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exorcismemily's review
4.0
"The basement gaped open like a mouth."
The Chrysalis was a fun read. It wasn't entirely what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it. It has a great opening & proceeds with some slow-building suspense.
I was very curious about what was going on with the house, and the story was intriguing enough to hold my attention throughout the book. I saw a couple reviews calling this sci-fi instead of horror, but I think it's just horror on the lighter side.
Even though I liked the book overall, I did have some issues. At times, I felt like the relationships were very forced. It was distracting, and the interactions between characters did not feel natural at all. The book definitely could have used some more polishing, and I feel like it took away from the story in some ways. I would have liked for there to be more background on the house - I felt like focus was on the wrong things.
Even though The Chrysalis is not perfect, it's still a very enjoyable read. If you're looking for some light spookiness, this is a good one to pick up!
The Chrysalis was a fun read. It wasn't entirely what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it. It has a great opening & proceeds with some slow-building suspense.
I was very curious about what was going on with the house, and the story was intriguing enough to hold my attention throughout the book. I saw a couple reviews calling this sci-fi instead of horror, but I think it's just horror on the lighter side.
Even though I liked the book overall, I did have some issues. At times, I felt like the relationships were very forced. It was distracting, and the interactions between characters did not feel natural at all. The book definitely could have used some more polishing, and I feel like it took away from the story in some ways. I would have liked for there to be more background on the house - I felt like focus was on the wrong things.
Even though The Chrysalis is not perfect, it's still a very enjoyable read. If you're looking for some light spookiness, this is a good one to pick up!
suspensethrill's review against another edition
2.0
A couple of things:
1) I found this to be categorized improperly. I went in expecting the horror it is billed as, only to find out it's really a science fiction novel. Nothing wrong with that, just disappointing when you're picking up a book you hope is scary but turns out isn't frightening at all. I'm not a regular reader of horror novels, but even I was disappointed, which isn't the author's fault.
2) I think this would make a swell movie. The story has a very vivid writing style and I think if this was billed properly, could make loads of money.
*I received a copy for review from the publisher via NetGalley.
1) I found this to be categorized improperly. I went in expecting the horror it is billed as, only to find out it's really a science fiction novel. Nothing wrong with that, just disappointing when you're picking up a book you hope is scary but turns out isn't frightening at all. I'm not a regular reader of horror novels, but even I was disappointed, which isn't the author's fault.
2) I think this would make a swell movie. The story has a very vivid writing style and I think if this was billed properly, could make loads of money.
*I received a copy for review from the publisher via NetGalley.
strivi's review against another edition
1.0
1.6-2 stars
Meh. This book was just weird and I didn't like the characters. It wasn't deep, was just interesting enough to keep reading to see how it resolved, but with a feeling of "let's get this over with." Not a fan of the mysterious sci-fi-ish chrysalis in the basement driving people to insanity. It seemed out of place for the story and I have too many questions about it for me to be satisfied with its presence and effect.
Meh. This book was just weird and I didn't like the characters. It wasn't deep, was just interesting enough to keep reading to see how it resolved, but with a feeling of "let's get this over with." Not a fan of the mysterious sci-fi-ish chrysalis in the basement driving people to insanity. It seemed out of place for the story and I have too many questions about it for me to be satisfied with its presence and effect.
bookertsfarm's review against another edition
4.0
I've basically wanted to read this book since it first came out so I finally cracked down and decided to make time for it. Boy am I glad that I did. So Tom and Jenny are your basic millenials. Tom is a bartender and Jenny basically hangs out with him at the bar when not working her job as a personal trainer. One day they receive a notice that their rent is increasing and they will no longer be able to afford it. They start house hunting and are shocked when they score a huge old house outside city limits. Soon after moving in, Jenny learns she is pregnant and both of them are forced to grow up. However, the glowing blob in the basement has other ideas.
I really enjoyed "The Chrysalis" and pretty much read it in a day. Every time I put it down, I would quickly pick it back up and convince myself I'd read just one more chapter. I don't know that I ever fell in love with either Jenny or Tom as characters, but they were likable and I wanted to find out what was happening to them. As the story unfolds, Tom's obsession with the chrysalis he discovers in the basement takes over and boy does it take a toll on the relationship. Add that to the red stain on the kitchen floor which never quite disappears and you just know the book is headed down a road toward disaster.
"The Chrysalis" isn't what I expected. Initially I thought it was a haunted house tale but instead I ended up with more of a haunted individuals tale. And it worked. I was even pleased with the ending and was glad that the author wasn't afraid to take some chances. I will warn people who have little tolerance for whiny character that they might find Tom annoying. When he basically had what equates to a mid-life crisis because he had to get a full-time job and cut his hair, I felt no sympathy. However, on the whole, I think any horror lover might want to give this book a try. In addition, I think someone new to horror might even like this because I kind of consider it "horror-lite."
I really enjoyed "The Chrysalis" and pretty much read it in a day. Every time I put it down, I would quickly pick it back up and convince myself I'd read just one more chapter. I don't know that I ever fell in love with either Jenny or Tom as characters, but they were likable and I wanted to find out what was happening to them. As the story unfolds, Tom's obsession with the chrysalis he discovers in the basement takes over and boy does it take a toll on the relationship. Add that to the red stain on the kitchen floor which never quite disappears and you just know the book is headed down a road toward disaster.
"The Chrysalis" isn't what I expected. Initially I thought it was a haunted house tale but instead I ended up with more of a haunted individuals tale. And it worked. I was even pleased with the ending and was glad that the author wasn't afraid to take some chances. I will warn people who have little tolerance for whiny character that they might find Tom annoying. When he basically had what equates to a mid-life crisis because he had to get a full-time job and cut his hair, I felt no sympathy. However, on the whole, I think any horror lover might want to give this book a try. In addition, I think someone new to horror might even like this because I kind of consider it "horror-lite."
oldsalt's review against another edition
2.0
The Chrysalis comes out swinging, only to fizzle out as the haunted house genre gives way to the alien world of sci-fi.
The novel is less a haunted house story than it is a story about agency and manipulation, and even, to a certain point, a mystery – which is never truly solved. Throughout the novel, our characters are haunted by hallucinations. The primary spooky moments are body horror, and while they often are used to chilling effect, it is not the creaking, spooky, haunted house novel that I hoped it would be. The root of the story is never explored, and that leads to questions that are left unanswered, at the detriment to the story.
By leaving the majority of the mechanics and origin of the mysterious chrysalis, Brenden Deneen managed to avoid having to plot out additional information that may have slowed the novel down. It is certainly a quick read, with moments of true horror that are quickly wiped away as hallucinations or misunderstandings. Deneen also did really interesting work with the characters – they’re a rich and diverse group (far more diverse than I thought a book about young adults in Manhattan would be!), and the relationships are well-written and entertaining.
The characters definitely work best as a group as opposed to dealing with characters one-on-one, especially because Deneen fails to really give motivation to our protagonist’s actions. While part of this is certainly intentional, and plays into the genre and helps to create a sense of claustrophobia and confusion, at certain moments it seems more careless and creates a disconnection between the novel and the reader. Tom is largely a reactive character, and in the moments when he does drive the action or make choices for himself, the reader is cut-off and left to watch rather than experience.
But strong characters aren’t enough to pull this story out of its tailspin. The author tries to do too much, and some of the story’s strongest aspects – how the chrysalis effects Jenny, for instance - end up sliding through the cracks, only appearing in confusing half-scenes that rarely pay off in the larger novel. As a result, the novel’s pacing struggles. At times it is a breakneck tale of the loss of control that our central couple is experiencing, only to be dragged to a halt as the plot points begin to repeat themselves. Fortunately, by that time, Deneen seems to realize it and is quick to wrap the story up ---- resulting in another messy passage as the story breaks apart in its ending.
Although filled with interesting characters and clever, quick, and humorous writing, The Chrysalis never seems to find its footing as a horror novel. It suffers missteps in plotting and pacing, but is worth a look for more forgiving fans of horror and sci-fi.
The novel is less a haunted house story than it is a story about agency and manipulation, and even, to a certain point, a mystery – which is never truly solved. Throughout the novel, our characters are haunted by hallucinations. The primary spooky moments are body horror, and while they often are used to chilling effect, it is not the creaking, spooky, haunted house novel that I hoped it would be. The root of the story is never explored, and that leads to questions that are left unanswered, at the detriment to the story.
By leaving the majority of the mechanics and origin of the mysterious chrysalis, Brenden Deneen managed to avoid having to plot out additional information that may have slowed the novel down. It is certainly a quick read, with moments of true horror that are quickly wiped away as hallucinations or misunderstandings. Deneen also did really interesting work with the characters – they’re a rich and diverse group (far more diverse than I thought a book about young adults in Manhattan would be!), and the relationships are well-written and entertaining.
The characters definitely work best as a group as opposed to dealing with characters one-on-one, especially because Deneen fails to really give motivation to our protagonist’s actions. While part of this is certainly intentional, and plays into the genre and helps to create a sense of claustrophobia and confusion, at certain moments it seems more careless and creates a disconnection between the novel and the reader. Tom is largely a reactive character, and in the moments when he does drive the action or make choices for himself, the reader is cut-off and left to watch rather than experience.
But strong characters aren’t enough to pull this story out of its tailspin. The author tries to do too much, and some of the story’s strongest aspects – how the chrysalis effects Jenny, for instance - end up sliding through the cracks, only appearing in confusing half-scenes that rarely pay off in the larger novel. As a result, the novel’s pacing struggles. At times it is a breakneck tale of the loss of control that our central couple is experiencing, only to be dragged to a halt as the plot points begin to repeat themselves. Fortunately, by that time, Deneen seems to realize it and is quick to wrap the story up ---- resulting in another messy passage as the story breaks apart in its ending.
Although filled with interesting characters and clever, quick, and humorous writing, The Chrysalis never seems to find its footing as a horror novel. It suffers missteps in plotting and pacing, but is worth a look for more forgiving fans of horror and sci-fi.
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