Wow! I have been zapped! These are the first words that come to mind after reading the (much too brief) sample of The Maidens. We are introduced to Mariana as she sits packing up the memories of a lost love, and listen as we hear her accuse a man of murder. We know her love has died, and something tells us it was a brutal death tearing Mariana apart. We are not sure if the man she is certain is a murderer is the man who committed this crime, we are not even sure if there is a connection. We are led to another scene, another place, another time for just a moment. A brief glimpse of Mariana's childhood includes us in the unhappiness that came before and explains a little of why she has chosen her profession of therapist. And, then, lastly we sit in group circle and we are just as uncomfortable and feeling as awkward as the members in group as we watch one invited intruder; this man has too many issues for this group to handle. We are witnesses to a man obsessed by Marianna, we wish she would shove him out the door (albeit gently) telling him that he is no longer welcome. The telephone rings, and it is now a good time for the patient to leave and be on his way. As Marianna settles with a glass of wine, and her phone conversation begins, we are intrigued even more so than when we first entered into the life of Marianna. Reader, you have no choice but to be a part of this story. The author's use of words weaves around you like a tapestry that has you exploring, and hunting for more.
Update review follows with spoilers:** spoiler alert ** The feeling of disappointment is overwhelming; your brilliant child has just let you down in a forgiving yet miserable way. I looked forward to this read as I thoroughly enjoyed (and recommended) the Silent Patient by the same author.
Mariana is a therapist with deep-seated issues of her own. The story opens with a statement accusing a man of murder. One sentence that sums up the outlying theory and conclusion of the book. Hmm, or does it?
We are led to group session, where we briefly meet Mariana's patients. There we see the antics of one patient; a petulant man-child who stalks Mariana because he needs more than what she can give. Suspect Number One. We see him a little more in the book, but he is only a red herring. Once group therapy is over, the phone rings. Zooey, Mariana's niece at Cambridge, is calling for help. One of Zooey's friends has been murdered. Mariana must come right away.
On the train to Cambridge, Fred is introduced. Fred is love sick after only first seeing Mariana. He insists on starting a friendship; he is another pain and another suspect. We now have Suspect Number Two. And the list continues...first, Edward Fosca, the professor of Maidens - an elite group of intelligent yet flawed young women, there is Morris the gatekeeper at Cambridge, Julian the therapist on the case, and Theo another therapist friend. Other suspects include Mariana herself, Zooey, etc. Each of these people have some hidden agenda, secret, or just something that is not quite right. Mariana speaks of her distant father, a man who just couldn't show her love, she speaks of her deceased husband - he is the man who saved her from her past. And throughout the book we hear more of Greek tragedy than we care about yet it embroils us in another mystery allowing for more red herrings. I had to keep a list going in my mind to straighten out all the characters and possible motives. No one was safe from my Suspect List. The story was drawn O...U...T. Mariana displayed characteristics that did not ring true. She left her patients, ran to Cambridge, and stayed to investigate. She made rash decisions that put the target on her back not only as a suspect but as a victim. She keeps repeating that she is going home, must go home, but lingers. She is like a detective with a therapist degree yet she isn't good as either one. To add to the confusion, and out of nowhere, a new narrator chimes in to tell his story. It is a dark and revealing saga but it doesn't belong. We are given background on the murderer, by the murderer without it really making any sense nor is it totally believable. Postcards are left for Mariana to discover in each victim's room. She hangs on to these postcards that are written in old Greek and telling the maiden/victim why she must die. She does not go to the police with the postcards, with her side of the story, nothing, nada. Throughout the story we are given glimpses of Sebastian; the wonders of the man will never stop. The story of their love is amazing. We also learn (sort of) about Zooey. She is Mariana and Sebastian's adopted niece who lost her parents at a young age. They are a threesome (not sexually, just a team that enjoys life). Zooey is an odd character; she wants Mariana's help yet she is reluctant. She holds back information, she accuses Mariana of getting too involved, and accuses her of weird behavior. It is a "wtf?" situation. Zooey asks for help than pulls an attitude? Huh? As the suspects are checked off the list, and more women are being murdered we are coming to the end of the story. Mariana has been asked by Zooey to go with her to a place where the murder weapon has been hidden by Edward. Zooey has been too afraid to say anything (she has already laid down the clues that Edward has assaulted her, etc), but now that she has told the story to Mariana and Mariana's mentor at Cambridge (Clarice), she is ready to show Mariana the evidence. While waiting for Zooey to shower (wait! why would you take a shower before you are going out to get evidence? And why wouldn't you call the police as the suspect is still out on the campus?), Mariana discovers a hidden letter that implicates Zooey in the murders. Hello? And you are going out alone with her? Zooey takes her time in the shower which led me to believe that she was a murder victim. No, she just likes long showers. When Zooey finally shows us the knife, she explains that she has been Sebastian's lover for years and that he planned this out. He loved Zooey, wanted Mariana dead, and wanted her money. Poor Sebastian was reckless (makes no sense), he died in the swimming alone in the sea on a stormy day. Zooey had to carry out his plans. BUT, Fred is stalking once again. This time he interrupts the murder plot, is stabbed but lives. Oh, my. Mariana hits Zooey in the head with a rock, Zooey falls on the knife, is under water, yet she lives! The end...sort of! Mariana has a friend, Theo, who is a therapist. He just happens to be working at the (for lack of better word) asylum where he is Zooey's therapist. He is also the therapist of a young artist who has (supposedly) killer her husband. She won't talk...she is The Silent Patient. Too many red herrings, too many out-of-character behaviors. Too many things that just don't add up. I gave it 2 stars but I think it was because I liked the author's other book.
Update review follows with spoilers:** spoiler alert ** The feeling of disappointment is overwhelming; your brilliant child has just let you down in a forgiving yet miserable way. I looked forward to this read as I thoroughly enjoyed (and recommended) the Silent Patient by the same author.
Mariana is a therapist with deep-seated issues of her own. The story opens with a statement accusing a man of murder. One sentence that sums up the outlying theory and conclusion of the book. Hmm, or does it?
We are led to group session, where we briefly meet Mariana's patients. There we see the antics of one patient; a petulant man-child who stalks Mariana because he needs more than what she can give. Suspect Number One. We see him a little more in the book, but he is only a red herring. Once group therapy is over, the phone rings. Zooey, Mariana's niece at Cambridge, is calling for help. One of Zooey's friends has been murdered. Mariana must come right away.
On the train to Cambridge, Fred is introduced. Fred is love sick after only first seeing Mariana. He insists on starting a friendship; he is another pain and another suspect. We now have Suspect Number Two. And the list continues...first, Edward Fosca, the professor of Maidens - an elite group of intelligent yet flawed young women, there is Morris the gatekeeper at Cambridge, Julian the therapist on the case, and Theo another therapist friend. Other suspects include Mariana herself, Zooey, etc. Each of these people have some hidden agenda, secret, or just something that is not quite right. Mariana speaks of her distant father, a man who just couldn't show her love, she speaks of her deceased husband - he is the man who saved her from her past. And throughout the book we hear more of Greek tragedy than we care about yet it embroils us in another mystery allowing for more red herrings. I had to keep a list going in my mind to straighten out all the characters and possible motives. No one was safe from my Suspect List. The story was drawn O...U...T. Mariana displayed characteristics that did not ring true. She left her patients, ran to Cambridge, and stayed to investigate. She made rash decisions that put the target on her back not only as a suspect but as a victim. She keeps repeating that she is going home, must go home, but lingers. She is like a detective with a therapist degree yet she isn't good as either one. To add to the confusion, and out of nowhere, a new narrator chimes in to tell his story. It is a dark and revealing saga but it doesn't belong. We are given background on the murderer, by the murderer without it really making any sense nor is it totally believable. Postcards are left for Mariana to discover in each victim's room. She hangs on to these postcards that are written in old Greek and telling the maiden/victim why she must die. She does not go to the police with the postcards, with her side of the story, nothing, nada. Throughout the story we are given glimpses of Sebastian; the wonders of the man will never stop. The story of their love is amazing. We also learn (sort of) about Zooey. She is Mariana and Sebastian's adopted niece who lost her parents at a young age. They are a threesome (not sexually, just a team that enjoys life). Zooey is an odd character; she wants Mariana's help yet she is reluctant. She holds back information, she accuses Mariana of getting too involved, and accuses her of weird behavior. It is a "wtf?" situation. Zooey asks for help than pulls an attitude? Huh? As the suspects are checked off the list, and more women are being murdered we are coming to the end of the story. Mariana has been asked by Zooey to go with her to a place where the murder weapon has been hidden by Edward. Zooey has been too afraid to say anything (she has already laid down the clues that Edward has assaulted her, etc), but now that she has told the story to Mariana and Mariana's mentor at Cambridge (Clarice), she is ready to show Mariana the evidence. While waiting for Zooey to shower (wait! why would you take a shower before you are going out to get evidence? And why wouldn't you call the police as the suspect is still out on the campus?), Mariana discovers a hidden letter that implicates Zooey in the murders. Hello? And you are going out alone with her? Zooey takes her time in the shower which led me to believe that she was a murder victim. No, she just likes long showers. When Zooey finally shows us the knife, she explains that she has been Sebastian's lover for years and that he planned this out. He loved Zooey, wanted Mariana dead, and wanted her money. Poor Sebastian was reckless (makes no sense), he died in the swimming alone in the sea on a stormy day. Zooey had to carry out his plans. BUT, Fred is stalking once again. This time he interrupts the murder plot, is stabbed but lives. Oh, my. Mariana hits Zooey in the head with a rock, Zooey falls on the knife, is under water, yet she lives! The end...sort of! Mariana has a friend, Theo, who is a therapist. He just happens to be working at the (for lack of better word) asylum where he is Zooey's therapist. He is also the therapist of a young artist who has (supposedly) killer her husband. She won't talk...she is The Silent Patient. Too many red herrings, too many out-of-character behaviors. Too many things that just don't add up. I gave it 2 stars but I think it was because I liked the author's other book.