The Fury by Alex Michaelides
Expected publication date: January 16, 2024

Date read: January 9, 2024

Audiobook narrated by Alex Jennings



Lana Farrar is a reclusive ex–movie star and one of the most famous women in the world. Every year, she invites her closest friends to escape the English weather and spend Easter on her idyllic private Greek island. You probably read about it at the time ― it caused a real stir in the tabloids, if you remember. It had all the necessary ingredients for a press sensation: a celebrity; a private island cut off by the wind…and a murder.

I wasn't sure what to expect here; I've never read any Alex Michaelides before, even though I know a few people who have loved his previous books. So when I saw this was coming out, I figured it was as good a place to start as any.

This book is told from the point of view of Elliot, Lana Farrar's close friend and confidant. We're told right from the start that there is a murder, and that this story is less of a whodunnit than a whydunnit (although we, as the audience, are still not told for sure who the victim is until late in the book). I found Elliot to be a fascinating character. He's not particularly likable (although none of the characters really are), and also seems to be a little untrustworthy. But is he just unlikable, or is he also an unreliable narrator?

As mentioned, most of the characters are at least a bit unlikeable - I think Lana is probably the most sympathetic, but even she is far from perfect - but they are mostly still really interesting to follow. The book almost had a Great Gatsby feel to it in that way (although I've never been a huge fan of Gatsby and liked this book a lot better).

I also highly recommend the audiobook. Alex Jennings does a fantastic job of bringing Elliot's voice to the story. He was great to listen to and never once took me out of the moment. His narration made me feel like I was listening to a character tell me a story, rather than a voice actor reading me a story.

Overall, this is a really fascinating character study tied up in the package of a murder mystery. I can't compare it to his other books, but I imagine that his fans will not be disappointed, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good thriller.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Content warning: murder, physical assault, emotional manipulation

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Rounded up from 3.5 ⭐️

The Fury by Alex Michaelides
Genre: thriller
Pages: 320
Publication day: January 16

I was very excited to receive this ARC. The Fury was my first Michaelides novel. Much thanks to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Fury follows a group of friends who travel to a private island in Greece for some rest and relaxation, but while there, the facades of their friendships begin to unravel, and one of them ends up dead.

Our narrator, Elliot Chase, tells us that he’s unreliable from the start of the novel. He leads us on side tangents that reveal the backstories of the characters, giving each a motive for murder. But who did it, and who died? Elliot also relays the story in first person through a series of acts as if he’s giving a monologue on stage. I think that the audiobook of this would be great; the story lends itself to being read aloud.

The beginning of the novel suffered from slow pacing, but once I got to the 50 or 60% mark, it picked up. The last 30% or so read very quickly, and I was intrigued and entertained by some of the twists and turns Michaelides deployed. That said, I think that Elliot overhyped that the story of the murder was very wild that I found the actual ending to be a little disappointing (but not a lot).

Michaelides did a good job of revealing the humanness of the characters; none of them was perfect by any means and each was certainly flawed. Learning the flaws as I read the novel was a nice process, and by the end I really didn’t like any of the characters. But I have to wonder: how bad were they really, or was Elliot that unreliable?

Overall, I’m glad I read this book, and I plan on reading his other two novels.

I was thrilled to receive an ARC of this via NEtGalley. A unique narration, we follow Elliott Chase as he joins Lana Farrar, an reclusive ex-movie star and friends, for an island getaway vacation in Greece. We hear his voice as if he is telling you a casual story over a cozy cup of tea (or beverage of your choice), curled up in a blanket. As the reader, you think you are being let in on the story behind the story and its secrets, but it becomes all an illusion. The vacation in this paradise setting then becomes a nightmare when there is a murder, and the only ones on this remote island are the guests and the caretaker. True to form, the author included twists and turns with a surprise ending, and even an allusion to another character from a previous book. The characters were multi-dimensional with plentiful background information. I would have loved to hear a bit more about Greece and have it intertwine with the plot, as I felt this story could have been set on any island in the world. However, the cover was striking with the nod to "the evil eye", highly prevalent in Greece. Additionally, I did love that this read like a play, set in scenes, and actually it was more of a play within a play. How intriguing to see different takes on various sequences within the story. Some times it was engaging, other times, I got a bit lost. But I truly enjoyed this psychological thriller, even without the heart pounding feelings. Even knowing the ending, it's a book that I would read again to see what I missed and I bet, I would love it just as much if not more. Many thanks to #netgalley #thefury #alexmichaelides for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Fury by Alex Michaelides is the 3rd I've read by this author. I was thrilled when I noticed the subtle character connection in this book. Though it's not overtly obvious or even a significant part I always find the small details to be entertaining. This book is a great example of how a slow burn should transpire Going into the book I made the mistake of assuming that I would know exactly how it would playout and though what I assumed would happen in the story, nothing was as it seemed. This book sends the reader on a wild ride full of clever twists and turns. The writing flowed beautifully. Each character was developed in a way that made you feel like you knew each of them personally. This book was enjoyable and well written. I can confidently say I believe this book will be a very popular novel of 2024. Thank you Netgalley for sharing this book with me in exchange for my honest review.

I had quite the weekend of non reliable narrators between watching Saltburn (still traumatized) and finishing this novel. I think my issue here is I keep hoping for another Silent Patient. While this novel was fine, it just didn’t live up to my expectations from this author and I just have to accept that at this point. Yes, it had potential as we followed a wealthy Hollywood star who is surrounded by a cast of suspicious narrators. We’re on a beautiful and private Greek island with all the trappings of an Agatha Christie novel and yet we’re continuously told it’s not going to be what we think. There is a double twist of sorts but I was most interested to see if the author would pull in his former characters from his previous two books and in what capacity than I was intrigued by what was occurring.

I will also echo that I did have trouble getting into this book but it was a pretty quick read after the first few chapters. I still have a lot of unanswered questions at the end of this, i don’t feel like everything was resolved and I’m unclear on where a majority of these characters ended up.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc!
This was a 3 star read for me although probably closer to a 2.75.

Unrelatable characters, boring plot. I expected more from the author given the Silent Patient was amazing. Such a letdown.

Another great read from Alex Michaelides! After being a fan of his other two novels I was thrilled to receive an ARC of this book. The murder thriller plot may sounds familiar as it mirrors some well known trends. He takes the classic version of this story and flips it with the narrator, who albeit was not my favourite character at times. The Greek island this is set in becomes an additional character in the mix and adds another layer to everything. Always a joy to read!

I want to start this with a huge thank you to Net Galley for this ARC. I absolutely loved The Silent Patient and The Maidens, when I was approved I screamed!

The Fury is a trapped on an island murder trope with a lot of questionable characters. Lana is a retired movie star who invites her family and best friends to her private Greek island for the Easter holiday. Tension arises before the trip begins and once the boat leaves the guests things only get more interesting and deadly. Elliott, the narrator, is all over the place and takes you on a lot of tangents. With that said, he provides all the pieces of the backstory to where the real journey takes off.

While I did enjoy the story overall, the beginning was slow moving and a little hard to get into. The second half really drew me in and I had to know what happened next. I appreciated the bread crumbs of The Silent Patient and The Maidens.

The premise of the book is good. Everyone is trapped on an island and someone is killed. Who did it? I just didn't like any of the characters. I was able to figure out right away that something wasn't right with the narrator.

The Fury begins with our narrator, Elliot Chase sitting us down, buying us a drink and telling us a story. What follows is the story of reclusive actress Lana Fararr and those closest to her. The bunch go on a trip to a private Greek Island where a murder ensues. Do not think this is a "whodunit" type of book however. It has some of those tendencies, however, it delves much deeper into the why and how.

As much as I want to compare this book to his other works, I simply cannot bring myself to do so. The Fury is definitely not like Alex Michaelides' other thrillers---this one stands by itself. Even the synopsis tries to tell us that by stating it is, at its heart, a love story. This one grabbed my interest in the first few chapters and was a quick and easy read. I wanted to know how and why the characters ticked and Michaelides did not let me down. There was excellent characterization throughout the book as well as good narration from the narrator. I was weary of how the narrator being one of the characters in the book would go over, but this didn't affect the book in the end much for me. It actually made me like the book that much more. Great story, great concept, excellent read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books, and Alex Michaelides for granting me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published January 16, 2024.

This is the third book I’ve read by this author, and it was definitely my least favorite. The plot sounded so good (a murder on a Greek Island) but I was completely bored, and sometimes confused.

The narrator often broke character to talk to the reader directly which was a clever concept but kindof weird. I don’t think it worked well.

The ending did pick up and revealed the murderer but by then I didn’t care. If not for the ARC I wouldn’t have finished it.

Such a wild ride. So many ups and downs and twists and turns. Nothing like anything I’ve ever read before.

Everyone wants to be loved by Lana, the beautiful, wealthy actress. But who killed her? Or maybe she’s not dead and someone else is? Who did what and why?

Fantastic read once you get past the slow beginning.

Thanks to the Celadon Readers for inviting me to be an early reader. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The Fury is scheduled to be released on January 16, 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I am sad to say I was a bit disappointed in this one. Its my least favorite Alex Michaelides book so far. And let me say, that doesn't mean this book was bad. It was fine and there were several things aspects that I really enjoyed. The main problem I had with this book though is that this was one of the slowest thrillers I have ever read.

I enjoyed that way the story was told and the psychological aspects Michaelides added in. This book could have been like 100 pages shorter and I think that would have helped honestly. Will this stop by from reading his future books? No, not at all. I will continue to read his works, this one was just a little disappointing.

And there it is...another reason Alex is an auto buy author for me. This was a great story of unexpected twists and turns.

I'd like to than NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was disappointed by the silent patient. I was exited to give the author another chance and unfortunately this book was also a miss for me.

I can see why so many people will love this, and I'll be so glad for all of you who do, but for me this was a 2 star read. I guessed the twists, the tone was off and the writing felt rushed. If you loved the silent patient, I think you'll like this one. if you didn't, donc pick this one up either. 💚

The Fury by Alex Michaelides is a brilliant work that defies definition. Written like a Greek tragedy in 5 acts, the novel features a narrator that is a shape-shifter throughout the book as he tells the story, becomes an active participant in the mystery, and seemingly dispassionately lends a sardonic commentary to the drama as it unfolds.
Elliot Chase, the protagonist, is a playwright who tells the story with dramatic flare, relating his dark childhood and his obsession with film actress Lana Farrar. Their lives intersect, and, as Elliot opines, “our tragedy was a direct consequence of our characters.”
This story is all about character—what motivates and why, the strength and failings of our morality and how that is forged.
The brilliance is in the structure of the novel and the prose. As the story plays out in 5 acts, the reader has a front-row seat, watching as the protagonist finally succumbs to his tragic flaws, and an equally flawed cast of darkly motivated characters propel the intricate plot.
I enjoyed the allusions to literary greats, from Heracleitus, and Euripedes, to Coward, Christie and Hemingway--such a rich group to use as inspiration!
The twisted plotting of love, obsession and lasting damage from childhood trauma and adult psychosis is perfect for this Fury!

Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

Alex Michaelides ability to write a thriller/suspense novel is like no other. I loved the Silent Patient so much that I stayed after my shift at work just to read the last few pages. First off, I would like to comment on the cover of this book, the evil eye being displayed on the front was such a brilliant and eye catching choice. After reading the novel it now makes even more sense to me. I don’t want to give away any spoilers but well done Alex Michaelides. I also really enjoyed the writing style and how it read like screen play. I loved the narration and how it felt like you were in a conversation with the narrator himself. I thought the character development was great but the pace of the novel itself was slow. I found the end a little predictable but at the same time chaotic. I did thoroughly enjoy this book but it wasn’t my favourite read by him. Overall the concept was intriguing, the character development was great and the writing was fantastic. I can’t wait to read more by Alex Michaelides in the future.

I'm sorry to say this will be my last book by this author. I didn't get the hype of The Silent Patient or The Maidens and this one was just another disappointment to me. I think the only thing I actually enjoyed about this book was the Greek settings.

I was intrigued when I first got into the book, the prologue drew me in and I was excited to see what happened and whose body was found. But this book could have been so much shorter. I hated the storyteller Elliot and it irritated me reading the entire book from his point of view. All of the "crazy twists and turns" at the end did nothing to impress me or shock me and I couldn't wait to finish this book. The only reason I'm giving it two stars and not a one star review was because I liked how the ending wrapped up. Did I enjoy the story as a whole though? Definitely not.

⭐ 3.5/5

The Fury, by Alex Michaelides, is a fast-paced whydunnit mystery, with short chapters.

I really liked the writing style. It was very different from what we usually read, with an unreliable narrator, speaking directly to the reader. It's kind of like reading a diary.

It read pretty easily, thanks to the short chapters and the good writing. However, it took a while for me to get into the story.
The plot separated in 5 acts, and I feel like the whole first act could've been dismissed. Starting around act 2-3, it gets much more interesting and that's when most the action starts.

I liked the ending (and if you've read his other books, you even get a small Easter egg at the end 😉), it was full of twists and turns, and I was really into it.

Overall, since I've read and loved his over books (especially The Silent Patient), my expectations were quite high and unfortunately, The Fury didn't meet them. Maybe that's on me! So I'd still recommend people to read it and give it a chance, because although I thought it was a slow start, I really liked the ending and I think it may surprise most of you!

Thank you @netgalley, @celadonbooks and Alex Michaelides for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

📆 Release date: January 16th, 2024

I very much looked forward to reading this book after having read The Silent Patient ( which was great). Unfortunately The Fury didn’t meet my expectations. The story is being told by a “narrator” who is also an integral part of the story. It started slowly and quite often as my interest was getting piqued Elliot “the narrator” would stop the flow of the story to interject his own thoughts and feelings before returning to the story. It read like a much longer book than it really is due to Elliot’s need to interrupt the plot-until about the last 100 pages which, although chaotic, gives credence to the real story of murder and unrequited love and has an unexpected twist at the end.