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freyja_rilo87's review
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
janice_attard's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
jimbowen0306's review against another edition
3.0
This book feels like the sort of book you'll have read (or seen on television) before.
There is a spate of murders on a British university campus (Cambridge in this case). A psychologist comes in to support her niece (a friend has been murdered). While there, she decides do a little snooping around on the side. During her investigation, she runs into your stereotypical campus odd-balls, including the popular lecturer, his (female) acolyte students, the college porter straight out of Porterhouse Blue, and a "bedder" who runs round after the students.
My problem is it all felt a little predictable, like you'll have seen an afternoon/evening murder mysteries on the Hallmark Channel, and the story will come back to you in a moment. This isn't always a bad thing, but it felt like I was thinking "This reminds me of...", "Wait... let me figure it out!", and "You've ruled out all those people, it has to be..." If you can put up with that, you'll probably enjoy this book.
There is a spate of murders on a British university campus (Cambridge in this case). A psychologist comes in to support her niece (a friend has been murdered). While there, she decides do a little snooping around on the side. During her investigation, she runs into your stereotypical campus odd-balls, including the popular lecturer, his (female) acolyte students, the college porter straight out of Porterhouse Blue, and a "bedder" who runs round after the students.
My problem is it all felt a little predictable, like you'll have seen an afternoon/evening murder mysteries on the Hallmark Channel, and the story will come back to you in a moment. This isn't always a bad thing, but it felt like I was thinking "This reminds me of...", "Wait... let me figure it out!", and "You've ruled out all those people, it has to be..." If you can put up with that, you'll probably enjoy this book.
nbuchholz13's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
dozendimes's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
edresbach's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
cherrypopgirlielibrary's review against another edition
4.0
I'm honestly still just processing my thoughts about this novel.
It was well-written and extremely captivating and interesting. I also enjoyed the Ancient Greek quotes thrown in there. Allowed me to brush up on my Ancient Greek skills and whoo, boy, are they rusty!
Anyway, the story kept me guessing the whole time. I must admit, I did not see that twist end coming. Or at least, not the whole twist ending. I saw part of it. It was definitely a bit grim for what I've been craving lately, but I did enjoy it.
I think, if you're in a reading rut, this would be a good novel to get you out of it.
I do want to warn my fellow Christians who are looking into this book, though. It does heavily reference Persephone and Demeter and, at one point, the main character does pray to them, which was disconcerting for me.
It was well-written and extremely captivating and interesting. I also enjoyed the Ancient Greek quotes thrown in there. Allowed me to brush up on my Ancient Greek skills and whoo, boy, are they rusty!
Anyway, the story kept me guessing the whole time. I must admit, I did not see that twist end coming. Or at least, not the whole twist ending. I saw part of it. It was definitely a bit grim for what I've been craving lately, but I did enjoy it.
I think, if you're in a reading rut, this would be a good novel to get you out of it.
I do want to warn my fellow Christians who are looking into this book, though. It does heavily reference Persephone and Demeter and, at one point, the main character does pray to them, which was disconcerting for me.
annegret_kk's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
delaneyanne's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Okay, first and foremost, this book is not like The Secret History. This isn’t inherently a good or bad thing but if you read it expecting that it will be, you will be confused and disappointed (in the book and whoever lied to you about it). It shares basic cosmetic similarities (university setting, Classics, murder) but they are fundamentally very different stories. I probably wouldn’t even call The Maidens dark academia.
I think it would’ve benefited from being longer and spending more time developing its characters. It’s not as good as his first book (The Silent Patient) and I didn’t love the ending, but I enjoyed reading it and it’s definitely been weirdly over-hated, in my opinion.
I think it would’ve benefited from being longer and spending more time developing its characters. It’s not as good as his first book (The Silent Patient) and I didn’t love the ending, but I enjoyed reading it and it’s definitely been weirdly over-hated, in my opinion.