The Maidens, by Alex Michaelides

 

Characters
London	Cambridge	Greek Mythology
Mariana Sebastian – husband, deceased   Henry – therapy group member   Ruth – Mariana’s supervisor	Zoe – Mariana’s niece, student   Edward Fosca – professor   The Maidens Tara – Zoe’s friend, #1 victim Carla Clarke Natasha Diya Veronica - #2 victim Serena Lewis – #3 victim Lillian   Julian Ashcroft – forensic psychologist   Theo Faber – forensic psychotherapist   Chief Inspector Sadhu Sangha   Conrad Ellis – Tara’s friend   Fred – man Mariana met on train   Clarissa - Mariana’s professor   Employees at school Elsie – Tara’s bedder Morris – head porter	Demeter – goddess of life, harvest   Persephone – daughter, goddess of death   Eleusis – secret cult   Iphigenia – killed by father   Agamemnon - father   “menis” – uncontrollable anger   “liminal” – between two worlds   Euripides – Greek poet   Aristotle – Greek philosopher

 

For Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from hardback edition.

1.       What was the point of including the parts of the novel about Mariana’s therapy group in London?  What part did Henry play?

2.       What did you think as you read the chapters in a different font?  Did these chapters give you any insight into the killer?

3.       Aristotle wrote that fear and pity were “the very qualities…that constituted catharsis in tragedy” (page 178).  What did Aristotle mean?  Was it possible to feel pity for whoever the murderer was as you read the story?

4.       Did the inclusion of Greek mythology add to your enjoyment of the story?

5.       “The Maidens” was a take-off on Tennyson’s secret literary society, “The Apostles” where he met his lover, Hallam.  Should the administration have thought something was suspicious when the Maidens all appeared dressed in white at Tara’s memorial?

6.       As you were reading, who did you think the killer was?

7.       Discuss the various characters.  What did you think about Fred from the train?  About Henry following Mariana to Cambridge and self-cutting?

8.       When Mariana met with the Maidens, Lillian told Mariana it was Tara and Veronica’s fault because “they should have been more careful” (page 256).  Why were the remaining girls so void of emotions about Tara and Veronica’s death? 

9.       What did you think about Conrad Ellis, Tara’s friend, who was suspected mostly because of his appearance?  On page 67 the author wrote, “Conrad’s appearance went against him – that was part of the problem.”  How often do you think that happens in police investigations?

10.   Did you think the ending was plausible – that Sebastian loved Zoe and they were plotting against Mariana?

11.   When Mariana was reading the letters from the toy zebra, the writer wrote that two pages from his journal had been torn out and wrote that, “They were destroyed because they were dangerous.  Why? Because they told a different story” (page 306).  These were from the time when the writer’s mother left.   What did you think the different story was that the two pages told?

12.   Was it realistic that Mariana didn’t recognize any of Sebastian’s life story in the letters to Zoe, for example the story about his dog, Rex? 

13.   Was Zoe a victim or a criminal?  Why did she continue with plan after Sebastian died?

14.   What do you think happened after the story ended?  Do you think Mariana will end up with Fred?

15.   In the acknowledgements, the author paid homage to the great female mystery writers including Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, P. D. James and others.  How well did this novel compare to the classics?