3.5/5 stars!
I was so excited to pick this one up since I loved Silent Patient. This one is more of a whydoit than a whodunit and the pacing was a little slow for me. I am also not sure if I enjoyed the storytelling this time. It's formated as if we are watching a play and I am not sure if it was executed well. But the last two Acts definitely made me do a double take but in a way, I am not THAT surprised either. Haha my feelings are everywhere. Overall, a decent read, just not super thrilling for me.

Thank you publisher, author and netgalley for the arc in exchange of my honest review.

“𝘚𝘰, 𝘪𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦? 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳?”

Thanks Celadon books for the physical ARC and NetGalley for the e-copy and audiobook as well. Honestly, when my physical copy arrived I totally famgirled as there’s been much hyped about this one for months! And it still hasn’t released yet! Soon though - 1/16 - and the hype is fairly worth it. Has Death on the Nile and Glass Onion vibes for sure, but at the same time it’s quite different. It was theatrical, ominous, psychological, and intriguing.

I’ve actually never read Michaelides’ other books so this my introduction to this author and I liked it but at times it felt like it was shifting back/forth in perspective from first to third-person. Perhaps that’s intentional with our unreliable narrator. It’s told in 5 “acts”, some starting in the past leading up to the climax with different layers of the greater story so at times it felt a bit repetitive but each includes details or perspectives that weren’t disclosed before, and the chapters are short. I personally wasn’t a huge fan of the audiobook as I didn’t care for the voice of the narrator (sorry!) Content and trigger warnings include murder, light profanity, some drug and alcohol use, infidelity, mentions of childhood abuse/bullying, and one character is alluded to being an escort for an older woman.

Overall, with the twists that eventually come as it played out in a way I had predicted, I give it 3.75, round up to 4.

Set on a beautiful Green island, owned by beautiful film star Lana Farrar, The Fury is part murder mystery, part twisted love story, and mostly madness.
The narrator, Elliot Chase, attends a getaway on the island, with his friend Lana, her son, her husband, their friend Kate and a couple of employees. We are promised a murder form the start... but who's murder? and why?
The twists and turns don't stop as Chase, the most unreliable of narrators, attempts to puppets the other guests on the island to dance their way through a script he has planned out for them in which he ends up with the girl.
But can he?
This was a lot of fun... but there was A LOT going on, so it really got a bit overwhelming towards the end, but overall enjoyable.

2.5 I (like a lot of people it seems, from reading reviews on Goodreads) have read Michaelide's first two books and really enjoyed The Silent Patient but kinda hated The Maidens. The Fury was going to be the one that decided if this author was a yay or nay for me and unfortunately I think it's a nay.

Let's start with the pro of this book: it's very readable. It's broken up into acts like a play and has very short chapters. The writing style is very quick to read, keeps those pages turning.

The major con for me however is while it is easy to keep those pages turning, it's a very slow burn. The narrator tells us at the beginning that this isn't so much a murder mystery, it's a character study and that is the most accurate way to describe this book.

The author has been marketed (from what I've seen) as writing thrillers though, so if you pick up The Fury thinking it's going to be a thriller, I think you will be disappointed. This is a slow burn, character study suspense in my opinion. For me, that didn't work because I didn't care about any of these characters. Especially our admittedly unreliable narrator who is taking us through the time leading up to and during a murder but who is also pulling us back and forth in time when I did not want to go back in time and hear so.much.back.story. on these characters. Every time the plot was back in the current time and getting interesting, back in time we went. While at first the time jumping worked, as it continued it began to feel very heavy on telling the reader what was happening versus showing. It just wasn't for me.

I did like this better than The Maidens, but not enough to put this author's books on my auto read list in the future.

I just reviewed The Fury by Alex Michaelides. Thank you to Netgalley for the ecopy of this book.
Once again Alex Michaelides does not disappoint in giving us several twists and turns in his story telling. Initially it did take me a while to get into the format of the book being told in the first person, but once I let go of that and just went with the flow of the story I really started to enjoy the dialogue and plot. No spoilers, all of the characters are flawed, naivety, self absorption, shallowness, envy and greed being a few of the least attractive qualities, despite these less than endearing traits they do meld together to support a decent narrative and engaging story line.

I got an Arc copy of this book and I had to read it immediately! Alex is one of my top authors and I have enjoyed each one of his books and I can confidently say that each books is so drastically different from another. I also love how he will mention other characters from other books briefly, its a really fun thing to find! Highly recommend picking up this book!

I have really enjoyed Alex Michaelides' books, so I was excited to receive this one! However, I cannot say the hype remains as high as it once was. I really did not like this one. There was a point in the story, when the first twist comes out, that I was fully invested and hoping things would improve - but they didn't. From the start, I had a hard time getting into it. The narrator, Elliot, is so verbose and really needed to get to the point. I understand that that's who he is as a character, but it was just a little too much for me. I almost DNF'd around 20% if that tells you anything. I was very let down by the ending; it seemed very rushed and disconnected from the story as a whole. I truly cannot tell you what happened during this story other than everyone is crazy, self-centered, and fall into the actor stereotype.

This one clearly wasn't for me, but I hope someone loves it!

Crazy thriller. Entertaining, fast-paces, twists and turns, everything good about thrillers is right here! great new book by that already awesome author!

I could not put this down!!!

This is the first book that I read by this author and I must say I was pleasantly absorbed into every bit of it!

It felt like I was watching a true play unfold right in front of me!

Just as I thought I know what was going to happen next… I found out quickly that I did not!

Private Greek island, ex-movie stars, greed, betrayal and murder!

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback

Absolutely amazing! What a rollercoaster of a book. If I didn’t have work I would have binged this book. That’s how fantastic it is. Alex is Fantastic!!


Received ARC through NetGalley

“Are you slightly charmed, even beguiled, as Lana used to be? Or like Kate, do you find me irritating, self-dramatizing, self-indulgent?”

This book is told in the narrative POV of one of characters, Elliot Chase. He attempts to tell the audience of the murder of the main character, Lana. I found him to be insufferable. Throughout the book the reader realizes his subtle obsession with Lana as he unravels his concocted plot to steal her away from her husband, Jason. Secrets are revealed within the friend group and there definitely are twists in the plot, but I didn’t find this book to be as enthralling as Michaelides’ first two. Maybe it was because I just couldn’t stand Elliot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for this advanced reader’s copy.

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing me an advance copy of "The Fury" in exchange for my honest review. I was very excited for this book because I loved author's previous work so much. Alex Michealides's writing style is amazing (just like his other books), it definitely makes it an enjoyable &easy read. I found the beginning of the book interesting; however, I didn't enjoy the second half of the book at all. It got pretty boring for me, and I couldn't relate to any of the characters. The twist at the end didn't surprise me either. I am giving this book 3 stars because of the author's writing style but not for the plot unfortunately. Despite my feelings about "The Fury" I can't wait to see what's next for Alex Michaelides, and I would read another work by him.

What an incredible book! Alex Michaelides’s books have been an auto-buy for me since I read The Silent Patient years ago, and oh wow, The Fury did not disappoint! The Maidens was great, but The Fury reminded me more of The Silent Patient in how it had me hooked from the first page. I loved how the book was written as a play, with acts that each had their own mood and feeling, but blended seamlessly. I devoured this book and absolutely loved it.

I received a digital ARC of this book via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

As our narrator says in the beginning - this is not so much a whodunit but rather, a whydunit. The Fury by Alex Michaelides takes us on a fast paced ride through a fateful getaway trip on a small island in Greece. I was glued to the pages, finishing this in two sittings. Michaelides has this seemingly effortless writing style that just pulls you into his crazy plots, which he did again with The Fury. You may even recognize some characters if you've read his previous works.

There are some moments that feel a bit predictable to the murder-mystery genre, but overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who wants to cozy up with a book that will keep you guessing until the very end.

I received a digital ARC of this book via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD*

This is a tale of murder.

Or maybe that’s not quite true. At its heart, it’s a love story, isn’t it?

It’s not a whodunnit so much as a whydunnit. Our narrator Elliot tells the story of beautiful Lana Farrar and her murder. Or murders? But who would kill this movie star who’s beloved by all? And why? Although, can you always believe everything you read? Do you take it at face value and believe it for truth? Or wait until all the cards are on the table?

Trigger Warnings: Spousal Cheating, Spousal Death (happens prior to storyline but is mentioned) Murder, Stalking (minor), Drug Use (minor)

I’ve never been one for unreliable narrators. Or at least I never thought I was. But after “Verity” and “The Silent Patient”, I had a bit more respect for them. That’s my main hold back on this being a complete 5 star read; the narration kind of got on my nerves. It wasn’t as good as “The Silent Patient.”

I love Alex’s writing style and was very, very honored to be selected to read this prior to its release. Alex has a way of sucking you in and putting you in a choke hold until the very end. While it did pull me in, it just didn’t have the same wow factor as “The Silent Patient”. Maybe it was because we knew exactly what was happening from the beginning; that Lana was being murdered but why and how? It was great don’t get me wrong but it didn’t hold the same power that “The Silent Patient” did. Though I did appreciate the nod to “The Silent Patient” in the epilogue.

Overall, I did enjoy the book. It just seemed a bit redundant going back and forth in time two or three times because the narrator couldn’t figure out the best way to tell the story. If you’d like “The Silent Patient”, you’ll probably enjoy this one as well. Please check trigger warnings before reading.

Lana Farrar has decided to go on holiday to get Greek Islands Aura. She and her husband invite a group of friends. Chaos erupts.

I have enjoyed each and every oneof this author's books. The Silent Patient is still my favorite. However, this remains a very good book.

Many thanks to Celadon Books and Net Galley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this book - I felt like the ending had the twist that I wanted from Alex Michaelides ever since The Silent Patient. It's the same writing style as the Silent Patient, which initially drew me in. There were characters you loved to hate, like Kate - God she was awful!! Then as the story unfolds, you start to wonder if she has reason for her hatred. Great book!!

Although slower paced than his best-selling novel, The Silent Patient, I really enjoy Michaelides' writing style. He really throws you for a loop while directly leading you to know exactly where the path will lead all at the same time. A true psychological thriller writer that loves the use of an unreliable narrator (to which he confesses from the very beginning of the book). I also really enjoyed the little Easter egg he threw in the end there as well; really clever.

This is the first book by Alex Michaelides that I’ve read although I’m familiar with his other works. I was drawn in by the way the story is structured, as though we’re being told the story first hand. It has a very intimate quality to it, like you’re being let in on a secret. But soon it’s all too apparent that our unnamed narrator (later revealed as Elliott Chase) is completely unreliable.

We’re told early on that the events that transpired - where a group of people holiday on a remote Greek island and someone ends up dead - are told entirely from Elliott’s perspective even going so far as to fill in thoughts of others and dialogue for moments that he was absent for.

Clearly, he’s leading the story which I was happy to allow because as I said you’re pulled in by the intimacy of feeling like you're getting in on the secret of finding out what happened. Considering one of the people in the group that day was a famous and beloved actress and it adds another layer of almost salacious gossip. But don’t get too comfortable as the narrative quickly twists to add other unforeseen layers.

Told like the acts of a play, I really appreciated the way in which Alex Michaelides added those layers of the story. It lends itself well to the performative aspect of Elliott's iteration of events. The repetition between the "acts" while also revealing new morsels of information was done really well.

While I like the reframing of the story as we go - which allows for a lot of change of perspective - I think it treads too fine a line and for me just crossed over into being too much. Too much unreliability in the things I was reading. Little to nothing that I could believe in without a shadow of a doubt which is an aspect I need in my books, even if it's just a morsel of truth. Unfortunately, all of this boils into the conclusion of the book, so it's not until then that I could confidently say that these were issues for me.

Beyond that, I did like the narrative choice. Despite being unlikable and unreliable, I like Elliott. He has a charisma about him that comes across so well. You can't help but lean into the story to see where he takes you.

Overall, I think it's a worthy read (or listen). I'd say it's more of a character study than a hard-hitting mystery. Maybe that's the key that I was missing while reading.

Thank you to Net Galley and Celadon Books for the advanced readers' copy in exchange for my honest review.

This amazing and twisty story is told from Elliot Chase's first person point of view. He speaks to you like an old friend having coffee or cocktails. His diversions are informative and never detracting. Every so often, he would retell a scene from another character's perspective, speculating what they were thinking or feeling in that moment. His storytelling and character building is exceptional. Then you get thrown for a loop, then there's a twist, and just when you think the Rollercoaster is coming to an end... you get a couple more loops.

I loved this novel. Alex Michaelides has again given us a novel that beautifully merges psychology and Greek mythology to explore the depths of love, loss, and mental illness. I will say it again, he is one of my FAVORITE contemporary authors. Do not pass on this book... you will enjoy every moment!!