Holy moly! The Maidens follows Mariana as she arrives at Cambridge after her niece Zoe's friend is brutally murdered. What unfolds is Mariana's obsession with proving that a handsome, well-liked professor, Edward Fosca, is her murderer. For one Fosca has a private "study group" called The Maidens who hang on his every word. A group the murder victim and Fosca's supposed lover, Tara, was a member of. The problem is Fosca has an alibi which is completely corroborated by The Maidens. What follows is a whirlwind of tragedies which rivals Greek mythology. The Maidens was a real page turner (only not literally as I listened to this audiobook). I was hooked, eager to know what happened next. Both narrators: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith and Louise Brealey really help bring this story to life. I had a minor twinge of disappointment at the ending, which I won't spoil here, but it wasn't enough to ruin this book for me. All in all, I'd definitely recommend The Maidens. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

I recently finished listening to The Maidens by Alex Michaelides. I was really excited to listen to this, as I had ordered it as my Book of the Month for June. The Maidens focuses on Mariana, a group psychotherapist with a (sad, but predictable) dark past. When Mariana's niece's (Zoe's) friend is unexpectedly murdered, Mariana rushes to Zoe's side at her alma mater, Cambridge University, to help.


The characters are rich with mystery and the reader is never sure who to trust, including Mariana (we love an unreliable narrator). There were several moments where I was reminded of the killer's reveal in Scream 2. The parallels in visuals/descriptions between Scream's Agamemnon and The Maidens's The Duchess of Malfi (and the book's other Greek allusions) really stuck with me. I could visualize the various inspiration pieces with ease.


This book, to put it lightly, is a total mindf*ck. The whole time, I found myself trying to guess the plot twists and turns, and every time I was wrong. Something I loved about this book was the connections with Greek mythology throughout the entire novel. I found myself getting super excited every time I recognized the reference. The narrator did a beautiful job separating the different character voices and it helped me differentiate and not feel confused (which tends to happen when I listen to audiobooks). I find Mariana's characterization curious. Her intense need to figure out the truth of these violent crimes and the disturbingly close relationship between professor and student borders on madness, which is out of alignment with her professional attitude.


Michaelides has crafted a very compelling narrative, and despite some loose ends, and a wildly unexpected ending, I couldn't stop listening. I found myself both disturbed and curious to follow Mariana's journey to the very end. This is the first book I've read from Michaelides, and I am itching to get my hands on his debut novel (The Silent Patient).


Overall rating: 4/5

I was lucky enough to be able to listen to this Advanced Reader's Copy through my partnership with NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Mariana is a group therapist. Her beloved niece calls her upset telling her someone has been found dead near her school and she believes it’s her friend. Mariana goes to the school and becomes involved in the case because she’s a therapist. She’s trying to analyze what happened and which friends were involved. Soon, professors are accused and the ex boyfriend is brought in for questioning. This thriller has you guessing who is involved up until the end. I really enjoyed listening to this audio book!

I had very high expectations diving into The Maidens, even though I haven't read The Silent Patient yet (but it's on my bookshelf!). A good read, not a memorable read. I enjoyed all the Greek mythology references but I was disappointed that the narrator was not familiar with the Greek language so the ancient Greek snippets sounded awful.

The story was unfortunately not believable. I won't go into details but Mariana came across as a weak character and, considering her professional training, she clearly has no clue how to read people. She is not instinctive at all, quite unusual for a woman to be so wrong about so many different people. Or were people around her so good at concealing their true selves?

Do you want to pick up an entertaining thriller that will keep you guessing? Get The Maidens. Do you want to be blown away? Pass.

Thank you Net Galley and MacMillan audio for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest read.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the alc of this book.

One sentence review: This atmospheric mystery/thriller is one that kept me turning the pages with its tale of a murdered college student who was part of a secret literary society, The Maidens, at Cambridge University.

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides is a slow burn mystery/thriller where atmosphere really takes front and center. The story immerses you in the feel of Cambridge University. With many references to Greek Mythology and Tennyson, the book is at heart a pretty classic mystery, just one that has a very literary feel to it. I'm going to leave the plot synopsis to the one sentence review above because, as is true with most thrillers, you are better going in not knowing a whole lot.

My thoughts:

- The story is told from two points of view, the heroine of the story, Mariana, and a second voice who is presumably our villain.
- The narrative really centers on Mariana. I really would have loved to know more about The Maidens.
- While at heart a dark academia mystery, I think this book arguably earns its psychological thriller moniker because of its ending. It certainly had me wondering, what just happened?
- I finished this book a couple of days ago and honestly am still processing it. I can't tell you if I really liked it, but I can tell you that the book kept me mesmerized and turning the pages.
- I have many additional thoughts but as they are spoilery, I will keep them to myself.

Overall I think this is an entertaining read. If you like dark academia and mysteries, I think this would be a good choice. If your like you thrillers to be action packed, this one might not be the book for you. This is definitely a slow burn.

NARRATION: I thought the narrators did an excellent job. Their performances help to build the atmosphere of the book and I really felt like the characters were telling their own personal stories.

I enjoyed The Maidens quite a bit and it's even inspired me to pick back up some classics and reread some mythology. Even though Mariana's lack of self preservation was infuriating, I still found envisioning her investigation exciting. The audiobook narrators are absolutely fantastic! Highly recommend if you're in the mood to read a thriller.

This is the second book I read by Alex Michaelides and I really enjoy his storytelling. He has a way of drawing you into a story with just enough detail to really paint a picture while keeping the story moving.

I won't discus the plot of the story because this is a book that you do not want to know too much about when you read it. I would suggest that the book blurb is enough and recommend being careful of spoilers in reviews.

One thing I enjoyed in this book was a couple of little links to Michaelides' previous novel, The Silent Patient. If you've previously read that be on the lookout for a little crossover. It was fun to be in the know. If you haven't read that book, these couple of quick mentions will be missed, but they won't affect your enjoyment of the story at all.

If I had to choose between this story and The Silent Patient, I think I slightly prefer the latter. If you are trying to decide which of the two to start with, I'd start with that one. However, I think they they are both great stories and worth a read.

This story was expertly narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith and Louise Brealey. I'm actually going to seek out another book narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith just for his narration.

The Maidens: 2.75/5

“Ruth always said that forgiveness could not be coerced – it was experienced spontaneously, as an act of grace, appearing only when a person was ready.”

Premise:
The Maidens follows Mariana Andros, a group therapist who is still grieving over the death of her husband. Although she doesn't need the money, Mariana continues to work with her patients out of the good of her heart. Unfortunately, Mariana hears her niece's good friend has been murdered and visits Cambridge University to provide support.

Mariana soon realizes things are amiss when more students turn up murdered. The mystery deepens when she discovers a popular professor, Edward Fosca, and his secret society called The Maidens, made up of a secret society of female students.

Mariana convinces herself that Edward Fosca is behind it all and is committed to finding evidence against him. This dark academia mystery is brimming with themes of Greek mythology, ancient literature, and grief while making the reader question every character's motives.

Writing & Plot:
This is my first book by Alex Michaelides, and while I do not usually pick up a mystery, I found this one especially intriguing. The Maidens is an easy read; it is not hard to follow and has concise chapters, which I did enjoy.

Unfortunately, there are many plot holes in this story and an overwhelming amount of unanswered questions that make the book feel unbelievable. Furthermore, the first 100 pages of the book are extremely slow. The book doesn't even introduce The Maidens until the end of part two, which is frustrating when that is the entire book's premise.

There are so many red herrings that made me second guess who I thought the murderer was. This is good in some ways, but unfortunately, my original conjecture was correct from the start. I was surprised by the ending, but it was nothing groundbreaking since I feel like the murderer is pretty obvious.

I want to conclude this section by saying I was entertained, and I did finish the book, which provides some merit on its behalf, but I wanted something more fleshed out.

Characters:
One of the most significant struggles this book has is that its characters are not very likable. There isn't much, or any, development for them, and that leaves the reader disconnected. It is difficult because the author is trying to point the reader in different directions and to do that, the reader must be suspicious on some level, but I needed at least one character to root for. I also want to point out that the book only included many characters to provide red herrings and no significant meaning to the story, which was annoying. By the end, many of these characters get left in the dust, and we never know what happens to them.

I struggled with Mariana's character the most because of the irrational and stupid decisions she kept making. There were plenty of eye-rolls while reading this book which left me frustrated.

Audiobook:
The narrator was as good as they get. Although I had plenty of issues with this book, the narrator made it bearable and sufficiently made me question my beliefs. I also enjoyed the double casting, and I think it added a lot to the story. The narrator did a great job of leading the reader to suspect the wrong character, which is why I love mystery audiobooks so much. Kudos to the narrators, but the plot itself was not for me.

Conclusion:
Although the premise is interesting, the execution of The Maidens leaves much to be desired. All aspects of this book lack in one way or another, yet it is still a page-turner. There are some glaring issues, but if you love dark academia and want to give it a try, you may have a completely different opinion than I. Ultimately, this was not a book for me.

I read The Silent Patient and loved it. One of the best books I read in 2019. It was such a different thriller from all the others I read before. I could not put it down. I was very excited when they announced Alex Michaelides was coming up with a new book.

The Maidens, of course, very different from The Silent Patient, but something about the author's writing, that is still the same, so good, it makes immerse yourself in the story, and the characters, whether you want it or not. I like how I thought I had it all figured out, though, I was not even close.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrators, Louise Brealey and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, did a fantastic job, and that was one other reason why I liked the book a lot.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the free Advanced Audiobook Copy in Exchange for an honest review.

Like the book I read from this author previously it was good, scary, interesting, and surprising. A true psychological thriller. I listened to it (audiobook) this time around and also enjoyed the voice(s) of the narrator. Additionally I love the hidden Easter eggs for anyone who had read the previous book first without saying anything that would give it away in case you read them in different order.

Reading Between the Wines book review #66/115 for 2021:
Rating: 3.5 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book 🎧: The Maidens
Author: Alex Michaelides
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
RELEASES on June 15, 2021!!! GET YOUR COPY TODAY!!
Recommended to readers who love any type of Greek background with a mystery mixed in.

Sipping thoughts: I couldn’t wait to read this book because I loved Michaelides, The Silent Patient so much. While this one was not as enthralling as TSP and had a slow start, the reveal was just as shocking and a “I did not see that coming.” There were so many red herrings that I was so sure that I had figured out the killer and I was SO wrong. I LOVED the little Easter Egg that was dropped in The Madiens from The Silent Patient. I cannot wait to see what Michaelides will come up with next!

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley, @alex.michaelides and @MacmillanAudio for an advanced copy of @TheMaidens

#TheMaidens #AlexMichaelides #MacmillanAudio #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #generaladultfiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThriller

✨R E V I E W✨

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗦 𝗕𝗬 𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗫 𝗠𝗜𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗦

Swipe for @goodreads synopsis ➡️

I was super pumped to find an ARC copy in a @littlefreelibrary from @blairwitchbooks (thank you again!!) because The Silent Patient was one of my favorite reads last summer! However, I hate to say it, but I was not into this one😭

👍🏼: This story was very different with a Greek mythology theme and did keep my interest with the storyline. I liked how this story existed in the same “universe” as The Silent Patient uniquely connecting the two.

👎🏼: Unfortunately, this story was overall not the vibe I typically enjoy ever 😂 It was quite disturbing at times and overall non-believable. The twist came super late in the story & I was honestly even more angered by it 🤷🏼‍♀️ Many characters were not developed and after finishing the story, I still wasn’t sure what the purpose of “The Maidens” was. So yeah. 😂🤦🏼‍♀️

However, I’ve seen some good reviews for this one as well! So it’s definitely worth checking out, especially if you enjoy psychological thrillers! I alternated between audio & physical copy which got me through so thanks to @macmillan.audio for the advanced audiobook 🙌🏼✨

This one is out TOMORROW 6/15✨

Rating: ⭐️⭐️💫
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" I could feel a fire burning--a rising anger, a rage that would not go out. I knew it was wrong--I knew I should curb it before it overwhelmed me. But instead, I fanned the flames. And I burned."

Chilling words from the killer in The Maidens by brilliant author Alex Michaelides. In one of the most anticipated books of the summer we are treated to a psychological thriller full of Greek tragedy, lost loves, and a very disturbed soul.

Mariana is a group therapist dealing with her own depression when she receives a frantic call from her niece Zoe saying she thinks her friend has been brutally murdered. Mariana drops everything and heads to Cambridge University to protect and console Zoe.

As soon as Mariana meets Zoe's Greek tragedy Professor she senses there is evil in him. Proving he is the killer seems impossible. His alibi is his female students who are a part of his special Greek mythology society The Maidens. But the maidens are dying one by one and Mariana will risk it all to stop the professor.

This book took me in so many directions. The author has a mesmerizing style that makes you just have to keep reading even though you think you know how it will end. You will be wrong. I was truly aghast at the end. There are many red herrings and I was swimming with all of them.

I also listened to the audiobook and the narrators Kobna Holdbrook Smith and Louise Brealey were perfectly authentic. When the voice of the killer spoke I shivered and when Mariana panicked I hugged myself for comfort.

The ending, though shocking, made me feel a bit sad. Mariana had lost so much as the story unfolded and I hated that she had even more sorrow to endure. The fact that this writer made me care so much says it all about his ability to bring you into his world.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Maidens is another psychological thriller by Alex Michaelides. Mariana, is a trained pscyhotherapist who specializes in group therapy. As she is trying to make sense of her life after the loss of husband over a year ago, she finds herself thrown headfirst into turmoil when her niece calls to tell her a friends has been found murdered. Mariana returns to the campus to support her niece, but finds herself being pulled into the investigation and trying to piece together both who did, and why.

The story has enough characters and clues to keep you guessing and wanting to continue on to find out the end twist. I found some of the characters to be a bit frustrating, Mariana included, but was engaged enough to want to find out how the story ends.

The narrator had an easy to listen to voice that varied enough to be able to identify different characters.

Overall, it was entertaining, but I wouldn't say anything spectacular. A solid 3.5 stars.
Thank you to #NetGalley, Alex Michaelides, Celadon Books and MacMillan Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

4 out of 5 stars

This was my first book by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I listened to the audiobook while reading a physical copy for a fully immersive experience. 

In The Maidens, we follow Mariana, who is a group therapist in London.  She receives an urgent call from her niece, Zoe, who is a student at Cambridge University, that her friend was found murdered. Mariana goes to Cambridge to support her niece. While she is there she meets Zoe’s dazzling Greek professor, Edward Fosca, who seems to be beloved by everyone, especially the students in the secret society called the Maidens. Mariana suspects Edward is the killer and will stop at nothing to prove it’s him, even if no one believes her.

This was a really fast read!  I felt myself flip flopping so many times trying to guess who the killer was or figuring out which characters could be trusted.  I enjoyed the Cambridge setting, and loved the way the author was able to weave in Greek mythology to the story. Now that I’m done, I’m feeling an intense urge to start over at the beginning to see all of the clues I missed!

The audiobook was narrated by Louise Brealey and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith.  I thought both did a great job by really adding emotion and depth to the characters.    

Thank you to MacMillan Audio, Celadon Books, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.  All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Soooo I didn't like it.
There's not actually anything wrong with the book.
The writing is okay and the characters are okay and the twists are okay, but that's my issue.
It was only okay.
I didn't really care about any of it and was kinda bored through most of it.
Still appreciate NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for hooking me up with this audio.

The audiobook quality was really poor for this book so that definitely detracted from the listening experience. I was so excited to read this book, definitely did a mini scream when I saw it in my mailbox. The Maidens definitely retains some of the elements that made Alex Michaelides' first novel the The Silent Patient such a smash hit. You can tell he writes about what he knows, and I loved the Greek mythology, the psychology elements, and the academic Cambridge setting. He's an exceptional author and I will continue to read all his thrillers, because his writing is smart and witty, and brings something very unique to the genre that no one else is currently doing. I have seen reviews completely across the spectrum for this one, and you have to read it yourself to see how you feel! It might be your next favorite book. It was an enjoyable read for me, but I would be remiss not to state what elements did not work for me about this one.

The thing that really bothered me about this book was the red herrings. The entire book is one giant red herring. There were so many of them, and some of the secondary characters just did not add anything to the actual plot besides trying to confuse the reader. I still partially guessed the ending halfway through, but it didn't feel very satisfying to me because the ending was just...odd? Also all of the thrills happen in the last 30 pages and this book is 350 pages long.

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
Publication Date: June 15, 2021
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Description from NetGalley…
“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.”
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Thank you to @netgalley @macmillan.audio @celadonbooks for the ALC in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts…some spoilers…
Unpopular opinion. I want to say that I’d be one of the first to tell you “It’s a fiction, move on!” But, this book is a big “No” for me. I still finished it because I wanted to see if the MC would change or develop somehow but, she didn’t. And now, I have a problem with it. I liked The Silent Patient, but this one was full of holes and could be quite damaging. Apparently, Michaelides studied psychotherapy for 3 years, and also worked for 2 years in a secured unit for young adults before becoming a screen writer. But, as a mental health professional, his experience was not reflected in this book. The character Mariana was like a weak, distressed Gothic heroine that was praised for being a great “group therapist” but yet, she made bad choices. She did not appropriately follow-up with a suicidal client. If she was a colleague, I would report her. There was the issue of a pedophile in here that was not addressed at all. Other characters felt like caricatures, and the investigative procedure felt like a Pink Panther sketch. And I’ve never read a book with red-herrings that had no connection at all with anyone or anything else in the plot. I liked the theme of Euripides. Maybe he wrote it this way to get the polar opposite reactions for publicity, BUT, my biggest concern is that this book exacerbates mental health/illness stigma. Again, just my opinions and thoughts.

Really compelling and enjoyable thriller! Well written and not entirely predictable. I definitely recommend it!

The quiet English college town of Cambridge is being stalked by a murderer — one who’s unthinkably savage while destroying young women’s lives.

Mariana Andros, a London psychologist whose beloved niece is the victims’ classmate, decides to investigate, and she is soon convinced that their professor, Edward Fosca, is the killer. But he’s charismatic and slippery, and Mariana can’t get anyone to believe her.

Before the story is over, Mariana’s life will be in danger, too — and there’s a twist that I definitely didn’t see coming.

Michaelides, bestselling author of “The Silent Patient,” has crafted an admirable psychological thriller here. Brealey reads most of it, with good diction if without much distinction between characters.

And Holdbrook-Smith is intense in his scenes as the voice of a very disturbed man ruminating on his life.