This is the first book by Alex Michaelides that I’ve read although I’m familiar with his other works. I was drawn in by the way the story is structured, as though we’re being told the story first hand. It has a very intimate quality to it, like you’re being let in on a secret. But soon it’s all too apparent that our unnamed narrator (later revealed as Elliott Chase) is completely unreliable.

We’re told early on that the events that transpired - where a group of people holiday on a remote Greek island and someone ends up dead - are told entirely from Elliott’s perspective even going so far as to fill in thoughts of others and dialogue for moments that he was absent for.

Clearly, he’s leading the story which I was happy to allow because as I said you’re pulled in by the intimacy of feeling like you're getting in on the secret of finding out what happened. Considering one of the people in the group that day was a famous and beloved actress and it adds another layer of almost salacious gossip. But don’t get too comfortable as the narrative quickly twists to add other unforeseen layers.

Told like the acts of a play, I really appreciated the way in which Alex Michaelides added those layers of the story. It lends itself well to the performative aspect of Elliott's iteration of events. The repetition between the "acts" while also revealing new morsels of information was done really well.

While I like the reframing of the story as we go - which allows for a lot of change of perspective - I think it treads too fine a line and for me just crossed over into being too much. Too much unreliability in the things I was reading. Little to nothing that I could believe in without a shadow of a doubt which is an aspect I need in my books, even if it's just a morsel of truth. Unfortunately, all of this boils into the conclusion of the book, so it's not until then that I could confidently say that these were issues for me.

Beyond that, I did like the narrative choice. Despite being unlikable and unreliable, I like Elliott. He has a charisma about him that comes across so well. You can't help but lean into the story to see where he takes you.

Overall, I think it's a worthy read (or listen). I'd say it's more of a character study than a hard-hitting mystery. Maybe that's the key that I was missing while reading.

Thank you to Net Galley and Celadon Books for the advanced readers' copy in exchange for my honest review.

This amazing and twisty story is told from Elliot Chase's first person point of view. He speaks to you like an old friend having coffee or cocktails. His diversions are informative and never detracting. Every so often, he would retell a scene from another character's perspective, speculating what they were thinking or feeling in that moment. His storytelling and character building is exceptional. Then you get thrown for a loop, then there's a twist, and just when you think the Rollercoaster is coming to an end... you get a couple more loops.

I loved this novel. Alex Michaelides has again given us a novel that beautifully merges psychology and Greek mythology to explore the depths of love, loss, and mental illness. I will say it again, he is one of my FAVORITE contemporary authors. Do not pass on this book... you will enjoy every moment!!

This is my firsy Michaelides novel, after seeing so many great things about TSP and TM I thought it would be a good idea to try and form my own opinion with this ARC.

I enjoyed this. If you're a strictly linear with little to no flashbacks or forwards kinda reader, I would steer clear. The way this novel jumps back and forth in time reminds me of the final few chapters of Prisoner of Azkaban.

I'm glad I got my first taste of this author with this book and I plan to read the rest of his work.

Alex Michaelides with another of what I would call a deeply unintelligent page turner. I only get through his books because I want to confirm how bad they are. The characters in this book are flattened and unsympathetic, their actions and motivations rarely make sense. Every chapter ends with a full cliffhanger. I honestly cannot believe that people read these.

Unreliable narrator? Check!
Remote location? Check!
Murder? Check!

Michaelides has put together a fun, quirky, twisty, locked-room style mystery with The Fury. Set on a remote Greek island, our main character, Lana, has gathered her closest friends. What lies below are secrets that threaten to tear everything apart. But what’s real? Our narrator, Elliot, takes readers on a trip that lets you decide just what truths he has to tell. I loved the way that Michaelides structured this with glimpses into the past and the days that led up to everyone meeting on the island. The pacing was just right to keep the reader hooked and coming back for more.

The less you read about this book’s plot before picking it up, the better. Let it take you for a ride!

(3.5)
i don’t really know where to begin here.

i enjoyed it…kind of? i love the way this story had an unreliable narrator and how it had different time jumps and twists that made it feel a bit like whiplash. but there were so many little things that annoyed me.

starting off, i didn’t like the ending. endings are what make or break thrillers for me and unfortunately, it’s what broke this for me. the several twists that were thrown it felt like they were cheap and just to throw the reader for a loop but didn’t care enough to actually flesh anything more out. like, oh kate was actually acting, oh this was a ploy, etc. it felt almost as cheap as the “everything was a dream” plot device. made me detached from the characters.

second, elliot annoyed the hell out of me. i get he’s supposed to because he’s the narrator and the bad guy here but like, he just was awful. there was nothing that ever made me root for him even before the plan was revealed. i wanted him to just shut up and get on with it. kate was pretty annoying too, but she was slightly more redeemable.

lastly, i just didn’t like how long this was. and it’s not even that long. one of the twists was revealed at like 50% and the last half just felt like there were things there just to pad out a full length book.

the epilogue is also a spoiler for the silent patient (his books always tie back there) so don’t read this yet if you haven’t read the silent patient (which i do recommend, highly)

overall, this was a disappointment as someone that has read and liked alex’s other two books.

Book description: "A masterfully paced thriller..."
It'll be a good murder mystery for beginners, not a thriller. It's a meta version of 'And Then There Were None' by Agatha Christie. And some people will love it, I'm sure of it.

Some thoughts on certain passages:
"The less said about my childhood, the better."
Proceeds to write 5 paragraphs about it.

"I was creative because, when I was a child, I was dissatisfied with the reality I was forced to endure. So, in my imagination, I created a new one."
It's a really nice quote but pretty much described this whole story. It was just kinda predictable, but in a poor way - I usually don't mind when something I thought of before actually ends up happening, it's never a dealbreaker for me.

"Every character has a goal. This is fulfilled by an intention designed to achieve it. The third component is the most important, and without it, characters remain two-dimensional. The motivation."
He talked about depth for characters, but he ended up making that exact mistake, choosing cliché - and hollow - characters and therefore unconvincing.

"A human being will act to remove pain."
The said motivation... great but that's like, first page. A preview. How you develop it and utilizes to make us connect with the characters matters more.

'"When we are young," Mariana said, "and afraid-when we are shamed, and humiliated-something happens. Time stops. It freezes, in that moment. A version of us is trapped, at that age forever."'
This is a really nice way to put it into words. It'll make a lot of people put a light on certain things.

I'm writing this review right after I finished it because I know I'll forget about it by the end of the week. It was just bland. Not bad, but not great. 'The Silent Patient' by him was a better read for me.

This was such a good, twisty thriller!
I loved The Silent Patient by this same author, so if you loved it too, I think you’ll enjoy The Fury!

Alex Michaelides knows how to write a twist!! I really enjoy his writing and his characters as well. They’re always very dynamic and add so much more to the story.

The first half of this book was a little slow compared to the second half, but I didn’t really mind, as I was so entertained by the characters and their drama. The author was setting everything up and it really pays off in the end!

I’d recommend this book to anyone who loves thrillers, juicy celebrity drama, and wants to travel to a Greek island to escape the winter! 🌬️ It will be available on January 16th, 2024!

Thank you to Celadon Books + NetGalley for this advanced copy!

Thank you so much for this ARC! This was definitely one of my most anticipated for 2024.

Let's be honest, nothing will top The Silent Patient. This was a fun read and I enjoyed the creativity of the way the story was presented. Not sure if this was a "thriller", more of a slow suspenseful read.

I didn't love it, but I was certainly entertained in a dinner theatre way.

This quite possibly be the slowest-paced thriller I've ever read. The narrator Elliot Chase is the quintessential unreliable narrator, and he speaks first person to the reader, excited to share his story. The narrator promises a twisted story about murder that is sure to surprise you so of course I was so excited to read this - after all, The SIlent Patient may have been one of the best thrillers that came out in recent years!

The first few chapters had me quite excited, as I love the prospect of a "whodunnit" type murder mystery on a private island. But the story didn't ever grab me! There is so much setup to get through and just when you think you've made progress, the narrator starts over AGAIN! The repetition created an incredibly slow pace and frustration for me as the reader. There is so much promise of "just wait!" and "But there's more!" and it just felt over the top. This was a turn off for me! Nevertheless, I persevered and made my way through it, until we reached "the good part."

The last 100 pages of this book were solid and I enjoyed them - and that saved this book from being a 2-star read for me. So many twists felt like they were for shock value alone, and in a crowded space of thrillers, this just didn't really stand out!

i did enjoy this thriller/mystery. I just didn't care for the style it was written in, and the outlandish ending.

thanks netgalley snd caledon books

all thoughts and opinions are my own and arentinfluenced by anyone else

Elliot Chase is a bit of an enigma. His childhood and early life were full of heartache and pain,but that takes a secondary role when he discovers Lana Farrar. She is a movie star and to Elliot, so much more. She is life and beauty and love and perfection. When he actually meets her, his life changes in so many ways, though it might not end the way he imagined.
I just reread the book description and my first paragraph and I’m struggling to say more without giving any plot points away. Elliot is the narrator of this tale and much of it takes place on Lana’s private Greek island. Things are not quite as idyllic as this gorgeous setting implies though. Before the visit ends, someone will be murdered, and someone will pay the ultimate price for their betrayal.
What else can I say without diving into spoiler waters? I liked Lana, and pretty much loathed Kate and Jason. As for Elliot, I suppose mostly that I truly wish he had never set foot on this island.

This was a DNF... It was predictable and I just was not that big of a fan. The characters also felt extremely unlikable for me and the plot dragged since their were pacing issues. I might come back tot his one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

ARC Review. 4 stars! I had such a fun time with this one and enjoyed far more than The Maidens. I really enjoyed the writing style that Alex Michaelides used in his approach telling this story. It felt like reading a journal or sitting at a bar being told a story from a friend. Intrigue was high, and partnered with short chapters, I read the first 50% in one sitting. I think fans of the White Lotus will find this story entertaining if you suspend some disbelief and are willing to go in without expectations and wanting an entertaining, fun time. I would recommend widely to mystery/thriller fans, especially those who appreciate character driven stories.

This gripping and suspenseful book is about a murder that takes place on a Greek island, but it is so much more than that. It is also a tragic love story. It is about seven people trapped on a Greek Island. It's a Greek Tragedy. Whew! It's The Fury! What a brilliant title. It is so fitting in so many ways.

Lana Farrar is a married famous movie star. She values her privacy and has a small group of friends. At her friend Elliott's urging, she invites her nearest and dearest to spend Easter on Aura, her private Greek Island. There will be a total of seven people (Lana, Elliott, Kate, Jason, Leo, Agathi and Nikos) on the island but when it is time to leave, only six will be leaving alive!

Elliot Chase, Lana's friend, is the narrator of the tale. He is quite the interesting narrator and I enjoyed how he told readers the events in acts as this reads very much like a play. Like a Greek Tragedy! There is mystery, obsession, revenge, tragic love, drama and displays of wits!

Go into this book as blind as possible. I found this book to be atmospheric with a nice amount of drama, secrets, lies and twists. It also has the trapped feeling that I love in books. Lana and her guests are on an island and are trapped there overnight due to the winds. They are not the most likeable bunch of characters, but they are interesting. The beginning begins slowly but by the 50% mark, things get interesting. Then there is that ending!

I had the pleasure of having both the book and audiobook and thought Alex Jennings, the narrator, did a fantastic job. He really brought Elliott and the other characters to life! Well done!

Gripping, atmospheric, clever, and dramatic! I'm looking forward to what Alex Michaelides writes next.

In this psychological thriller by Alex Michaelides, The Silent Patient, former movie star Lana Farrar invites her “friends” along with her husband, son and personal assistant to her sunkissed Greek island to escape rainy London for the Easter weekend. What ensues is a game of cat and mouse, and twisted alliances which ends in murder.

Told in flashback form from the point of view of Elliot, Lana’s friend and an unreliable narrator, the reader needs to decide what is real and what is not. Michaelides ratchets up the suspense and the twists and turns are expected and then not. It was a fun read!

Once again he brings us a story that we think will end one way when we get caught up in "The Fury" but once again we are wrong.
A beautiful island, best friends and family. What could go wrong? A plan put into motion but with different planned outcomes by those who wrote it!!!
I will always read anything he writes!!

The Fury is a mystery novel from the same author that gives us the bestsellers, The Silent Patient and The Maidens.
The Fury unfolds as a first-hand retelling of a story that already comes off as confusing and convoluted (thank you unreliable narrator 🥴). The narrator eludes to a story that holds a lot of drama and mystery, but is also full of plot twists at his own expense.

Taking place on a private Greek island, the book creates a very interesting setting for a murder mystery and we soon find out the culprit is only 1 of the 6 people who are trapped on the island. Private beaches, blue waters, friends who knew each other for years - what could possible go wrong?
We learn enough about each character, their secret motives, and what drives them all to madness - just mad enough to end someone’s life. 🔫

ok, i did enjoy the different narration style this book had. it was one of those books where you thought you knew what was going on, but then the next chapter completely changed everything. i unfortunately, don’t think this author’s writing style is for me, but you should definitely check it out if you’ve enjoyed previous books from this author. thank you to NetGalley, Alex Michaelides, for an ARC.
publication date: january 16th, 2024

My feelings about this book are wrapped up in one quote from within it and that is "you mustn't let the final act drag on forever - you'll lose your audience." That is exactly what happened to me, I got lost. I was feeling it in the beginning but then I started to feel a drag of sorts. I did like the style of storytelling and that each new act of the book felt like peeling back another layer. It was interesting, that was for sure. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a layered mystery with lots of drama. Just be ready for a slow burn.