One thing that pops up on mind everytime we heard of Alex Michaelides, must be “The Silent Patient”.
Here’s my review of it:
But today, we’re not talking about The Silent Patient. Today. we’re going to talk about the phenomenal “The Maidens.”
Genre : Thriller, Mystery
Page : 337 pages
Published : 15th June 2021
Edward Fosca is a murderer. Of this Mariana is certain. But Fosca is untouchable. A handsome and charismatic Greek Tragedy professor at Cambridge University, Fosca is adored by staff and students alike—particularly by the members of a secret society of female students known as The Maidens.
Mariana Andros is a brilliant but troubled group therapist who becomes fixated on The Maidens when one member, a friend of Mariana’s niece Zoe, is found murdered in Cambridge.
Mariana, who was once herself a student at the university, quickly suspects that behind the idyllic beauty of the spires and turrets, and beneath the ancient traditions, lies something sinister. And she becomes convinced that, despite his alibi, Edward Fosca is guilty of the murder. But why would the professor target one of his students? And why does he keep returning to the rites of Persephone, the maiden, and her journey to the underworld?
When another body is found, Mariana’s obsession with proving Fosca’s guilt spirals out of control, threatening to destroy her credibility as well as her closest relationships. But Mariana is determined to stop this killer, even if it costs her everything—including her own life.
“After all, everyone’s entitled to be the hero of their own story. So I must be permitted to be the hero of mine. Even though I’m not. I’m the villain.”
I am definitely super excited to start this book. Knowing how good the book before was and how many positive reviews this book has got, thrill me even more!
The Maidens— Mariana Andros, a group therapist is on her quest to find who murdered her niece’s friend in Cambridge.
As a start, I think this book has a fairly good concept.
Mariana is a group terapist, who turns out is having issues on her own. She is coping with her husband’s death while maintaining the stability of the group theraphy and mantaining one of her patients who seemingly love to stalk her out.
Up to this point, I kind off said to myself “Oops. Here comes trouble.” with the stalking part and kind of expect things to slowly go south that way.
Moreover, the story seems to escalate quite early, when Mariana ended up receiving calls from her niece’s Zoe that apparently, Zoe’s friend is murdered and she needs support right now due to the shock and grief.
Things get complicated, Mariana left her town and her stalker behind to go to Cambridge for her niece and ended up involving herself deeper into the investigation as days go on.
I might say, up to this part, it’s an interesting plot.
However, the story progress slow and sure from this point onward. I love how this book feels like building tension page per page and have me reeling to read more to find out the one true culprit.
Moreover, this book discussed a great deal of Greek mythology and it cleverly woven in the horrendous murder. I like the idea of it and I like when these myth becomes a riddle for Mariana herself. But, as much as I love the creative idea, there comes a point where I feel tired? with the endless rambling of the myth that doesn’t seems to solved the case.
Also, as much as I love the idea of the plot, I think the writing was kind of- Oh, I don’t know- Lacking? Instead of absorbing the words, processing the scenes and feel the ambiance, I feel like mere reading. Just… reading. It does feel spooky and dark but It does not make me feel like I was part of the book.
However, the ending.
Although I could more or less guess the culprit nearing the end of the book, the ending still take my breath away. Overall, it’s not a bad story to begin with. I just think it was too much text? The writing did not overwhelmed me as much as the plot idea this book projected. But I would still suggest anyone of you to try reading the book because I was on the minority for this one.
Better read to judge than judge to read right? Anyway, I sincerely hope you’re going to love the book. Happy reading love!
Author: Celine
celinelingg 