I really did not like this book. I thought the synopsis was so very interesting : a thriller with a twist of dark academia? Count me in. I did not expect to find such one dimensional characters or improbable dialogues and relationships. The author failed to establish Fosca as a charismatic yet dangerous man, perhaps because the intrigue was moving so fast and yet was utterly uneventful almost? Anyway, as you can guess I really did not enjoy this book.

The Maidens by Alex Michaeldies, is released on the 15th June, and has already garnered high praise from book bloggers. Set in Cambridge, psychotherapist Mariana visits to support her niece through the brutal death of a friend at university, and finds herself in a mirror labyrinth of mystery and myth. So far, so The Secret History.Michaeldies manages to weave a complex and well layered world, full of memorable characters who while they would be jarring in a more every day setting, settle nicely into the rarefied atmosphere of academia.

It is a mistake to think that world building is only important in fantasy and sci-fi, because each contemporary novel holds a world of it’s own, and while it is based far more on reality, writer cannot rely on all readers to have experienced each reality ourselves and understand it’s subtleties and shorthand’s. Therefore even in a contemporary setting a world that is detailed, coherent and believable, can be as important as it is for writing which relies less on shared experience.

This is a work that undermines the notion of the contemporary realism as it is set half in reality, half in myth, half in the physical world, half in the mind. Being partly made of myth and mind, the reality The Maidens presents us with beyond physical buildings, and bodies is slippery, subjective and hard to pin down. Indeed the real, yet still alien to many, setting of Cambridge, a city that has it’s own fairytaleish vibe means that Michaeldies is fully able to leverage the central myth in this narrative

The central myth is that of Demeter and Persephone. For those who don’t know, Persephone is kidnapped and trapped by over-zealous suitor turned husband Hades in the underworld for six months every year – which is possibly the first recording in literature of rape and domestic violence. The abduction of Persephone, and Zeus’s poor compromise between husband Hades, and mother Demeter, results in Demeter a nature goddess, being almightily pissed off and grieving heavily, hence we have winter ever time Persephone is forced to go back and live with her domineering and controlling husband – quite literally in hell.

The themes in this myth, control, selfish powerful men bent on their own gratification, icy grief which freezes people in place, sacrifice, death and rebirth, are all echoed in the complex relationships and characters within The Maidens. Indeed, much like Persephone, the women who are killed are generally there to serve someone else’s purpose, weather that is a self appointed parent, or a killer, who in the act of taking life tries to make themselves equal to a god. It is good to remember that they also serve a purpose for the writer, and us as readers, without their deaths there would be no book, and perhaps therefore we are complicit in their sacrifice.

The Maidens is rich mainly because of the straddling between what is real, and what is experienced, and in a less deft hands it could have lead to dizzying lurches for the reader. However Michaeldies slips effortlessly between all the worlds, and counter worlds, like Persephone slipping between earth and hades. The only misstep in an otherwise highly readable book is a clunky exposition from Mariana at the beginning which could have been woven into the narrative more elegantly – but all in all I recommend The Maidens, as THE summer read for all you crime fiction fans out there.

If you haven’t read it already, and The Maidens sounds right up your street, I would also recommend Donna Tart’s The Secret History. Same vibes, but levelled up and set in America.

Perfect for fans of the Dark Academia subgenre, The Maidens is a nail biting thriller set at Cambridge University and following Marina, an ex student, on the trail of a professor whom she suspects to be a murderer. Cerebral, psychological and grappling with themes of success and obsession, The Maidens is a brilliant thriller to add to your summer reading this year!

Oh my God wow. This was brilliant. Full of suspense and nail-biting moments, where I could not out the book down. I read it in one sitting and would highly recommend this book for thriller lovers. It keeps you guessing right till the end.

This book follows Mariana, who is a psychotherapist, who goes back to Cambridge Uni to support her niece who’s friend has been brutally murdered. While she’s at Cambridge she meets Edward Fosca, a professor at the university who she is adamant is the one murdering his students.

This is the most gripped and compelled I have been by a novel for a very very long time. I was really drawn into the story and invested in finding out what was happening. The setting and atmosphere really brought something to this novel. Throughout there were so many people that I suspected and even though nearer the end I had strong suspicions about one character, there was a plot twist to prove some things wrong for me.

I haven’t read The Silent Patient but I own it and this really makes me want to pick it up sooner.

I would really recommend this book, for a compelling literary thriller with a strong atmosphere. If you’re looking for a book to get you out of a reading slump this is it! I started it one afternoon and had to finish the book before I went to bed it was so good!

‘Edward Fosca was a murderer. This was a fact. This wasn’t something Mariana knew just on an intellectual level, as an idea. Her body knew it.’
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Alex Michaelides new novel has smashed it out the park for me, the setting, the premise, the book universe he’s creating, AH I just love it all!!
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Edward Fosca is a murderer. Of this Mariana is certain. But Fosca is untouchable. He is adored by staff and students alike—particularly by the members of a secret society of female students known as The Maidens. Mariana Andros is a brilliant but troubled group therapist who becomes fixated on The Maidens when one member, a friend of Mariana’s niece Zoe, is found murdered in Cambridge. When another body is found, Mariana’s obsession with proving Fosca’s guilt spirals out of control, threatening to destroy her credibility as well as her closest relationships. But Mariana is determined to stop this killer, even if it costs her everything—including her own life.
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I have only recently read the first of his novels so had the fortune of having his writing style and former story fresh in my head, also by some stroke of luck reading Madam by Phoebe Wynne put me in mind for Greek Mythology at just the right time, so both of these things joined together to create the perfect reading experience of Michaelides’ new dark academia novel. Michaelides’ writing style is so enjoyable to read and the short chapters make for fast paced page flipping, a key highlight for me was the use of a ‘secret club’, giving me all The Secret History vibes in the best way. Also talk about red herrings!! I guessed the ending wrong about 5 times until I got tot the fated pages and outwardly gasped at the reveal!!
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Massive thank you to Netgalley and Orion Publishing for the ARC!!

A solid 4 stars from me.
It’s a thoroughly enjoyable read. We follow Mariana, a grieving psychotherapist, who tries to solve the murder of her niece’s friend. It’s a good pacy, plot twisty mystery. The Greek mythology references give an extra dimension and the insights into life at Cambridge university are spot on.

A grieving therapist investigates the murder of her niece’s university friend. Was their charming tutor involved? I loved the insight into life on Cambridge university campus and I’m always intrigued by stories where psychotherapists are the sleuths. This was a good, pacy read.

Group therapist Mariana is still struggling to come to terms with the death of her husband when she unexpectedly receives a distressed phone call from her niece Zoe. Tragically, Zoe's best friend Tara has been discovered stabbed to death close to the university where they both study in Cambridge.

Dropping everything to rush to Zoe's aid, it's not long before Mariana encounters charismatic Professor Edward Fosca and the strange group of adoring female students (The Maidens) he surrounds himself with. As Mariana delves deeper into Tara's murder, she becomes convinced Professor Fosca is somehow involved and is determined to prove his guilt. Then another body is found. . .

Having read and enjoyed Alex Michaelides' debut novel The Silent Patient, I was thrilled to receive a review copy of The Maidens. It was excellent and I really enjoyed losing myself within the pages. Whilst undeniably far-fetched — I'm sure a mere civilian couldn't possibly meddle in a police investigation so easily — I found myself totally immersed. Steeped in history and academia, Cambridge University was the perfect setting.

With a suspenseful plot, good character development and plenty of unexpected twists, I was in book heaven.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this much anticipated book early!

Disclaimer: I have not read The Silent Patient, so everyone raving about that one in their reviews, or using that as a comparison is foreign to me.

However, I did read this one - and enjoyed it thoroughly!

I love Ancient Greece, I love Greek mythology references, I love dark academia and thrillers.

This was a compelling read, and as long as you don’t figure out the twist ahead of time, it will keep you hooked!

I cannot wait to listen to the audiobook on release day.

This is a really fast paced enjoyable thriller. I raced through it really quickly. I really enjoyed the references to Ancient Greece and the myths it helped give the story a darker edge. I also enjoyed the links with the Silent Patient which you don’t need to have read to enjoy this book but it does give certain elements of the story more meaning.

Alex Michaelides follows the success of The Silent Patient with this chillingly atmospheric story that draws on Greek mythology and tragedies set in the beautiful city of Cambridge and the sinister and menacing events that occur at the fictional St Christopher's College with its ancient buildings, rituals and traditions. 36 year old Mariana Andros is a brilliant group therapist laid low by the continuing grief at the loss of her husband, Sebastian. She travels to Cambridge to be with her niece, Zoe, a student at the university, after her friend, Tara, goes missing and is discovered murdered. Zoe is far more than a niece, she is practically Mariana's daughter, and she feels that the charismatic and hugely popular Greek History Professor Edward Fosca is responsible for the murder.

However, the dazzling Fosca has an alibi, a secret group of beautiful female students known as The Maidens, so surely it was impossible for him to be guilty? Mariana had attended Cambridge herself and memories of the past blur with the present as she threatens to unravel, recklessly pursuing her obsession by investigating Fosca and the murder, treading territory she had been explicitly warned against by the police. There are suspects galore in this darkly intense and beautifully written novel set in academia, with plenty of tension and suspense, and a growing sense of menace right up until the final reveal. This is a compulsive and entertaining read, and The Silent Patient is definitely not forgotten in it. I very much enjoyed this, but I do feel that I should point out that it is not The Secret History by Donna Tartt. Many thanks to Orion for an ARC.

On the positive side, the premise of this book (dark academia, Greek mythology, murder) is very much my cup of tea. However, in thrillers there is always a twist, and when the twist becomes obvious by the time you're halfway through, you are then just treading water waiting to be proven right, which is what happened to me with this book. The execution of the reveal of this twist was also not convincing to me. I did enjoy the first half of the book, the chapters were short but engaging which made for a solid read, but unfortunately the ending let the strong start down.

(Many thanks to Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.)

Death and tragedy have surrounded Mariana all her life. Still, since marrying the man of her dreams, finding her calling, and raising her orphaned niece, Zoe, as if she was her own, Mariana's life seemed to be finally on track.

That is until tragedy struck, and she loses her husband. We meet her a year after her loss, and still grieving, she leaves everything behind when Zoe calls asking for help. Her best friend was murdered, and Zoe suspects professor Fosca and his posse, the maidens, are very much involved.

Mariana sets out to Cambridge to protect her niece and make sure professor Fosca is caught; Mariana is obsessively convinced of his guilt.

When another girl is found murdered in the same ritualistic way, Mariana knows it's just a matter of time before another body shows up. She is determined to put an end to it before the murderer targets Zoe.

Technically and based on my personal criteria, I can not fault The Maidens. The plot idea was excellent – Greek Tragedies ARE the perfect inspiration to thrillers. The way Michaelides executed his vision was superb. It was everything I love in a book – Fast, witty, enthralling, fair, compelling. Reading The Maidens was like being pulled into a vortex: each time I started reading, my world ceased to exist, and I was utterly immersed in the world Michaelides created just for me (ok, ok, it was a gift for everyone who reads it). He has this ability to build an atmosphere so authentic, you see what he wants you to see and feel what he wants you to feel. He played entirely fair, but for the first time in a long time, I didn't quite put the puzzle completely together; his final twist was "chef's kiss." I liked it so much I read the audiobook in its entirety right after I finished the e-book.

Mariana was a fantastic character, and her development was done perfectly. I felt like I knew her; I saw myself in her. Experiencing the book through her eyes was a privilege. Alex gave each character a unique voice and a purpose within the text. Different characters evoked different visceral reactions in me that still linger: The empathy I felt for Mariana, The dislike I felt for Fosca, the revulsion I felt for Morris, the loathing and pity I felt for the harpies, erm, I mean the maidens, the ambivalence I felt for Fred. In fact, I don't think there was a single character I didn't have an emotional reaction to.

First and foremost, I need to let out the excitement I felt when seeing some characters from The Silent Patient make an appearance. It's not often that Thriller/mystery authors actually BUILD their own universe, and I'm here for Michaelides' world. I can't wait to see more of it! I feel his books can be read in any order (so far), but do yourself a favour and have both books handy when you start reading, it will be impossible not to read them back to back. In fact, I mentioned that I read The Maidens twice in a row (one as an audiobook); I forgot to say that I have also added The Silent Patient to my May TBR because I just can't stop thinking about it now!

I really don't want to drop even an inkling of a spoiler, but Michaelides really surprised me with parts of his twist. I was hoodwinked, fooled, stupefied, and loved every minute of it—utter and total whiplash syndrome. As much as I am competitive and love solving plot puzzles, there is something to be said about the thrill of being surprised when reading a book. I am cherishing this feeling.

The way Michaelides describes places is brilliant. I really felt like I was at that farm, in Greece, at Mariana's house. I felt like I had attended St Christopher's College. Basically, wherever he took me, he evoked a vivid visual that made me feel like I was there. This, to me, is another of the millions of reasons why I adore his writing style.

Lastly, (though I feel no one but me will care) can I take a moment and show my most profound appreciation for Alex's love of commas? The comma is my favourite graphic sign. I think I even use them when I speak. There are no words to express how much I love seeing them used. Is it just me, or do they really make sentences so much more dynamic and exciting? Just me? Okay, rave done.

I foresee The Maidens making it to my 2021 top reads list! And I will be utterly shocked if it doesn't make it to Goodreads' best thriller shortlist.

I recommend it for fans of (duh? The Silent Patient, His & Hers and Behind Her Eyes

This is ok and a fairly average mystery of a group at a school all under the spell of their teacher
Liked the Greek references though was a,or and seemed like making it such a thing makes it less powerfull somehow
Did like the links to the tragedy’s though and characters
I did sort of guess and wasn’t bowled over but we consider another of this authors ,not as fun or unique as he’s debut

The Silent Patient, Alex Michaelides debut novel was one of the best thriller books I read in 2019.
Since then, I have been eagerly waiting his next book to see what he will pull off next.
The Maidens is an intriguing, atmospheric thriller that did not disappoint. From the first chapter I was hooked.
I really enjoyed the further use of Greek Mythology that was present in the Silent Patient and the incorporation of Theo and his mentor, Ruth, into the book. Though The Maidens isn't strictly a sequel to The Silent Patient, I enjoyed how the books tie together.
The characters, even those that appeared fleetingly, were believable.
A very well paced campus murder mystery set in the streets of Cambridge.
Perfect for fans of Donna Tartts 'The Secret History'.

The Maidens is one hell of a ride and I loved it! Honestly it doesn’t compare to The Silent Patient which gripped me completely but The Maidens is a well written thriller with lots of twists.

Warning for animal abuse.

4/5

What a crazy ride this book was! Set in the exclusive college surroundings, it tells the story of a grieving therapist and her niece, trying to find out the truth about a renowned professor. Highly recommended!

There’s a justifiable amount of buzz swirling around Alex Michaelides’s sophomore novel, The Maidens, given the success of his 2019 debut, The Silent Patient. Said buzz (and early reviews) made me wonder a few things before I even cracked it open, so as an act of public service I’m sharing my pre-read Q’s with my post-read A’s.

Q: Do you have to read The Silent Patient beforehand? Or in my case, if you have read it, do you need to remember anything about it?
A: Not really, though you’ll miss out on some things if you don’t. I'd suggest at least reviewing a plot summary of TSP to bring yourself up to speed.

Q: Do you need to be familiar with Greek mythology beforehand, since it plays a central role in the storyline?
A: Nope! Everything is explained (maybe even in a little too much detail for those who already know Persephone, “The Maiden,” is Queen of the Underworld).

Q: What’s this I hear about animals being harmed?
A: There are separate scenes of sheep and a family dog being slaughtered.

Q: Will I like it more than The Silent Patient?
A: Probably not. It stands pretty well on its own, but the odds of it exceeding high expectations aren’t great. As with any thriller, your overall enjoyment will come down to if you see the twists coming and find the ending satisfying. I personally was surprised by the big reveals and thus appreciated the novel’s conclusion. I’m looking forward to seeing what this author does next.

I received an advance copy of the book courtesy of Orion Publishing Group via NetGalley.

I literally SCREAMED when I got the mail that told me I got approved for this arc. This was one of my most anticipated books of 2021.

I loved the “Silent Patient” for the same author when I read it last year. That twist at the end! Man was this book great. But let me tell you, in my opinion “The Maidens” is even better, The whole story is cantered around Greek mythology, as Mariana, the main character is Greek. She has led a quite tragic life as she has lost her share of family. One year after she lost her husband Sebastian, her niece, Zoe, who is the only family member she still has left, calls her in distress. A body has been found on the campus in Cambridge and it belongs to Zoe’s best friend. Therefore, Mariana immediately gets back to here alma mater to help Zoe and find out who the killer is. Soon after her arrival, she suspects the charming and dazzling Edward Fosca.

As in Michaelides’ first book, we also follow a psychotherapist but this time it is a groupe therapist. The writing is beautiful and you immediately get sucked into this dark and compelling thriller. Alex Michaelides knows how to keep you guessing until the end and what an ending!

I went into this book not knowing too much an I think that elevated my reading experience even more. I cared for the characters more than in the « Silent Patient » and therefore could not put this book down.

There are too many twists and turns in this book and I loved getting surprised time and time again. Without getting to spoilery, let’s just say that this second book fully lived up to the hype!

I highly recommend this one!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion,