I have read all of this authors other books and I found this one no less riveting. I always enjoy them and I always recommend them to everyone

Okay... where to start. There are a few things I enjoyed about this book. I loved the narrative style, and the way the narrator was communicating with the reader. In the way they told the story, it kept you guessing the whole way. I also want to say that there were quite a few twists that I enjoyed and overall... the plot and pacing worked. However my problems. The intentions of everyone in this book is super problematic, especially Elliot's. This book is just basically an "incel who writes plays." Like.... it was super underwhelming.

Let me start with I LOVED The Silent Patient, that is THE book that got me back into reading after YEARS of a hiatus. It truly blew my mind, The Maidens was fine, it was not nearly as stellar as The Silent Patient, but I understood what happened, it just wasn't for me.

Now, The Fury was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024, and I was SO excited when Celadon sent me a physical ARC copy in the mail!!!

The Fury felt like an Agatha Christie wannabe but on a really funky acid trip. This was such a let down, I truly felt like I wasn't following the story one bit. Yes the MC was an unreliable narrator but this story was unoriginal, and very Agatha Christie coded.

The constant breaking of the fourth wall was too much for me, it was an interesting take and wouldn't have irked me as much if it wasn't used so often. Elliott went on way too many tangents, if you know me and how I feel about Agatha Christie, I would've preferred a Hercule Poirot announcement to this back and forth whiplash of a plot twist.

I would've DNF'd this book if it weren't for my besties buddy reading it with me - overall I really was disappointed in this story and may be done with Alex Michaelides finally....

📚Book Review 📖

Alex Michaelides, author of The Maidens and The Silent Patient, is famous for his unreliable narrators and plots that make you think. Well friends, he did it again for me in his newest, The Fury.

Main character, Elliot, tells the events of what happened on his island getaway even though some events were not what they seemed. The plot in this was so twisty. I thought I had the plot twist guessed and then bam my mind got blown and Alex mic dropped. This, to me, was more of a drama than a thriller, but still twisty none the less.

Elliot was a fantastic narrator choice. He was witty, funny, and opinionated, which I loved. He did a lot of telling instead of showing. I understand the stylistic choice behind this but kind of annoying at times. Also loved the comparison to the Silent Patient. If you read that book, then you will be able to tell.

Lana was a great complex character to get into as well. She really tied the theme of the book so well. I felt emotionally for her. Also the choice of title was a smart and a nod to Elliot himself.

Thank you for the early read and friends, pick this one up. You won't be disappointed! Now on to the Maidens!

This book kept me wanting more from the start. The writing style is excellent & the excitement kept me guessing until the very end. Excellent book!

Thank you NetGalley for an e-arc of this book! I really enjoyed the beginning of this book! the writing was quirky and it kept me hooked. About mid way through I was starting to lose a bit of interest as it felt like I was being led on a bit. The whole, 'just you wait what happens next' started to get a bit tiring for my personal taste. I definitely recommend this book to people who enjoy that though because I think the author did it well. I feel like the ending was pretty surprising and there were a lot of great twists as well.

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 5⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: Thriller📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
Its been awhile since I’ve given a thriller 5 stars but I really enjoyed this one.

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Private Greek island setting
Slow burn thrillers
Unreliable narrator
Lots of twists
First person POV
Movie star FMC
Addictive redas
Tragic love stories
Unlikable characters

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
Short chapters
Unique format, gave play vibes
The ending!

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
Beginning was tad slow and receptive but it was worth it

𝙵𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚀𝚞𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚜:
★ “We are all the unreliable narrators of our own lives.”

Woah I truly hated this book so much.

I didn't think it could get much worse than THE MAIDENS, but I was wrong. This book was slow, unsatisfying, and dull. I kept waiting and waiting for something to happen...and then the book ended.

I could say more, but my mom always told me that if I don't have anything nice to say, I shouldn't say anything at all.

A winding tale of human character, emotions, relationships, flaws packaged in a thrilling tale of an evening of violence and lies among a Hollywood star and her entourage vacationing on her private Greek island. This book definitely keeps you guessing until the very end. The narrator has a very unique voice - the perspective is that he is personally telling you about this event. You’re on the edge of your seat listening for more. Well done and captivating.

I wish I could give this book 10 stars. It was that good. I have read this author before and knew I liked his storytelling. This book was written in a unique way. The story is told to the reader by one of the main characters as if he is having a conversation with you and telling you this amazing story. He starts telling you a piece of the story and then gets off on a tangent as he remembers some background information that you need to know to understand this part of the story. You know, just the way we all do when we are telling a story to friends. I really enjoyed this book and the way the story was told.

A literary dance of secrets and backstabbing…..

~My Thoughts~

In Alex Michaelides' "The Fury," I found myself immersed in a unique narrative that skillfully combines aspects of mystery, romance, thriller, and tragedy. The storytelling is fantastic, adopting a conversational style. It's like eavesdropping on the juiciest bar tale – full of drama, obsession, and unexpected betrayals.

The book is a twisty journey through a locked room murder mystery, with each of its five acts revealing more, building upon the intricacies introduced in the previous act. Michaelides weaves a web of secrets, hidden agendas, and obsession, keeping the reader guessing throughout.

The narrator's voice plays a significant role in enhancing the entertainment value. The conversational tone is engaging, making the storytelling not only entertaining but also thought-provoking. The characters are expertly developed, contributing to a well-crafted plot that kept me on edge.

The book seamlessly blends good prose with a unique and original plot. It's a testament to Michaelides' skill that the story remains unpredictable, defying expectations. The book is rich in imagery, creating a vivid and immersive experience. Michaelides' narrative is a seductive tango of mystery, where every move leaves you craving the next.

~Recommendation~

"The Fury" stands out as my favorite among Michaelides' works so far, offering a refreshing take on the murder mystery genre. The combination of a compelling narrative style, well-developed characters, and an unpredictable plot makes it highly recommended for those who appreciate a gripping and immersive storytelling experience.

~Rating~

4 Layered Stars

Thank you Celadon Books and Netgalley for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This review is sadly going to pain me. I was SO excited to get an early copy of The Fury. The Silent Patient, also by Michaelides, was the book that hooked me back into reading years ago. I hate to say this, but this book was such a disappointment. When I got to the end, I wanted to say, "That was it?" I could have sworn the book needed to keep going for at least 30 more pages. The entire pacing at the beginning of the book was slow and then the end was rushed.

In the end, I would have a hard time recommending this book to readers, but would encourage them to read The Silent Patient instead. Which, there was a major spoiler in the epilogue that was not forewarned. Do not read The Fury if you haven't read The Silent Patient.

BLOWN AWAY (…sorry I had to) by this book. I felt like someone took me by the hand and started sprinting through the eye of a tornado, and somehow now I’m sitting on the other side wondering what just happened to me.

Which is to say, I *loved* this books.

I particularly liked the through-line of theater in this. That our narrator is a playwright and that he tells us this story within the five act play structure. As I was reading this, it really did feel like I was watching a play in my head. Or a Wes Anderson film? Big play energy but also kind of a weird indie film that feels simultaneously a deep punch to the gut and an little overly-choreographed. In fact, if this ever gets made into a movie, I am here and now petitioning that Wes Anderson be the director to do it.

Anyway.. part of why I loved the 5 act structure was in how we are told the story chronologically in the first act but then in act two, and three, and so on, we get to go back to the beginning and go at it with a new lens. It was so fun !! PLUS when we got to the end of act one I was left feeling like wait a second, is that it, what are we gonna do for the rest of the book?? I wanted a chance to sink my teeth into the story so it was a lovely surprise to go back and do it again through a different lens.

The narrator was so fun to get to know during this read. It felt like we were having a conversation and he really was pulling me in, enticing me to trust him more and more with each page. But the other characters as well! I was enraptured by Lana and Kate. Such a wonderful cast.

Thank you for giving me access to this book!

I really loved The Silent Patient and didn’t really like the follow up book The Maidens, so I really wasn’t sure what to expect from this third book by Alex Michaelides. The writing style was different and I will say that none of the three books have a similar voice or style. I listened to the audiobook of this one and I really liked the narrator, I thought he did a good job bringing a bizarre narrator/story to life. The narrator to this story is Elliott Chase who fancies himself a writer even if he hasn’t had much success. The narrator really brought him to life and I could totally picture him. That being said Elliott Chase wasn’t a very likable person and he told the story in bits and spurts going back in time to tell a part of it again. It was an interesting style to tell the story of a murder, and it did keep me guessing. I did like the tie ins that make it clear this book is connected to the two prior books (if you haven’t read those, don’t read the epilogue, you won’t miss much and it gives a bit of a spoiler for The Silent Patient). Elliott starts the story off with promising the reader he will tell a tale of a retired movie star, her friends trapped on an island and a murder, and he promises it will be a murder like none you’ve ever heard before. Overall this book wasn’t bad, I thought it took a little long to get to the story and was repetitive at times, but the last act was pretty interesting and tied things together well. Overall I gave it 3.5 stars rounded up because I did enjoy the ending.

Alex Michaelides has done it again. Solid 4 star book for me. I will admit that it does start off slow and it’s more of a slow burn type of thriller than an action packed one. It provides a lot of information regarding what takes place. It has an unreliable narrator that you never know what’s gonna happen. The setting of the island in Greece is beautiful and the last, 30% of this book had my jaw on the floor. I highly recommend this, especially if you liked any of his other books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an advanced reader copy of The Fury. Since I own both copies of The Silent Patient and The Maidens, I was very excited to jump back in to Alex Michaelides words.

The Fury begins with Elliot Chase, although we do not find that out right away. Elliot is telling the story of a murder on a Greek isle from his POV. As the reader, we also get to know 6 other characters. Their stories all intertwine to where you are never quite sure who has been murdered, who pulled the trigger, and -at times, who is even narrating. The concept of the storytelling was interesting, and I enjoyed the short chapters that kept me guessing.

I did not enjoy Elliot as a character, and it was hard to tell if that was purposeful to the story or not. However, I did like how the story was laid out in “play format” with the 4 acts, and the twists were very surprising. Overall, I would give this book 4 stars.

I am so sorry to say that I didn’t love this. This was actually my first book from him and I will read his others because I know this writing style is different from his other books. The Agatha Christie style I guess just isn’t for me. I thought this was really overwritten and I felt the plot was not strong at all. It was honestly a bit boring for me. I think it will be for some people. If you want a book that breaks the 4th wall and is a classic who dunnit with some twists then give it a chance. I’m anxious to read his others.

If ever there was a novel with an unreliable narrator, this is the one.

Elliot Chase is both narrator and character in this story about a reclusive movie star who travels to her private Greek Island with Elliot, her son, Leo, her best friend, Kate, her husband, Jason, and her housekeeper, Agathi. When a storm kicks up causing the winds to whip (a fury) the group is stranded on the island and one of them is murdered.

Just like the Silent Patient, the story really doesn't grip you until the second half of the book. That's when the plot speeds up and we race at breakneck speed to the end. But even that wasn't enough to combat the duelling POVs. The flip-flopping was addressed in the first chapter with Elliot asking the reader to grant him "creative license" but it didn't matter. From first person, to third, and back again, it was a bit of a mess at times to follow.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I always enjoy Michaelides’ books. They start out slow and then at the end you are hit with crashing waves of plot twists and drama. The Fury is no exception. The author crafts beautiful stories with stunning descriptions and fleshed out characters and then hits you with the action once you are enmeshed in the setting and lives of the players. I also do like the little Easter Eggs they plant that harken to previous books.

Overall this was a really fun read for me. It took me a little bit to get into it, but once I did, I was hooked. I liked the way the story was told, from Elliot’s POV. Although I think that I personally would have preferred to keep the ending of the book on the island (at around page 278). The way the story ends is just pretty “meh” to me. If I was to compare this read to the authors other works, I would say that it's better than The Maidens, but not as good as The Silent Patient.