I couldn’t put this down. I love this author’s writing style. Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Having thrilled to The Silent Patient, I was excited to receive an ARC of The Fury by Alex Michaelides.

Sadly, the Fury did not live up to my expectations. It was slow. It was repetitive. It was convoluted. I don’t know how many times the narrator told the reader that we were going to have a murder, but it was a lot. Each time I read that I thought to myself, “well, let’s have it! I’m tired of reading over and over again that it’s coming.”

When nothing had happened after 1/3 of the book, I had to close it and move on.

Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for this opportunity to read and review this work. All opinions are mine alone.

Well, well, well … welcome back, Alex Michaelides! This book had The Silent Patient vibes for me. Finally! A book that isn’t completely predictable. Though a bit predictable, the book played out better than expected. I enjoyed the different perspective of this story … the narrator telling you about a murder on a private island. The narrator makes it feel like you are bellied up to the bar with him to hear his tale. This alone made the book that much more interesting to me. Something different and unique amongst the same old, same old of the thrillers out there lately!

This review was also posted on Goodreads.

This one went from giving Knives Out/Glass Onion to idk what!! But I enjoyed it nonetheless!

What was most interesting about this book was that the narrator is speaking directly to the reader, which threw me for a loop a few times. It felt like I was being told a story by an old coot sitting next to me in a bar.

Also. Elliot = British Joe Goldberg if he were a playwright. I won’t be convinced otherwise. Being able to see his internal monologue shows that he is just 🤏🏼 this much less crazy than Joe. I knew he was an unreliable narrator from the start, but only because I read the Silent Patient. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop the whole time. I knew it was coming, and I was still left shocked.

To be so fr, this book was full of unredeemable characters (except bby Leo). Like they all did something horrible at one point or another, however they also had a human side to counter all of their bad qualities/actions. I could go from hating them in one act to loving them in the next.

Overall, the story was full of twists and turns. It was a bit slow at times (reading about the murder a million times was not fun). I will say, the ending was unexpected, and for that I loved it. Spoiler alert tho if you haven’t already read the Silent Patient!! In the epilogue specifically.

Thank u NetGalley for the ARC! Now I need a physical copy for the bookshelf 🧿

4.5 stars, rounded up. Thank you to Celadon and NetGalley for the ARC. This was my most anticipated book of 2024, so I was stoked to get a copy.

As I was reading, I was finding it hard to get pulled into the story. It was interesting enough to keep me reading, but I couldn't get through more than a few pages before I'd get distracted by something else. Finally around the 45% mark it started to get interesting and it ramped up so quickly. By the end, I absolutely loved the story and writing style. Once you finish the book, the pacing makes so much more sense and felt perfect for the kind of story it was.

I loved that this was a drama first, thriller second. The characters felt authentic and their reactions and decisions felt as real as fiction can. The book was immersive and by the end, I felt the panic of the characters and was truly able to picture myself in the setting of the Greek island with the wind whipping.

This book was a testament to Michaelides' love of storytelling, with each plot point well thought out and executed. It was one of the most entertaining books I've read and felt taken straight off the big screen to the pages.

I badly wanted to like this novel. I have heard such great reviews of “The Silent Patient,” (which I have not read) but sadly, I was not thrilled by this story. It was a slow burn thriller, with a predictable plot. I was entertained during the first few chapters, and enjoyed the telling of the story through our main character Elliot, but I was left less than impressed. The story jumped around a lot and there were promises of wild twists, told in the structure of a 5 act Greek tragedy. It just didn’t excite me. I wasn’t shocked or hooked. It felt that the changing POV was meant to keep you interested, but really, I was just annoyed.

The Fury by Alex Michaelides is a gripping murder mystery/thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Michaelides‘ skillful character development adds depth to the narrative, making the story truly engaging. The fast-paced plot is peppered with several unexpected twists, keeping readers guessing until the very end. A must-read for anyone who loves a suspenseful and well-crafted thriller!
•••
I want to express my sincere gratitude to NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing me with an advance reader copy (ARC) of ‘The Fury’ by Alex Michaelides ahead of its release date.

The Fury by Alex Michaelides was made available to me and I couldn’t wait to unwrap my next Michaelides novel to lose myself in. So I started it that same day. Our narrator is Elliot, a friend of acting great Lana,who is invited to go to Lana’s private Greek island, Aura (just off the coast of Mykonos) for a weekend getaway. Along for the vacation are Lana’s husband, Jason, who in my opinion is the least liked person in the entourage, Lana’s son, Leo, and Lana’s best friend, Kate. Leo,at seventeen, is the least flawed of the group, but we can chalk that up to his age. The others are a rag tag group who would’ve made an entertaining Jerry Springer episode back in his heyday.

The much needed weekend is drama filled and you can immediately identify who hates whom and who each character is obsessed with. However, the turning point of the weekend is a murder, a murder that strikes each survivors differently. Who did it? Why? You can say the title of the novel deals with the emotions of the group, but the weather is mentioned as well from the get go, with reference to the wind coming up repeatedly. The island is cursed according to local legend and I found myself picturing the island wrapped in a tornado when the whipping winds were being described. There are character you will love and characters you will love to hate. Twist, turns, ups, and downs, this one is another masterpiece by Michaelides. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book is set for publication on January 16, 2024.

#netgalley #arc #bookstagram #AlexMichaelides #TheFury #celadonbooks

2.5* but I’m rounding up. Mostly because when I really sat down to read this, it has short chapters which makes it an easy page turner. Unfortunately this is my least favorite of the authors works so far, but it could definitely be a case of “it’s me not the book”.

This story starts pretty slow but relatively interesting.. then right when you get to the murder / mystery, the narrative changes focus and it really takes you out of the moment and causes the pacing to really slow down. I found myself skimming through paragraphs wondering how if it was even all relevant to the plot line. The final act is chaotic and dramatic, which could work for some people.

I like the island vibes & I liked the idea of the mystery. I also liked the little Easter egg for The Silent Patient, but the narrative style didn’t completely work for me. I appreciate what the author was going for, but I struggled with sections of the book due to pacing/timing.

**Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the Advanced Reader Copy!

"This is a tale of murder."

A murder is just the beginning of this novel. There is so much more to it.

Lana is a retired movie star who is feeling anxious. She decides to go to Greece with her husband, son and friends to hopefully get some sunshine and relax. It's almost Easter and the weather is crappy. She thinks some sunshine will do her good.

Kate is her best friend and also actress currently starring in a play but struggling lately. She's ready to get away too.

Elliot is the narrator of this story, and he was invited to the island too. He's a playwright who got his fame from writing a popular play about his miserable life with author Barbara West. Kate doesn't like Elliot because he's close to Lana who is best friends with Kate. There is a lot of emotions involved with all of the characters on the island, including jealousy, rage, obsession, and even love. Leading up to the murder we discover that not everything is as it seems.

I found the way this story was written pretty interesting. It was written like a play with five acts, each with its own storytelling. It was like meeting someone and they were telling a story to you. Elliot wants to tell you what happens but he's also building it up and trying his hardest not to give anything away too soon.

You could tell from the very beginning that something was off with certain characters and I love the way the story was built up. Plus there were rumors everywhere that the island was haunted and cursed which made for an interesting build up as well. Some may think that this story is moving slowly which perhaps it is but don't worry about it. Keep going and you will find that it is supposed to for the story to make sense. The ending really threw me for a loop.

I love the character developments and how even though Elliot is the narrator, we see different perspectives from other characters as well. Ive read books in the past where there were so many characters that it was hard to keep track of what was going on. However in this story, despite the number of characters and stories from different perspectives, it kept you guessing as to what happened. You know from the beginning that there was a murder but to keep reading and guessing what is going to happen before it happens was very intriguing. It kept me hooked!

I also loved how the weather was closely associated with the level of tension. The writing is very interesting in this one, the style one I haven't really read before. It was new and exciting for me as a reader and I found it really interesting. In fact I had a hard time putting this one down! And I always like the style of shorter chapters which is how this story was written. It was an excellent story overall!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Celadon Books for my Advanced Reader Copy of The Fury in exchange for my honest review! I really enjoyed it!

Check this book out when it is released on January 16, 2024!

Thank you to Celadon Books and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so addicting. It has short chapters so it’s easy to tell yourself, just one more and then before you know it you’ve read the whole thing.

This was a locked door type mystery but set on a Greek island. A group of friends goes for a weekend get away and ends in murder. This was full of twists and turns and kept me guessing the whole time.

I was excited when i saw that Alex Michaelides was coming out with a new book. I absolutely loved the Silent Patient but was disappointed in The Maidens. However I thoroughly enjoyed this third book of his. Immediately I hated the narrator and knew I couldn’t trust him, Which was a good sign in a book for me. I did think parts of the book were predictable but overall enjoyed this book thoroughly!

I received a free advanced copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved The Silent Patient, and was excited to read the free ARC of The Fury in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately, I had a really hard time getting into this one. While I appreciate the free ARC, this was just not for me. 3 stars.

I am not much of a mystery/thriller reader, in fact, I mostly read romance and cozy fantasy, but this was a really fun "out of my comfort zone" read!

I was familiar with the author because of The Silent Patient, but I did not know I was getting into a Glass Onion - esque mystery set on a Greek Island. There were constant twist and turns and surprises, and I really love to read books with an unreliable narrator.

I will say, there are two negatives for me - I like a mystery where if you're paying enough attention, you can guess the twist, but I don't think that's possible here. Additionally, some of the characters felt a little flat, however, that could be purposeful because of the way the narrator views them himself.

I definitely imagine a TON of bookclubs picking this up in 2024, and I think they'll really enjoy it! Thank you to #NetGalley and #CeladonBooks for giving me an ARC of The Fury!

In Alex Michaelides' latest novel, The Fury, a masterfully paced thriller unfolds on a private Greek island, where reclusive ex–movie star Lana Farrar's Easter retreat with famous friends takes a dark turn. Narrated by the enigmatic Elliot Chase, the story transcends genres, seamlessly blending Greek tragedy, love, mystery, and intellectual stimulation. The murder that occurs amidst the island's harsh weather conditions leaves the friends marooned, realizing the killer must be among them. Michaelides skillfully transitions between genres, from complex melodrama to psychological mystery, culminating in a heart-stopping thriller. Elliot's unreliable narration adds intrigue, and the Agatha Christie-esque murder mystery, rich in twists, unfolds against an atmospheric Greek backdrop. The Fury is a satisfying and compelling read, showcasing Michaelides' storytelling prowess and ability to deliver a multifaceted narrative that captivates readers from start to finish.

Thank you NetGalley and celadon books for allowing me to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved the silent patient but this book I struggled with. The plot was slow and I think there was a lot of potential but this didn’t meet it for me.

Greek gothic, with the wind/ weather being so personified, blowing an ominous tone through the course of the story and lending its nickname the title itself.

I saw previous mention this to be a slow burn but I tore through it. The unique unreliable narration, now what I consider to be a hallmark of Michaelides writing, drove the story as well as the suspense did. I found it to unpredictable and uniquely crafted, another 5 star from one of my favorites!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. This one was just mediocre to me I really disliked the way the story was told from someone else’s point of view. I disliked the way they skipped around and got ahead of themselves when telling the story just to go back and correct themselves. Seems like a lot of unnecessary words just for the sake of filling up space. Altogether I just didn’t enjoy this one.

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon books for an ARC. I was so excited for this book because silent patient was such a good thriller and his second book was just meh so I thought this would be his redemption. After finishing this, I’m disappointed.

The main character, Elliot, is an extremely unreliable narrator and seems like he has so much beneath the surface but it’s barely revealed and just feels like there’s so much character building missing. All the other characters could have used some more character building, as well. I didn’t feel connected to any of them when reading.

The tone of the story is as if Elliot is talking to the reader and it is great, but the excitement and twists are missing. I finished this book feeling disappointed. There is also a spoiler for silent patient so I hope no one reads this first and ruins an amazing thriller for themselves.

What to expect:
-unreliable narrator
-jumping timelines
-drama/play references
-chaotic friend group

This book was a wild ride. I love both of Michaelides’s other novels, and it’s safe to say I love this one too. It felt like a fresh take on the classic “murder mystery” with an unreliable narrator taking you through various twists and turns. I really enjoyed the narrator breaking the fourth wall and talking to the reader and that it was broken into different “acts.”

I didn’t care for the characters in the story as much as his other books, and the beginning felt a little bit slow, but I attribute a lot of that to introductions and setting up the story. The second half of the book was very quick and chaotic, and I found myself very invested, mostly due to the well-executed set up in the first half.