I am so sad! I spent months trying to get this book as an ARC and got approved and started it right away! Unfortunately, this was not what I had hyped it up to be in my brain after loving this author’s previous books! I truly have no idea what really happened in this book. If you needed me to summarize it… I could not do that. The narrator is so unbelievably unreliable that I don’t know what’s real and what’s not! I’d love to hear what others think about it!

This book publishes 1/16/24 and if you’ve read Michaelides previous books, check it out and let me know your thoughts!

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for an ARC of The Fury by Alex Michaelides. At first, The Fury started off slow and I wasn’t sure how it would pan out, but as we got into Act II, the pace started picking up and I really started to enjoy the story. I love how Alex Michaelides structured the story. With the main character being an aspiring play writer, the story was told in first person POV and was really a story within a story. Broken into five Acts, the story was structured just like a playbook, which I thought was brilliant. If you’re into thrillers or murder mysteries and love a good “whodunnit” story with a twist, then this is the book for you. ❤️

Where to start with the Fury? There is a lot to unpack, to be honest. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is one of my favorite thriller novels, so I have had high expectations for the his following works since then. His second book, The Maidens, greatly disappointed me so I was excited when I saw he would be publishing a new book, in hopes it would follow more after The Silent Patient. I didn’t quite get what I wanted from it. It felt very scattered, choppy, and structureless. Sometimes that’s nice in a novel so long as it still flows well and comes together to create a big picture. The Fury did not flow well for me. I understand that our narrator is supposed to be unreliable, and he is trying to confuse us most of the way through, but instead of feeling excitedly confused, I just started to get tired three quarters of the way in. The narrator says at one point that the story is less of a whodunit and more of a whydunit. I really liked that. But neither answer was very clear until the very end. And when it was revealed, the lead up had taken so long that it kind of fell on its face. It felt like Michaelides realized it was time to wrap up the story at last and found himself racing to badly patch up holes so the whole thing didn’t sink. I did not like any of the characters, specifically the “lovely” Lana who everyone in the novel seems to worship simply because she is beautiful and a good actress. Michaelides tries to explain what makes Lana special through the eyes of our narrator, but it doesn’t translate to me. I still felt she was dull and could not for the life of me fathom why nearly ever supporting character was practically in love with her.

Ok, now for the good stuff! I enjoyed the Greek island setting with the sinister wind called the fury. The cover of the book was expertly chosen, I liked it from the jump. The story was obviously interesting enough for me to read the whole thing through, and it was pretty cool to get a mention of Theo and Mariana from Michaelides’s previous novels. There was no shortage of drama whether it actually happened in the story or not, so that was enjoyable. In short, it wasn’t The Maidens (thank goodness for that) but it also was not even close to The Silent Patient. Three stars from me and I will be back again for Michaelides’ next work!

So I realize that almost everyone in the world has read the author before – except me. I didn’t read The Silent Patient nor did I read The Maidens. I will absolutely say that maybe this is just the author’s style and that his style isn’t for me, but this…meanders!

I mean it’s a slow, back-and-forth, wandering of the mind.

Our narrator? He’s weirdly pompous and veers between omniscient and ego-in-the-know. The narrator does explain in the beginning that sometimes he’s going to give us other people’s thoughts as he *assumes* they were thinking at the time, but it doesn’t really work. Note that I can see why the author did it this way, but it read very clumsily.

I did know the who of everything very, very early. However, props to the author – there was quite a bit I didn’t know. The problem was that I also barely cared.

I hope you like this more than I did.

• ARC via publisher

The Fury is an Agatha Christie style murder mystery set on a remote Greek island where six people have gathered for a holiday. The story is laid out like a play in five acts that jump back and forth in time and slowly unveil the truth. As we learn more and more about the characters, we start to question who can be trusted, the narrator included. I’ve been chasing the high of The Silent Patient and hoped this book would fill the void. Sadly, it did not live up to my expectations BUT I still had a good time winding through the twists and turns and got to enjoy a few TSP cameos.

A twisty, metafictional page-turner.
The core story here is very strong: a locked-room mystery about a murder on a private island in Greece. I was swept away by the setting, the propulsive plot, and the tricksy relationships among the characters. However, I didn't love the metafictional aspect where the narrator breaks the fourth wall to address the reader, jump in time, and generally demonstrate his cleverness. I thought the story and the storytelling was strong enough that I didn't need (or want) those additional layers. That said, if you like your mysteries with a dose of metafiction, this is a smart entry in that category.

I had such high, high hopes for this book. The Silent Patient was a book I ZOOMED through and was left reeling at the end. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case with The Fury.

I dove right in and the beginning chapters were incredibly promising. Elliot did such an excellent job of building the suspense, and making you second guess everything he said. That was where my enjoyment of Elliot ends. As a character, I didn’t like him much at all. He made me feel as if there was something slimy hiding beneath the surface waiting for its opportunity to come out and surprise everyone. None of the other characters ended up much better, if any. I ended up wanting the absolute worst for everyone involved.

The pacing was all over the place. Drawing you in, then slowing back down, climbing to a climax, and then a secondary twist that went so left field it was hard to suspend belief in order to continue along for the ride.

The only part I did enjoy immensely was the epilogue that crosses over with The Silent Patient, but is a spoiler if you’ve yet to read it.

I was ridiculously excited for this book, it was my most anticipated read of January, I just wish it had been done in the usual, thrilling and exciting style Alex Michaelides usually favors.

Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books, and the author for this ARC.
Publication date: 1/16/24

alex michaelides’ writing style is so unique and entertaining, i loved the silent patient and i was so excited to read this one, i just knew he’d deliver
having an unreliable narrator kept me on the edge of my seat because i just had to keep reading to know what was real and what wasn’t
having elliot narrating the book in a play style was very unique and the self aware moments were so creative, it made this book much more entertaining
his ability to manipulate the reader is extraordinary bc he brings so many elements to justify what he’s describing, and as a reader you believe it … and then boom! plot twist it wasn’t what you thought
this was such a fast paced entertaining read, the prose felt very natural like i was talking to the narrator and the complexity of the characters made it so hard to guess how it would end
it was another captivating read from this author

“Good/bad, innocent/guilty. That’s fine in fiction; real life is not so clear-cut.”

Fans of the film ' Glass Onion' will love this take on the classic murder mystery. Alex Michaelides gives us an unreliable narrator in Elliot Chase, who tells us, in truth, a love story with a good mystery on the side. Through the many twists and turns, time jumps and POV changes, we are given a deeper look into the lives of Elliot, his friend Kate, and the alluring Lana Farrar and her family, all of whom come to Lana's private Greek Island for an Easter weekend they will never forget.

I found the narrator's direct conversation with the audience refreshing, although constantly questioning whether we had all the details through Elliot's perspective left me with anxiety! Overall, I found the first few acts of the book beautifully set up the ending, and left me wanting to read the book all in one sitting to discover the truth of the murderer. While the narration style took a moment to adjust to, I found myself looking forward to the additional details we would get in each chapter...details that helped color the cast of characters and their complex relationships with one another. The only true downside to this style of writing was that I didn't feel I could truly connect with the characters, as the unreliable narrator made me feel as if I never knew who they truly were.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon books for the ARC!

The Fury was the most delectable read that offered similar vibes to Knives Out: Glass Onion and the TV show, White Lotus. I am a sucker for a book told from an unreliable narrator’s POV, especially a vain one like Elliott Chase. Elliot’s mannerisms from the start made him a likeable character that, at the same time, made you wary of his motives. He was only ever going to share details that interested him and/or shed the best light on his story.

I think a lot of people may get frustrated with the non-linear storytelling, but in my opinion, that made the storytelling more realistic. Who recalls a story that they lived from start to finish without jumping around a little? I believe it fully added to the suspense and allowed the plot to be entirely character driven.

I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns of this book and found the ending mostly satisfying. I would definitely recommend picking up a copy of this book!

*Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of The Fury. All thoughts and opinions shared herein are my own.*

While the writing style is very different from The Silent Patient (the first Michaelides book I read), the overall cat and mouse feel of this murder mystery psychological thriller is what I’ve come to expect from this author. It was an interesting read with lots of plot twists at the end.

Elliot Chase, your narrator, is incredibly unreliable. This story was told in a meandering fashion, jumping through time and going on tangents. Elliot dangles many, many carrots in front of the reader and because of that, the ultimate outcome of the plot didn’t come as a surprise to me but I was intrigued to see how we arrived there.

I have ADHD and to be honest, the pacing of the story left me struggling at the beginning but I powered through after reading other reviews that there would be lots of twists and exposition towards the end of the book and those reviews were right! Now that I’ve reached the end, it’s a fun read overall and I look forward to reading more of Alex Michaelides’s work.

Thank you, NetGalley, Alex Michaelides, and Celadon Books for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was SUPER EXCITED to read this book because I LOVED The Silent Patient. The book moved fast and just when you think you figured it out, you’ve realized you have not. Good book but would not recommend to a friend.

Whoa. This was a deep, dark story. Really, really dark. It was entertaining & filled with more twists than anything I’ve previously read. I enjoyed it & found it hard to put down. I have to say it’s no Silent Patient (that story was perfection) but it’s a consuming, entertaining read for sure!!

I would definitely recommend The Fury. I have enjoyed the author's other two books and this one was no different. I really like the style of narration and think it added to the story's twist and turns. Unlike Michaelides' other books there were far more characters in this storyline, but, they were so well developed you could easily keep them all apart. I believe my favorite aspect of the book was how thoroughly the island was described. I feel like I have visited Greece and saw the place myself. Check this one out!

The thing I loved the most about this is how the story was told. We have an admittedly unreliable narrator who leaves out important information as he tells us about the events that unfolded on a private Greek island. He tells the same story a few times, and each time he interjects some more of the truth and some backstory as to how they all ended up on the island.

I found the narrator very interesting, and I enjoyed being in his head and hearing his thoughts. There is a lot of character analysis since he loves to analyze why people might do the things that they do. I liked the psychology of it, and I found both the narrator's voice and the plot very engaging.

Thanks to Netgalley and Celadon Books for providing me with an early copy in exchange for a review!

Thanks to the publisher for early access to this book in exchange for a review. This was a slow burn thriller written by one of the great authors of the genre. I enjoyed it much better than The Maidens, and it is full of twists. The narrative structure is fascinating and I could not put this down. This will be a must-read in 2024!

"The Fury" by Alex Michaelides presents a suspenseful narrative that explores themes of friendship, fame, and hidden vendettas against the backdrop of a private Greek island.

The author adeptly crafts a sense of unease and entrapment, leading to a compelling psychological drama. However, while the premise is intriguing and the storytelling is unconventional, the execution may leave some readers wanting more depth in character development and a more cohesive resolution.

The novel's exploration of loyalty and deception retains some compelling elements, but the overall impact may not fully meet the expectations of all thriller enthusiasts.

You are going to want to add this one to your TBR for 2024. Alex Michaelides is back with a fast paced thriller that will keep you guessing until the end. Elliot Chase has a story to tell...but what is true and what is not will be woven throughout. Although not as amazing as the The Silent Patient, this was definitely a step up from The Maidens. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC in exchange for a honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Unique. Intriguing. Telling.

When film star, Lana, and her husband Jason, invite a handful of friends to their island in Greece it should be a relaxing getaway. The reader soon comes to know that many of the invited have ulterior and sinister motives. All this is proven when one of the six turns up dead…

The story is structured as a five act play, with an incredibly unlikable and unreliable narrator. The main and supporting characters are of the usual sorts: rich, demanding, entitled, insincere, and mostly unlikable. The story is slow going to start, but the narrator has a certain way of encouraging you to keep reading.

I wouldn’t consider The Fury to be a gripping thriller, it’s more a slow burn of an unfolding of events that is heavily character/narrator driven. Keeping that in mind I feel like the story was extremely well done, and was quite unique.

This book is such a page turner and keeps you on your toes until very end. Just when you think you know what happens, here comes another twist. Well done Michaelides.