Interesting and intriguing.
The book is narrated by Elliot talking to the reader to tell them the story of a murder. I don’t recall ever reading a book told in this format before so it drew me into the story.
The fact that it’s Elliot’s take on events throughout the book means the reader is never really sure if what he says is the truth and if we can rely on him as a narrator, we are left to wonder which bits are true throughout and even left guessing who the murder victim and murderer is until very late in the story.
Overall an enjoyable read with lots of twists and turns.

THE FURY - ALEX MICHAELIDES

If you love an unreliable narrator and multiple timeline jumps then this book is for you. This story is so uniquely written in that it feels like an open, casual conversation with Elliot Chase, the narrator. The plot unfolds over five Acts and is full of twists and turns and as much as Elliot Chase assured you this isn’t a “whodunnit” it’s a “why dunnit” it sure has you wondering who!

This isn’t a fast paced gripping thriller and honestly if I wasn’t charmed by the narration then I’m not sure how much I would have enjoyed reading so I really do think the unique style of prose is the only reason I would consider recommending this! I’m the type of reader who has to like the characters to be full engrossed in the story and aside from the narrator I didn’t like any of the characters and found them to be quite tedious!

I would give this 3.5/5 stars (rounded up to four). It was an enjoyable, unique read and keeps you on your toes but don’t expect The Silent Patient 2.0!

Lana Farrar invites a group of people to a private Greek island.
Just for a holiday in the sun but a murderer has other ideas.
And who has secrets they don't want revealed!

Alex Michaelides has become an auto buy author for me so when I saw this new title was available on NetGalley I jumped at the chance. The book being set on a Greek Island set the perfect environment and atmosphere for a who-dunnit as the characters were isolated from everyone on the mainland and forced into close proximity with each other.
For me, The Fury didn’t have the same psychological element that I loved from The Silent Patient and The Maidens. Michaelides might have wanted to take a different approach to this book so that is completely on me for having my standards set so high. The narrator speaks to the reader directly and even comments that we most likely don’t trust what he is telling us making him an unreliable narrator.
I didn’t start to enjoy it until 3/4 of the way through but as always, Michaelides is amazing at writing endings to a book and I loved this one, the way he manages to link his books together is *chefs kiss*. Definitely recommend if you are already a fan of this author.

We go into this murder mystery being told by the narrator that this is not a “whodunit” but rather a “whydunit”. That is an accurate description as the next maybe two-thirds of the book is background to the characters of Elliot, our narrator, and others with whom he is stranded on an island during a storm when one of them is killed. The others are the movie star Lana, her son, her husband, her best friend and two members of staff.

The background stories of the characters and the events that led them to being on this island together at a time murder is committed are intricate and cleverly woven. I always enjoy thrillers that talk to the psychology of the cast, and had fun guessing what was going to come next – often being completely surprised. The author did, in my opinion, overuse the carrot dangling à la “if only we knew how this would impact x and y”… “we had no idea how worse it was about to get”… etc., etc., which is a pet peeve of mine. However, this only marginally hampered my enjoyment of this rather noir-y tale where we see scenes played out from different points of view to lead to an ultimate reveal of what happened and why.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a suspense mystery or psychological thriller, and look forward to reading what the author does next!

My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the arc to review.

After reading The Silent Patient and loving it I couldn't wait to read this book. In all fairness it had a lot to live up to. It is a slow burn and I loved the premise, however I felt it just didn't really work for me.

After reading The Silent Patient, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on another Alex Michaelides book.

Unfortunately, The Fury just fell a little flat for me. I didn’t find myself hugely invested in the story and the twist didn’t shock me as much as I had hoped.

Deliciously macabre.
The Fury is your classic group of friends holidaying on an island cut off from the outside world due to mad weather (in this case The Fury, interpreted something along the lines of crazy Greek winds) and yes, you’ve guessed it, one of the friends is murdered. There is no way on or off the island which means the murderer must be one of the group of said friends.

And there my friends is where the classic ends and the rules and rule book are thrown out the window and it’s time to embrace the weird and wonderful mind of Alex Michaelides. Having read some of the other reviews, this book is Marmite as a lot of books that push boundaries are, you either love it or you hate it. I’m definitely in the ‘love it’ category. It’s unique and innovative, how can you not applaud that in a piece of fiction.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Secrets and lies twisted together in a murder thriller that whisks you away to the Greek islands. Hold on to your hats as you ride through the intricacies of this page turner

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book with no obligation to review.

This is a great read - in fact, I feel I need to read it again to appreciate properly all the twists and turns and any clues I might have missed. You think you finally know what has happened but then you are told something else. Very inventive and, unlike some books with twists, I think the twists were plausible.

The only thing I found a bit annoying at first is that most of the story is told as "I" who is Elliot Chase and "he" has a habit of addressing the reader directly along the lines of "dear reader, you are sitting reading and I wonder what you think of me" - i must admit I found that irritating, keep that fourth wall where it is!. Obviously Elliot is able to tell you all the things that he does and feels etc., but sometimes the book describes what other characters such as Lana are doing, thinking and feeling and how could Elliot know that? As i say, this was mildly annoying but you soon get used to it and you gallop on through all the events and twists and turns and it is a great read.

I received an advanced reading copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House, and the author Alex Michaelides.
Although it was relatively gripping at times, this was a frustrating read as it descended in to completely unrealistic farce towards the end.
In order to keep going you had to suspend disbelief to an almost intolerable rate, and it all became just too ridiculous to be enjoyable.
The plot was incredibly thin, as were the one dimensional characters' motivations. A frustrating narrator, and a bit disappointing I'm afraid! 2 stars.

I’m so gutted! I was expecting a fantastic psychological thriller full of twists, but what I got was a thin plot, a terrible narrator and undeveloped characters who I didn’t care for.

I think I can see what the author was trying to achieve through the narrator breaking the fourth wall, but it just didn’t work.

The whole thing was weird and slow.

1 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Alex Michaelides Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I think it's safe to say that Alex Michaelides is an author who excites us all. Most of us loved The Silent Patient, and since then we've all been waiting for the next best thing. So I have no doubt that The Fury will be one of many of our most anticipated 2024 releases. But that's also what made me so nervous about his latest release... Would it live up?

Oh boy, it definitely did!

Although I found the first 30% a little slow, building up to the promise of a murder and delicately setting the scene like a classic play, I was still intrigued by the structure of this slow-burn character study. And from that point on, The Fury had me hooked.

The story is told in a brilliantly clever and original way as our narrator, Elliot, breaks the fourth wall and talks to the reader as he recounts the events on/before/after the island. Of course, I'm always wary of this type of narration as you know that the narrator hasn't experienced everything first-hand, so you have to take some parts with a pinch of salt. But you can't help but trust him. He's witty and entertaining, which all builds up to fool you into believing that he is an honest and trustworthy character (No comment on whether he is or not, because that's all part of the fun!).

But from experience, we know that Michaelides likes an unreliable narrator. So while I was expecting this narrative technique to be where all the twists stemmed from, this story is about so much more than Elliot's reliability. It's definitely not that straightforward.

And the twists don't stop! I read If We Were Villains last year and hated it because it wasn't what I expected it to be from the high expectations I made from the brilliant plot. But this is what I wanted from a synopsis like this! A thought-provoking story about motivation, dark truths, twisted secrets, unforgivable deceits, and layers upon layers of mystery. I'm in awe of its brilliance!

If you're after a unique and fun mystery, make sure this one is at the top of your TBR!

Brilliant. This book is very cleverly written. It makes for a very twisted read! Some of the twists you might see others you won’t but you should enjoy the story along the way.

I really wanted to like this book having read The Silent Patient (which I loved) and The Maidens (which I liked) but unfortunately it just didn't grab me. It had some good parts for sure but ultimately I found it to be over complicated with too many characters that I just didn't care about. I can see that some people will love it and there were some good twists but it was a no for me.

"This is a tale of murder. Or maybe that's not quite true. At it's heart, it's a love story, isn't it? The saddest kind of love story – about the end of love; the death of love."

Playwright Elliot Chase is invited to his best friend's private Greek island. Ex-movie star Lana Farrar has also invited her husband, son, actress friend, and housekeeper, while the island's only permanent inhabitant, the groundsman, prepares the mansion. It won't be long after the guests arrive, before one of them is found murdered.

While the identity of the murderer isn't revealed until close to the end, the narrator – Elliot – tells the reader that the story is not a whodunit, but rather, a 'whydunit'. It's about the motivations of the characters: why did they do certain things and to what end. All the characters have secrets and flaws, and for some, it will be their ultimate downfall.

This is a compelling psychological suspense novel that is heavily character-driven, though the plot – written in the structure of a play – is interesting enough to hold your attention throughout. I didn't find it particularly tense, but I was engrossed in the narration. The twist I'd rather call a 'reveal' as it didn't really shock me. Still, the book is definitely worth a read.

I've just spent about three days with Elliott. Elliot is telling me a true story about how is best friend, Lana, got murdered on holiday on a private Greek Island. Elliot tells me that there is no twist in this tale. Seven people were on the island at the time, Elliot, Lana, their friend Kate, Lana's son Leo,, her husband Jason, her housekeeper, and there 'handyman'. Some of them are living with Childhood trauma, some of them are holding secrets, and all of them love Lana. The story isn't about who murder her, the story is about why one of the would...Read it!

The Fury is a tale of love, deceit and murder set on a private Greek island.
The story is told by Elliot Chase, a playwright and the epitome of an unreliable narrator. Elliot speaks directly to the reader and like a Greek Tragedy, the story unfolds in five acts.
An reclusive retired Hollywood star, her husband, her son, her housekeeper, her groundskeeper , her two close friends, Elliot being on make up the seven characters in this book and while the reader does not find who is murdered until a quarter of the way in, due to small cast of characters, there isn't a lot of suspense.

I didn't like the main character and as a result this book just never really fully engaged me. Its different to the authors previous books and I like that, he's not a one trick pony and there is some decent storytelling here and a nice setting but it just never fully ignited for me. I didn't really care enough for any of the characters to be invested in their fate.

2.5- 3 stars.

Elliot is the narrator of this story and we are told the tale over five acts.

A cleverly woven tale which has you wondering who the killer is and who was murdered.

I have to admit that this was a slow burner to start with, but I am so glad that I stuck with the story as slowly but surely, I was sucked into the plot.

I wouldn’t say that I particularly liked any of the characters, they all had plenty of flaws and were very self-centred.

My thanks to NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Elliot Chase unfolds as a mesmerizing character that transcends the conventional boundaries of character building. This tale, ostensibly about murder, intricately weaves the threads of love and betrayal, challenging readers to redefine their understanding of the characters involved. Lana Farrar, a reclusive ex-movie star, serves as the enigmatic linchpin, drawing her closest friends into a web of suspense during their annual Easter retreat on a private Greek island.

The story cleverly subverts expectations, inviting readers to reconsider preconceived notions about the events that transpired. It skillfully portrays the intricacies of relationships, unearthing hidden tensions and simmering desires beneath the veneer of camaraderie. As the characters navigate a nightmarish game of cat and mouse, the suspense builds with each twist and revelation, culminating in a climactic and unforgettable conclusion.

What emerges is a story that transcends genres, seamlessly blending elements of mystery, psychological thriller, and love story. The island setting becomes not just a backdrop but an integral part of the narrative, trapping the characters in a crucible of emotions. The exploration of violence, death, and the consequences of choices adds depth to the narrative, challenging readers to reflect on the complexities of human nature.

I just reviewed The Fury by Alex Michaelides. #ReadTheFury #NetGalley