The Fury
“... let me remind you this is a true story - and in real life, that’s how we communicate, isn’t it? We’re all over the place: we jump back and forth in time; slow down and expand on some moments; fast-forward through others; editing as we go, minimizing flaws and maximizing assets. We are all the unreliable narrators of our own lives.” - Elliot Chase (The Fury)
“All of us are trying to escape the pain and be happy. And all the actions we take to achieve this goal - our intentions - that’s the stuff of story.” - Elliot Chase (The Fury)
I could post quotes from this book all day. It has a surprising amount of insight if you enjoy finding nuggets of wisdom in your fiction! I do, but I can see where those who prefer more straight-up thrills and less heady musings might not be quite as fond of our narrator Elliot Chase’s philosophizing. First, let me recap the story a bit:
Lana Farrar is a retired actress who has invited her husband Jason, son Leo, and friends Kate and Elliot to the Greek island, Aura, gifted to her by her late husband, Otto. Also there are housekeeper, Agathi, and groundskeeper, Nikos. In the style of Agatha Christie, what follows is a locked-room murder mystery, only this time they’re all trapped on the island by the violent winds - The Fury - until help can arrive. There’s loads of relational drama and 'n’er do welling', but in the end - it’s just fun. Elliot is both likeable and unlikeable, but always fascinating as he presents the story to us - his audience. I loved the intimacy of that!
So, who dies and why?
I can assure you of this - until the story ends, that is NO easy answer! Michaelides spun me like a top trying to find the direction this story was going, and I was good with that! I saw some reveals coming, but the whys and hows kept changing, so I never got a firm footing on anything. True to his previous book, The Maidens, he also keeps his stories in the same universe, with references to Mariana from that book, who - in a clever turn - is Elliot’s therapist in this one, and a brief reference to Theo from The Silent Patient.
Although I rated both this and The Maidens four stars, the previous book was a 3.5 rounded up, whereas this is a 4.5 rounded down, so I definitely enjoyed this more. The Silent Patient will always hold the TOP spot in my heart though, since that was THE book that got me hooked on the mystery/thriller genre!
I listened to this on audio, while following along on my Kindle or the gifted copy from Celadon. Alex Jennings did a wonderful job with the narration, fully embodying Elliot and the other characters. It elevated the experience, which was already written like a play, giving me the feel of sitting in the front row of a small theater while the narrator weaves his tale for me.
If you enjoy a twisty tale of crime and passion with a side of what makes humans tick that constantly keeps you guessing what is true - this should appeal to you! I’m still not entirely sure I know what was real at the end, but I don’t mind. I can always count on Alex Michaelides to make me think!
★★★★ ½
Thanks to Celadon Books for the gifted ARC to honestly review and my library/Libby for the audio and Kindle copies. It’s out now!
“All of us are trying to escape the pain and be happy. And all the actions we take to achieve this goal - our intentions - that’s the stuff of story.” - Elliot Chase (The Fury)
I could post quotes from this book all day. It has a surprising amount of insight if you enjoy finding nuggets of wisdom in your fiction! I do, but I can see where those who prefer more straight-up thrills and less heady musings might not be quite as fond of our narrator Elliot Chase’s philosophizing. First, let me recap the story a bit:
Lana Farrar is a retired actress who has invited her husband Jason, son Leo, and friends Kate and Elliot to the Greek island, Aura, gifted to her by her late husband, Otto. Also there are housekeeper, Agathi, and groundskeeper, Nikos. In the style of Agatha Christie, what follows is a locked-room murder mystery, only this time they’re all trapped on the island by the violent winds - The Fury - until help can arrive. There’s loads of relational drama and 'n’er do welling', but in the end - it’s just fun. Elliot is both likeable and unlikeable, but always fascinating as he presents the story to us - his audience. I loved the intimacy of that!
So, who dies and why?
I can assure you of this - until the story ends, that is NO easy answer! Michaelides spun me like a top trying to find the direction this story was going, and I was good with that! I saw some reveals coming, but the whys and hows kept changing, so I never got a firm footing on anything. True to his previous book, The Maidens, he also keeps his stories in the same universe, with references to Mariana from that book, who - in a clever turn - is Elliot’s therapist in this one, and a brief reference to Theo from The Silent Patient.
Although I rated both this and The Maidens four stars, the previous book was a 3.5 rounded up, whereas this is a 4.5 rounded down, so I definitely enjoyed this more. The Silent Patient will always hold the TOP spot in my heart though, since that was THE book that got me hooked on the mystery/thriller genre!
I listened to this on audio, while following along on my Kindle or the gifted copy from Celadon. Alex Jennings did a wonderful job with the narration, fully embodying Elliot and the other characters. It elevated the experience, which was already written like a play, giving me the feel of sitting in the front row of a small theater while the narrator weaves his tale for me.
If you enjoy a twisty tale of crime and passion with a side of what makes humans tick that constantly keeps you guessing what is true - this should appeal to you! I’m still not entirely sure I know what was real at the end, but I don’t mind. I can always count on Alex Michaelides to make me think!
★★★★ ½
Thanks to Celadon Books for the gifted ARC to honestly review and my library/Libby for the audio and Kindle copies. It’s out now!
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