Best-selling author Alex Michaelides’ new book “The Fury” takes inspiration from the theater to create a psychological thriller that has one second guessing everything they’re told.
Split into five acts, “The Fury” is narrated by one of the main characters, Elliot Chase. It’s the story of ex-Hollywood starlet Lana Farrar’s murder, which occurred on her private Greek island with her closest friends and family present.
Though this Agatha Christie like plot has been done countless times before within the thriller genre, Michaelides finds a way to put another one of his original twists on it.
Written simultaneously like a Greek tragedy and Shakespearian love story, “The Fury” stands out from any other thriller. Though theatrics play a part in the book, people who may not be huge fans of theater can still enjoy it. The book also incorporates psychology and philosophy in the least pretentious and most enjoyable way possible.
Like “The Silent Patient”, “The Fury” is a character driven story told by an unreliable narrator. The fourth wall is nonexistent in this book. Elliot speaks directly to the reader as if he’s telling them a story over a cup of coffee.
Even though “The Fury” is character driven, it is extremely fast paced and easy to get into. The book is just under 300 pages and the chapters are the ideal length. Though it won’t shock people page after page, Michaelides finds ways to keep the reader on the edge of their seat throughout the story.
The ending of the book felt like whiplash. The big twist was extremely original and shocking without being impractical.
Between the three books he’s written, Michaelides has created his own literary universe. His other book “The Maidens” takes place before “The Silent Patient”, though was published after, and includes a brief cameo from “The Silent Patient’s” main character Theo. “The Fury” takes place after “The Silent Patient” and “The Maidens” and briefly alludes to events in “The Silent Patient” that will spoil the book for those who haven’t read it.
Dramatic, clever and creative, “The Fury” is easy to start and difficult to put down.
