Alex Morris, a theatrical director, has been happily pursuing her dream life in London with her fiancé Luke, a lawyer, when he is murdered. Trying to save a woman from a violent man.
Starting over means wrenching herself away from her former life, so she heads to Edinburgh and a job working with troubled teens in a “last chance” therapeutic environment.
Teaching them the Greek classics satisfies a need in Alex to stay connected to the theatrical world she’d loved, and she enjoys how the students begin to explore the themes, almost as if they find them relevant in their daily lives.
What she didn’t count on was how one especially troubled teen would immerse herself so fully in these themes and take obsessive actions that would change their lives forever.
The story felt like a game, of sorts, as the writer’s style keeps us guessing throughout, building to a dramatic and surprising end. Alex narrates the story in first-person perspective, but she also alternates between the present and past tense. It took me a bit to realize that when the narration is in the present tense, we are in the aftermath of what has happened. Most of the story alternates between what happened before and what is happening now. And as we see the past unfold in bits and pieces, we realize, finally, what is about to occur. And I am cringing at the level of obsession going on with one of the young characters.
Part of the story is told through the obsessed character’s diary entries, and we learn a lot about what is going on with her through this slow reveal.
A wonderfully dramatic and enticing read that kept me glued to the pages throughout, I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. The teenage characters were complex, annoying, and also engaging. You want to give up on them, but then you realize you must keep trying. The Furies: A Novel “is a psychologically complex, dark and twisting novel about loss, obsession and the deep tragedies that can connect us to each other even as they blind us to our fate.” 5.0 stars.
SERENDIPITY 
Great review of what sounds like a compelling novel, one I think I would enjoy.
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I wasn’t sure about this one, so I was thrilled to feel so engaged with it. Thanks for stopping by, Catherine.
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Other than the tense switching this sounds like a really interesting book. The premise definitely sound unique. Thanks for sharing!
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Yes, I didn’t even get the “tense switching” at first; but then when I did, it made sense. Thanks for stopping by, Katherine.
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The writing sounds interesting and I like the play on past and present tense Laurel.
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Definitely, Kimba….it was an intriguing tool. Thanks for stopping by.
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Sounds a bit confusing with the past and present tense but it also sounds like a really intriguing read. 🙂
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I was a little confused at first, but then when I realized what was happening, it flowed smoothly for me. Thanks for stopping by, Stormi.
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