a member of a secret clique who'd appear in public all robed in white, all beholden to a popular, captivating, dashing professor.

Edward Fosca, American, a member of Cambridge's teaching staff at the Faculty of Classics is a professor of Greek Tragedy. His wards dress in what would be the clothing of the Greek goddess Persephone, daughter of Zeus and Demeter, goddess of spring, wife of Hades, the ruler of the underworld.

They call themselves the "Maidens", secretive, close-knit, and under Fosca's tutelage, they seem to engage in dark rites.

And in one of those unknown rituals, Zoe's friend may have lost her life.

Then other "Maidens" begin to lose their own.

One after the other...

-----

Some may find the focus on Greek mythology and lengthy renditions of ancient Greek verses, slow-burn, meaningless, even boring.

Captivating, intellectual. A book to relish.

Review based on an audiobook galley from Macmillan Audio and NetGalley.

I was so excited to get approved for this audiobook, but I did not love it anywhere near as much as I did The Silent Patient.

I figured out what was going to happen by the middle of the book. I wasn't overly attached to any of the characters and I found Mariana to be incredibly boring as a character. It was an okay novel, but most of the plot line felt a bit far fetched and unnecessary.

Despite the issues I had with the novel, I will say that I had trouble putting The Maidens down. I am looking forward Alex Michaelides' next novel.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing e access to this ARC; This is my voluntary review. I am rating this book 3 stars because despite the fact that I didn't love it, it was still a solid thriller. It wasn't for me, but I know there are plenty of people that would enjoy it.

It was good, but I was expecting a little more. The beginning was a little slow and I had a hard time getting into it. I did really enjoyed the Greek and literature references throughout the book. I was pretty certain I knew who was the culprit and I was correct. I just didn’t see the other twist coming along with it. Wow. Overall, I liked it. I thought it was well written and entertaining. The ending just left me with too many questions.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.

'The Maidens' was a punch to the gut, unputdownable, dark academia read that truly was a delight to read. This is the kind of murder mystery that I enjoy. I think I'm just a snob at heart, but I loved the setting, the ritualistic murders, the dominant themes of Greek mythology and the Eleusinian Mysteries. All of it was an entire mood.

The story opens with a scene straight out of [book:The Year of Magical Thinking|7815] when the narrator, Mariana, is cradling her dead husband's running shoes and crying. It was a beautiful meditation on grief and it pulled me right in. As the non-linear story unfolds we learn that Mariana and her husband, Simon, have a niece named Zoe who is currently studying at Cambridge. When a phone call from Zoe snaps Mariana out of her grief she learns that Zoe's best friend at school has been brutally murdered on campus. Flying to the only family she has left, Mariana rushes to Zoe. Using her own Cambridge education, her knowledge of the Classics, her professional training as a group therapist, and even calling on her half-Greek roots, Mariana tries her hand at solving the case.

And work quickly she must because the bodies keep pilling up. Each murdered girl is gifted an artic postcard inscribed with ancient Greek telling of the sacrifice of women from the ancient world. Each murdered girl is a part of a private study group with Edward Fosca, a young, enigmatic American Classics professor who draws Mariana into his web. Each murdered girl seems called to her death. A willing offering.

I loved this book. The creepy collegiate setting, the misdirection, the split POV with the killer, and Mariana's flailing attempt to regain pieces of herself obscured by grief. I was with this book, I was all in...until the ending.

No spoilers, but when the killer was revealed and the entire plot fell into the light...I couldn't believe it. It didn't fit. It was problematic in so many ways, and it immediately dropped this rating down for me. I know author's love misdirection, but the ending felt forced and I frankly didn't buy it.

There is one moment I would like to point out that I felt was extremely important. It is when Fosca has asked Mariana to dine with him alone in his rooms. The table is laid with fine food, the room is dim, and the wine is being poured freely. Mariana believes she has control of her wits during the conversation until Fosca turns it back on her. Mariana finds herself without a firm hold of the situation and contemplates how if she, a grown woman is intimidated by this man, how must a girl of 18 feel in his presence? It sent chills up my spine and spoke to the larger themes of predatory behaviors and seduction that are woven throughout the book.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the Silent Patient so I had very high hopes for this one. My first issue was that I got it in audiobook format. I only love audiobooks of the narrator is great. This narrator had a very thick accent and I had a difficult time listening. My second issue was that I was waiting for a twisted story like the author had in his debut novel and it just didn’t happen for me. I’m not sorry I listened to it and I’m sure I will read the next book by this author!

Ever since The Silent Patient, I have been an Alex Michaelides superfan. I am so grateful I received the ARC copy of this new book. I was hooked from early on in the novel and the nods to mythology added depth and elements of foreshadowing at times. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook for an honest review.

I've heard so many wonderful things about Alex Michaelides' writing, so I knew I had to read The Maidens. It did not disappoint! This was such a gripping thriller and I loved the inclusion of themes from Greek tragedy and mythology.

Mariana is awash with grief after the sudden death of her husband Sebastian. Struggling just to make it through the days, Mariana's cocoon of solitude and loss is disrupted when she receives a frantic call from her niece Zoe at Oxford. Zoe's friend Tara has gone missing and she fears for the worst. When Tara's body is discovered, brutally murdered, Mariana quickly becomes embroiled in a sweeping conspiracy involving enigmatic professor Edward Fosca and his unnerving group of acolytes, known as the "Maidens".

Filled with loads of twists, red herrings and astonishing revelations, The Maidens was a wonderfully written tale of love, loss and betrayal. The ending was absolutely astounding - I'm honestly still reeling and trying to wrap my head around it. If you want to be shocked and awed, this is the book for you!

On a whim I decided to take a chance on the audiobook, however, I now wish that I had chosen a print copy instead. As much as I admire Louise Brealey as an actress, (her voice-work was objectively excellent), I just don't feel like audiobooks are the right format for me. I enjoy ambient noise and regularly go about my day with headphones in, but I tend to tune out the specifics of the music/sounds etc. and I simply could not break that habit when listening to an audiobook. I would actively try to listen but soon enough I'd filter out the words and end up having to rewind entire chapters. I also missed the actual act of reading a book and seeing the words set down on paper (or screen in the case of ebooks). I'm sure that people who regularly enjoy audiobooks will love this recording, I just think I'll try to stick to print in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing a copy of this audiobook for review. It was certainly a wild ride!

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the suspenseful feeling of it, and enjoyed the Greek mythology aspects. It was overall very good, but would have been five stars if there was a little more action through out the whole book instead of just the ending- but the ending was amazing!!
I’m so glad I read this and was very excited to read it after loving silent patient.

“Death was no stranger to Mariana. It had been her traveling companion since she was a child keeping close behind her, hovering just over her shoulder. She sometimes felt she’d been cursed as if by some malevolent goddess in a Greek myth to lose everyone she ever loved.”

If you are already a fan of Alex Michaelides and The Silent Patient, you already have this gem on your TBR. The Maidens is a high tension, psychological thriller that races through a narrative littered with twists and turns. When the resolution emerges you will be stunned. The Silent Patient was a book that got passed hand to hand as people recommended it around the building where I work. This one is sure to get the same treatment. My interest here was doubled because it crossed my radar while I was hunting Greek Mythology titles. Set across the college campus at Cambridge, young women fall victim to deadly violence inspired by Greek Tragedy. Mariana goes to support her niece, Zoey, in the wake of the violence and must also unpack the burdensome secrets of her own husband’s recent tragic death. A labyrinth-like tale that allows you to hear from the murderer throughout, revealing his truth in tiny doses directly to you as Mariana searches for clues to prove his guilt. Short tight chapters and charged emotions propel the plot at breakneck speed. While I enjoyed The Silent Patient, I found The Maidens more accessible and propulsive to read.

The dual narrative, translated Greek and pin drop tension played so much better as an audiobook than this one would have as a print read for me.

Dark academia meets psychological thriller. Yes, please.

As someone who reads (and usually figures out) a lot of mysteries, the goal for me is to always feel a little unsure of my hypothesis. This book certainly achieved that. While I had guessed the ending, the ride to the reveal was intriguing and kept me on edge waiting to see what would happen next.

One of my favorite tropes is the dual narrative that features the killer. Listening to the audiobook version of this was a great, atmospheric experience. It built a lot of tension, and definitely had me wondering if there was anything lurking in the shadows while I listened.

***Thank you to Macmillan audio for providing me with a copy of the audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.

I wasn't a big fan of The Silent Patient but the hype on this one made me want to try it. Some books just don't draw me in and apparently that's Alex Michaelides writing.

Thank you #NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC of The Maidens Audiobook!

TBH, I have not yet read The Silent Patient. It has been on to be read list for awhile, but I just haven't gotten to it yet. So going in, I had no expectations of Alex Michaelides.

"Death was no stranger to Mariana."

The story revolves around Mariana Andros, a brilliant psychologist and recent widow. She is contacted by her niece Zoe late one night to tell her to watch the news - a young woman has been murdered near Cambridge University. The student was a close friend of Zoe's, and Mariana begins to investigate the murder. Through conversation with Zoe, she quickly begins suspect to suspect a professor at the university - Edward Fosca. Professor Fosca is a young American who teaches Greek tragedy at Cambridge and has a private study group of girls known as The Maidens. The Maidens adore Fosca and would do anything to please him. Could they be involved too? Mariana is thrown headfirst into the dark underbelly of the university in her search for answers as she begins to unravel herself from dealing with her own grief and loss.

I am not usually a reader of psychological thrillers, but I LOVED this book. I could not stop listening from the moment I started. Usually, I only listen to audiobooks on my commute, but this one I continued listening to even after I came home. The story drew me in completely.

Things I loved:
- The Mystery: The entire time I was rooting for Mariana to figure out who the murderer was because I just had to know. I will say that I was completely surprised by the ending.
- The Greek Mythology: I loved how Michaelides weaved Greek mythology and tragedy throughout the story. As a huge fan of these stories, it was incredible to see his inspiration.
- The Emotional Levels: This story is a story of grief and loss - mainly examined through Mariana's point of view, and Michaelides handles it beautifully.
- The Narration: If you want an audiobook to listen to, stop right here - you've found it! The story is told from two alternate points of view: Mariana and a mysterious man who tells us disturbing memories of his abusive childhood. The narration provided Louise Brealey and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith of these two characters were top-notch.. Brealey's dramatic reading helped continue along the dread and suspense I already felt from the story, and Holdbrook-Smith's male narration was perfectly creepy to make me fear him.

Things I didn't love (not much, but to give a well-rounded review):
- The Ending: Without spoilers, the ending did throw me off. I really was taken aback by it because I didn't see it coming at all. I am not saying it was bad, but it just felt out of the blue. But as not a typical reader of the genre, this may be typical.

I can see how this book may not be everyone's cup of tea (see what I did there?!) with it's slower pace and dark tones. However, I am rating this one a 5/5 because I have not read a book this quickly in a long time. I highly recommend this book, especially the audiobook!

I applaud Alex. Another big hit.. I loved the characters and the story line.
The best part was the audio version. Perfection.
Now I wait for another Alex Michaelides book to come out.