Natalie Haynes

Moving from London to Edinburgh after tragically losing her fiancé, former actress Alex Morris accepts a drama-therapy teaching job for troubled teens and bonds with them over the Greek tragedies in ways that help her heal but inspire the teens in disturbing ways. By the award-winning author of The Ancient Guide to Modern Life.

A Novel

The Furies

3.5 stars. Ever since I read The Secret History, I’ve loved the idea of reading a similar book. Last week as I was browsing the shelves of my local library, I came across The Furies. I’ve loved Natalie Haynes’ other books, and though this one is contemporary, I wanted to give it a try; it reminded me of The Secret History, giving out the same vibes. 

I enjoyed the academia setting and discussion of Greek plays, but the hook/premise didn’t feel very strong. It just didn't feel believable that one of Alex's students would become so obsessed with her personal life to the extent that she did. And unlike The Secret History, it didn't seem that any of the other students represented anything; really, they didn't serve much of a purpose. 

This book was a fast read, and I was curious to see what would happen, so it kept me hooked from the start. After taking a few days to reflect on this after I finished reading, I do think this book has a suspenseful element and a very nice tie-in with Greek Classics, but the thriller aspect is weak. And I'm sure when Haynes set out to write her debut novel, she was not trying to be like The Secret History at all; this is just me drawing comparisons, as I don't often read contemporary novels, and couldn't help comparing these two because they have similar themes. 

One of the best, and most unexpected parts, of this book are the themes of grief. Parts of this book are absolutely haunting and heartbreaking as Alex recounts her feelings of mourning after her fiancé is killed. This, more than anything, is what makes The Furies stand out IMO. 

Not Haynes' strongest work, but pretty solid for a debut, even if the twist was predictable and some of the premise hard to believe or even take seriously. If the author had added more depth and given some other characters more meaning, I would have enjoyed it more. But if you're looking for a fast read that is sort of dark academia, and isn't The Secret History, look no further. Also, one last gripe, is that I don't live in nor have I ever visited Edinburgh or London, and so most of the descriptions of city streets and neighborhoods were foreign to me, almost downright confusing. 

Amanda

3.5 stars. Ever since I read The Secret History, I’ve loved the idea of reading a similar book. Last week as I was browsing the shelves of my local library, I came across The Furies. I’ve loved Natalie Haynes’ other books, and though this one is contemporary, I wanted to give it a try; it reminded me of The Secret History, giving out the same vibes. 

I enjoyed the academia setting and discussion of Greek plays, but the hook/premise didn’t feel very strong. It just didn't feel believable that one of Alex's students would become so obsessed with her personal life to the extent that she did. And unlike The Secret History, it didn't seem that any of the other students represented anything; really, they didn't serve much of a purpose. 

This book was a fast read, and I was curious to see what would happen, so it kept me hooked from the start. After taking a few days to reflect on this after I finished reading, I do think this book has a suspenseful element and a very nice tie-in with Greek Classics, but the thriller aspect is weak. And I'm sure when Haynes set out to write her debut novel, she was not trying to be like The Secret History at all; this is just me drawing comparisons, as I don't often read contemporary novels, and couldn't help comparing these two because they have similar themes. 

One of the best, and most unexpected parts, of this book are the themes of grief. Parts of this book are absolutely haunting and heartbreaking as Alex recounts her feelings of mourning after her fiancé is killed. This, more than anything, is what makes The Furies stand out IMO. 

Not Haynes' strongest work, but pretty solid for a debut, even if the twist was predictable and some of the premise hard to believe or even take seriously. If the author had added more depth and given some other characters more meaning, I would have enjoyed it more. But if you're looking for a fast read that is sort of dark academia, and isn't The Secret History, look no further. Also, one last gripe, is that I don't live in nor have I ever visited Edinburgh or London, and so most of the descriptions of city streets and neighborhoods were foreign to me, almost downright confusing. 

Jessica Ford

This book was okay. The story was interesting, but none of the characters were very likable, not even the teacher.

Christina Baltimore 

I received a copy of The Furies by Natalie Haynes for free through Goodreads First Reads.

Alex loses her fiancé, when he is killed trying to help someone else, and can’t seem to right herself afterword. With the encouragement of her friend, and former professor, Robert, she moves to Edinburgh and teaches drama therapy. The school is called The Unit and is for teens that have been expelled from other schools. Her students too have problems and haven’t dealt with them in the best ways. This is a last chance for many of her students and no one has been able to reach them so far. One particular class is more challenging than the others. Alex begins teaching the Greek Tragedies and they begin to warm up to her. They read the tragedies and then discuss them and the topics of love, revenge, obsession, loss, loyalty, etc. as a way to vocalize their own thoughts and actions. One student gets too interested in Alex, her past and things begin to go uncontrollably wrong. 

I rated this title 4 stars. It was really good. I would have liked to delve a bit more into the live and personalities to the characters. But it is well worth reading!

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The Furies A Novel

Reviews