If you’re into dark and slightly disturbing mysteries, The Fury by Alex Michaelides is a great read, perfect to read on a flight or during a ski week vacation. If you like other books by this author, this one very much continues this author’s established style in a way that still feels fresh.
This book employs a really interesting framing device, in which the fictional writer of the story we’re reading is both the narrator and a character, telling the tale of the events that occurred through his unique perspective.
Those events revolve around gathering on a private Greek island, where a former Hollywood star and her closest friends gather for a weekend away. A storm hits, a murder occurs, and everything is not as it seems. It’s a pretty standard mystery template, but this author puts his brand of unique twist on the story.
In the first few pages, the author sets up all kinds of questions to be answered and secrets to be uncovered. These teasing glimpses as to what comes next definitely keep you turning the pages to find out what happens next.
The plot, characters, setting, and tone are very different from Michaelides’ other books. But there are a lot of aspects of this story that will feel very familiar to readers of his past works.
The Fury is packed with obvious red herrings meant to distract the reader. There is a deeply and very obviously unreliable narrator. The entire second half of the book is essentially a crazy twist. All of these devices are ones this author uses liberally in all his books.
Drama and suspense are everywhere in this story. Many of the chapters end with a vague ominous line, foreshadowing doom to come. There are lush descriptions throughout the book to provide a balance to the drama, of everything from the island itself to the narrator’s perfect martini. It’s a juxtaposition that works well to make the book engaging and well-paced.
I found The Fury‘s twist less shocking than the one in The Silent Patient, although most twists are less shocking than that one. I saw the whole thing coming but very much enjoyed the ride nonetheless. The book is a great length, with interesting and engaging, albeit a little disturbing characters. The Fury is definitely worth the read if you’re in the mood for something a little unsettling.
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