The start of the book was really slow for me, but as I continued reading, it got better and better. I love how it meanders back and forth in time. The twist at the end—I totally did not see any of it coming.

Thank you to Netgalley and Celadon Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.

This was a slow burn of a novel. I thought it was slow until I got about half way through and then the book takes off and I couldn't put it down. I was so intrigued and just wanted to figure out who did it!

I thought I had the whole book figured out but I did not see the twists coming at the end. I was so surprised my jaw hit the floor.

The narration was very different and probably would be phenomenal in audio format!

I want to thank Celadon Books for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
@CeladonBooks #ReadThisBook.

I'm in the minority of folks who wasn't enamored with The Silent Patient - I just found it to littered with unresolved red herrings and characters who seemed to be there for convenience sake. I'll probably also be in the minority on this one in saying I enjoyed it MUCH more than Silent Patient. I absolutely loved the narrative form of the book - unreliable narrators really work for me, and the direct address form of narration was clever and engaging. The story itself also drew me in and I thought the characters were interesting and well-drawn.

I really liked The Silent Patient and The Maidens, albeit differently. I enjoyed the way Michaelides told the stories, and the characterizations were complex, unusual, and fascinating. So I was eagerly awaiting The Fury, although the premise was in itself slightly less interesting to me than the other two books' descriptions had been.

Unfortunately, I could not get into this one at all. It felt like it was written by a different person. There were flashes of the type of storytelling I found present in the other two books, but on the whole I found this one to be a lot of nothing much happening. And what was happening was presented by a clearly unreliable narrator who was trying overly hard to be precocious and witty and somehow just coming across as obnoxious and obsequious instead. The women felt flat and uninteresting as well, and the whole thing just never gelled into the type of off-kilter and unsettling narrative I've come to expect from the author.

This wasn't a good fit for me.

It took me way too long to finish this book. I have spent about a month trying to read this, but I struggled to keep focus throughout it. I even had to backtrack a bit to understand things better. It isn’t my favorite, but it isn’t bad at all whatsoever.

The first few chapters were full of potential. I absolutely love the prospect of murder on an island, with a limited number of suspects and all that remote isolation to give it ominous vibes. But as I read on, I started to realize something. The story isn’t grabbing me, not right off the bat nor even 150 pages in. There’s so much setup to get through, not to mention what feels like excessive dangling of the proverbial carrot. We are told by the narrator over and over how we need to know this or that in order to understand what comes next—dangle, dangle. And that he promises the good parts are coming—dangle, dangle. And it’s sure to surprise us—dangle, dangle. Honestly, it got a bit much.

I gave this novel 3.5 star rating. All that dangling left me with anticipation fatigue. I know it’s a fairly common technique used in modern thrillers, but I’m just not a fan. It feels like unnecessary fluff to me. I know the good stuff is coming—why else would I be reading this?—so just get on with it. Nevertheless, I persevered. I slowly trudged my way through and was ever so thankful when we finally reached the point when things started to happen.

A special thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing me with a digital reviewer copy of this suspenseful read in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This is my first Alex Michaelides book and I can see why he's making a name for himself recently. As someone of Greek descent, I feel somewhat of a kinship with a Cypriot author, and it's lovely to see.

I really enjoyed this read, and I'm now going to check out the author's backlist as I feel I'd likely enjoy that as well. Strong character work, an interesting narrative, and the slow build-up was worth it in the end. I especially loved the interwoven Greek themes throughout the novel that felt authentic, engaging, and respectful.

This was one of my most anticipated reads for 2024….after The Silent Patient and The Maidens, I just knew The Fury was going to be amazing.

Unfortunately…..

It was so slow at the beginning, I was almost ready to call it quits. Usually even if it is a “slow burn” book, something will pull you in to keep going. I did not find this to be the case for me. I hated all of the characters. The story was so slow and nothing really happened until the second half of the book. I did enjoy the twisty parts and if the book would have had more personality I would have given this a much higher rating.

I have not given up on Mr. Michaelides though…not every book is for everyone.

I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion

I absolutely loved The Silent Patient and The Maidens and just knew I had to pick up this authored latest release! I love how the author features characters from other books in new releases, but I would definitely recommend reading them in order of release!

Now this book is nothing like The Silent Patient or The Maidens. It’s much slower paced and the narrator is so totally unreliable that I found myself getting frustrated every time he revealed lying to readers. I did enjoy the Greek island setting and rich people murder mystery meets dinner party vibes, I just found myself very confused by what was actually happening (ik that’s kinda the point of this thriller but not my fav)

The pacing was a little weird and I didn’t love the ending but I still found the story to be entertaining. I’m interested to see how all of Michaelides’ characters continue to be intertwined in future psychological thrillers.

read if you like: murder mysteries, unreliable narrators, multiple timelines, Greek island setting, dinner party vibes, psychological thriller

rating: 3/5 ⭐️

4.5 stars

The Fury by Alex Michaelides is a mesmerizing tale that masterfully interweaves mystery and psychology, skillfully blurring the boundaries between sanity and reality. Taking place on a secluded Greek island with a cast of seven, the narrative unravels in five acts, each chapter unfolding like a compelling scene in a dramatic production, with the characters taking on their roles with theatrical flair. The fury, a wild Greek wind, serves as a symbol of the intense emotions swirling through the story.

Amid a murder mystery on the island, Michaelides brings a fresh perspective to the locked room mystery trope. Our storyteller, Elliot Chase, adopts a conversational tone with a touch of messiness, delving into the web of jealousy, ambition, obsession, and infidelity surrounding the characters.

But

Elliot unfolds the characters' backgrounds through flashbacks, easing tension and slowing the pace to a snail's crawl. This approach, while momentarily agonizing, sets the stage for the upcoming juicy drama, which might have felt exaggerated if not for the backdrop of characters immersed in the entertainment industry.

However

Michaelides possesses a remarkable talent for catching readers off guard and skillfully orchestrating unexpected actions by his characters. These surprising twists, woven throughout the narrative, culminate in a satisfying payoff by the story's conclusion.

Retired movie star Lana Farrar wants to get away for a weekend and arranges for her friends Kate Crosby and Elliot Chase to join her family on the Greek island her late husband gifted her. Shortly after arriving on the island, the wind picks up and leaves the group stranded. Cabin fever sets in rapidly, driving high temperatures even higher and resulting in someone’s death. Written in the format of a Greek tragedy Michaelides expertly develops the narrative through Elliot Chase, our beloved unreliable narrator. Chase describes the events that took place on that fateful trip to the beautiful private Greek island. Reminiscent of Dolores Claiborne, sometimes we are not aware of what our story holds until after the end. As Chase tells his audience about the events that preceded the murder, he gradually reveals himself and his friends for who they truly are.

*Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this novel.

The atmosphere in this book is perfection and was one of my favorite aspects of this book just for vibes alone. The characters felt real and well rounded, even if most of them were unlikable for the most part. I think what knocked a star off for me was how slow the beginning of this book was. It felt like we took a long time to get to the really interesting parts, but once we got there I was invested! It felt like I was listening to a modern Shakespearean play and was living for the drama.

Another great one from Alex Michaelides!

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

Marked DNF at 66%

Pros: Murder mystery, not too many characters

Cons: 1 POV, unreliable narrator who makes the story a lot about himself, the title of the book is used frequently

My Review: At 66% I could just not go on anymore. I really hate to DNF a book. In fact this is only the second book I have ever marked as DNF. For me it was the narrator deviating from telling the actual story about the murder mystery. I am a thriller and mystery lover. There was nothing exciting, thrilling or even suspenseful about this book. I really wanted to find out what happened to Lana and thought I could get around the weirdness of how the story is told by Elliot, but when he went back deep into his childhood for entire chapters, I just lost interest. This was my first read of 2024 and it almost put me into a reading slump. One day I might pick it back up to find out who killed Lana, but for now I have moved on to more exciting thrillers. Life is too short.

This third novel from Michaelides, after The Silent Patient and The Maidens, again showcases the author’s narrative skill, placing his characters this time on a lush, isolated Greek island. Unfortunately, the characters and plot didn’t grab me. Rich “Hollywood-types”, infighting, and the flow of the story lacked the mystery and suspense elements I sought in my reading. But maybe others will revel in it.

Hmm, better than The Maidens but not as good as the Silent Patient. The setting of the Greek island was lush and honestly I want to go there. The “twists” because the narrator was purposefully unreliable got kinda of annoying by the third or fourth thing that didn’t actually happen. I wish we had spent more time with Lana and Kate and I think i would have been more invested and their story and friendship. Honestly, by the finale I was just ready to be done with the back and forth of who died and who did it. The book finished and I thought “oh okay.” and put it down and walked away.

I loved the Silent Patient and was really excited to read this one. This one was uniquely told by a character who talks directly to the reader. An odd quirky man played the unreliable narrator. It was interesting and entertaining but didn't quite live up to my expectations. I did love the brief cameo from The Silent Patient.

The Fury was an interesting read that immediately peaked my interest. The writing style was so unique in that the main character was so conversational and convincing that it felt almost as if a friend was telling you a story.

The twists and turns were satisfying and exactly what I would expect from Michaelides. And bonus points for an ending that isn't exactly what you're expecting. At times it felt a little long but ended strong as the pace picked up during the final act of the book.


I'll definitely be recommending this book to all my mystery and suspense-loving friends.

Having read The Silent Patient, I was looking forward to another intriguing book from Alex Michaelides but it was not to be. Do not go into The Fury thinking it’s going to be a similar read because it’s not; it’s very different.
Elliot, the narrator of our story, is a bit smarmy and at times I liked him and other times I felt sorry for him. But I never really felt I got to know him throughout the book.
A group of friends, Elliot included, travel to a private Greek island for a few days of R and R. The only way to get to this island is by boat. Tension runs high after everyone gets settled in, the games begin and of course, they can’t leave. All the while, Elliot is telling the story, letting us know that most of the so-called friends don’t really get along. I didn’t really connect with any of them and began to dislike Elliot and his constant chatter.
For me, this was a disappointing read. Although there was an element of suspense, the story seemed to be disjointed and didn’t flow smoothly. The best part was the final third of the book…some unexpected twists.
I give it *** 1/2 stars.

Thank you to Celadon Books for the eARC and to NetGalley.

After loving Silent Patient, I was really looking forward to this one. It fell a bit flat in character development and formulaic plotting. The format and play structure was unique and enjoyable, but not my favorite thriller

Having loved THE SILENT PATIENT, thought THE MAIDENs was ok, I wanted to read Michaelides new book, THE FURY, to see if it would capture’s my attention like his first book did. I thought it was going to do so until it didn’t.

Elliot Chase, the writer, is the narrator. The setting for most of the book is set on an island. Right from the beginning, it was difficult to figure out which character the reader could believe. Stories keep changing! Lana, an actress decides she is inviting Kate, also an actress who has had an affair with her husband, Jason, their son, Leo, and Elliot to spend Easter on an island that was given to her as a wedding present.

The story just gets to weird for me. It is like Elliot, as the writer, is writing a script of what happened on the island over and over again about the murder that happened. I don’t want to say anything more as it is confusing as to what the reader is supposed to believe. You will need to decide for yourself. My thanks to BookishFirst, NetGalley, and Celadon Books for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.