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A review by justinkhchen
Daphne by Josh Malerman
4.0
4.5 stars
A metaphorical horror about anxiety, this follows after A House at the Bottom of a Lake as my favorite Josh Malerman I've read to date. From certain aspect, Daphne can even be interpreted as 'A House at the Bottom of a Lake 2.0', as both novels depict an abstract human condition as an enigmatic, yet physicaly present threat (a sunken house and a murderous entity respectively).
The writing is vivid and intense, as expected from Malerman, particularly in the appearance of Daphne (and how she shows up), as well as the brutal violence akin to special effects from 80s horror flicks — slightly comedic in its over-the-topness, but still packs a punch in its aggression. Told through a rotating roster of internal monologues (no formal chapter stop in this one), Daphne is a downer; characters' erratic rambling and spiraling thoughts can make for a VERY anxiety-inducing reading experience (I can only stomach it in short sittings). Even though this presentation is effective and thematically on-point, I would caution picking this up when you're in a slump.
Daphne is not perfect, there are a few side plots that feel inconsequential, and it stumbles when it tries to 'explain' the event in a rational manner; but as an expressionistic exercise in articulating anxiety and effect of trauma at varying scales, this is extremely accomplished. Not a material for a 'fun' time (the only fun aspect is its connection to Josh Malerman's other fictional work), but for sure worth checking out when you're in the right mindset— it also reminds me a bit of My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
A metaphorical horror about anxiety, this follows after A House at the Bottom of a Lake as my favorite Josh Malerman I've read to date. From certain aspect, Daphne can even be interpreted as 'A House at the Bottom of a Lake 2.0', as both novels depict an abstract human condition as an enigmatic, yet physicaly present threat (a sunken house and a murderous entity respectively).
The writing is vivid and intense, as expected from Malerman, particularly in the appearance of Daphne (and how she shows up), as well as the brutal violence akin to special effects from 80s horror flicks — slightly comedic in its over-the-topness, but still packs a punch in its aggression. Told through a rotating roster of internal monologues (no formal chapter stop in this one), Daphne is a downer; characters' erratic rambling and spiraling thoughts can make for a VERY anxiety-inducing reading experience (I can only stomach it in short sittings). Even though this presentation is effective and thematically on-point, I would caution picking this up when you're in a slump.
Daphne is not perfect, there are a few side plots that feel inconsequential, and it stumbles when it tries to 'explain' the event in a rational manner; but as an expressionistic exercise in articulating anxiety and effect of trauma at varying scales, this is extremely accomplished. Not a material for a 'fun' time (the only fun aspect is its connection to Josh Malerman's other fictional work), but for sure worth checking out when you're in the right mindset— it also reminds me a bit of My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**