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Here are all my thoughts on this new mystery/suspense thriller book, released on January 16, 2024! In this spoiler-free book review of The Fury, I share my favorite book quotes, a brief synopsis, book club discussion questions for The Fury, similar books, other books by Alex Michaelides, and more!
Content warnings
Blood, alcohol, abandonment, child abuse, toxic friendship, death, stalking, infidelity, gun violence, mental illness, animal death, emotional abuse, alcoholism, murder
Thank you to Celadon Books for gifting me this complimentary book. My review reflects my honest thoughts.
The Fury Book Review / Summary
- From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient
The Fury is a mystery/suspense thriller and tale of murder with quite a spin on the classic “whodunit” story. It also happens to be on my most anticipated books of 2024 list!
This is a fast-paced psychological thriller about slightly terrible rich people stuck on an island together when a murder occurs. Need I say more?
Lana Farrar is a retired, famous actress who invited her friends and teenage son to spend Easter with her on a beautiful, windy private Greek Island.
The story is narrated by her friend Elliot Chase who retells the tale of chaotic events in the most unusual and compelling way—because, well, he was there.
Elliot speaks to readers in a very direct, intimate way, as if he was sitting across from them at a bar and the refills keep coming.
What starts as a friend getaway quickly becomes a night of hatred, plotting, revenge, and many twists and turns.
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@molliereadsbooks Thanks to @Celadon Books ♬ original sound – Mollie Reads
My Thoughts on The Fury
Okay, the verdict? I really enjoyed this thriller. I will tell you, though, that the reviews for The Fury are quite polarizing. For some, Elliot’s point of view did not work.
For me, however, I loved it. It made my best book club books of all time list! I found Elliot’s narration to be charming, alluring, and downright delightful at times.
The meta analysis of the classic “whodunit” and the tidbits about writing and storytelling in general made the book for me.
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I also found this to be an unputdownable thriller, but I’ve seen many reviews saying the opposite: that it was quite slow-moving. But I have to say, I don’t understand that take in the slightest (but to each his own, I suppose).
Actually, I think Alex is a remarkable storyteller. I was on the edge of my seat!
The narration was atmospheric, the twists and turns were unexpected, and WOW, I did feel like the premise and characters were unique.
Even though the characters were all flawed, I wanted to know what would happen next.
I also immensely enjoyed the theme of the “inner child” weaved throughout the story. This was such a relevant topic to dive into in a psychological thriller.
The Greek Tragedy Format
The whole story was told in the format of a Greek tragedy, which was so satisfying as the reader.
Some reviewers kept saying they didn’t like Elliot’s little quips and interjections throughout the book, but this felt incredibly on point for me.
The book had five parts, like a Greek tragedy, and the “chorus,” which is a hallmark of Greek tragedies, was represented by Elliot’s interjections. Or at least that’s the way I took it?
It didn’t jolt me from the story at all, but I can see how some people wouldn’t love that format. For me, it added to the story.
One thing that didn’t quite work for me, in terms of the POV, was the way Elliot narrated some of the characters’ more intimate moments that he couldn’t possibly know about.
But, by the end of the novel, this didn’t bother me. Select the spoiler below to see why.
🚨 Click here for The Fury spoilers!
🚨 SPOILER! DO NOT READ unless you’re ready to be spoiled. The fact that Elliot was telling us the whole story as a play he’d written, years later, from jail, made me realize just how many liberties he’d taken for the sake of the **shock value** and overall drama. He is the definition of an unreliable narrator. This POV “flaw” just didn’t bother me once the story ended!
Favorite Quotes from The Fury by Alex Michaelides
“Now, I know only this for sure—the first half of life is pure selfishness; the second half, all grief.”
—Alex Michaelides, The Fury
“Once I saw the kid in me, I started seeing kids in other people—all dressed as adults, playacting at being grown-up. But I saw through the performances now, to the frightened children beneath.”
—ALEX MICHAELIDES, THE FURY
“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.”
—ALEX MICHAELIDES, THE FURY
Book Club Discussion Questions for The Fury
- Ice breaker question: Where would you escape to with your closest friends if money wasn’t a factor?
- How did the character of “the wind” play a role in The Fury? What did you think of this role?
- Who was your favorite character? Why?
- What did you think of Elliot Chase’s narration throughout the book?
- The Fury is a “locked room mystery” or “whodunit” with a twist. How does it fit—or not fit—into the genre?
- What expectations did you have as you were reading? Did The Fury meet those expectations?
- The Fury is meant to reflect a Greek tragedy in many ways. How did this affect your reading experience? What stood out to you about this aspect in particular?
- Elliot discusses his psychologist’s words on the “inner child” a lot throughout the book, as well as others characters’ younger selves being trapped inside them. What did you think about this idea?
- Were there any twists and turns that surprised you? Why or why not?
Other Books by Alex Michaelides
Alex Michaelides’s other books are The Silent Patient and The Maidens. Check out his author website to learn more about them.
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Similar Books to The Fury
These books explore similar themes or are reminiscent of The Fury in some way:
- The Guest List by Lucy Foley
- First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
- The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji
- The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley
- The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
Buy the Book
I recommend The Fury for readers who love a locked-room mystery or a “stuck on an island” scenario.
This is a psychological thriller with suspense that does handle some pretty disturbing ideas and thought patterns, so sensitive readers should take care.
I didn’t find The Fury to be too scary . . . more of a fascinating character study.
The short chapters and intimate narration make this an easy book to fly through!
You’ll see by the reviews The Fury is not for every reader, so make sure it appeals to you after reading the general criticism.
I thought it was a clever, fun read! I hope you enjoy this review of The Fury by Alex Michaelides!
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