I finally read Chrysalis, inspired by Han Kang's Vegetarian, a day or two before the Korean author won the Nobel prize for literature. Anna Metcalfe's debut novel had been on my 'to read' list for some time. I loved the feel of it, the elusive central character undergoing a transformation and taking complete control of her own life, ultimately becoming a sort of wellness influencer . We catch glimpses of her from Elliot who meets her at the gym, her mother Bella and her one time colleague Susie. All three are terribly lonely and the novel looks at loneliness and abandonment on one hand, contrasting it with stillness and self-sufficiency on the other. Thought provoking, definitely an author to watch.

My thanks to Netgalley and Granta for the opportunity to read Chrysalis and apologies for taking a long time to do so.

A beautiful, intelligent story. Very different and thus original. It covers so many areas of modern day life and will keep you thinking long after finishing this.
In summary: thought provoking and wonderful.

This book is strange and unsettling, regularly putting the reader in the strange position of not knowing what is true. Our two central character behave in ways that feel unhuman or unreal, and yet this novel holds together some much bigger ideas about how we respond to trauma. It is an odd and weird book, but one that sticks in your mind.

Brilliant read if you are looking for limited plot but in depth character exploration, with themes of loneliness, body image and social media.
I enjoyed to narrative structure, learning about the unnamed protagonist from 3 separate points of view. This is a unique read that will stay in your brain once you've finished reading.

An astonishing novel that perfectly captures the modern zeitgeist in all its twisted complexity. I ate it up and loved every page. Wonderful.

Chrysalis was an *interesting* read. Interesting in that I kept waiting for something to happen. It didn't.

In short, 'Chrysalis' charts the evolution of a lawyer into a spirituality guru, told by 3 different people she encounters throughout her bizarre life. Metcalfe touches on some really interesting themes: emotional and domestic abuse, implied Factitious Disorder and depression, but none of them feel developed or far-reaching enough.

Metcalfe's choice to tell the story from 3 different perspectives was refreshing, but there wasn't so much of a story to begin with, and, for me, the voices of the three characters didn't feel distinctive enough to warrant them being separate.

I give 'Chrysalis' 2 stars for the author's nice use of language, but for the most part I finished the book wondering what the point of it was.

This was a wonderfully mercurial, mysterious read. It follows an unnamed woman as she undergoes a strange process of transformation, told through the viewpoint of three people connected to her so each change of perspective offers a different interpretation of what's happening, but importantly you never directly hear 'her' voice or thoughts.

I've seen this variously described as a send-up of modern self-optimisation, a meditation on the expectations of approachability and friendliness placed on women, and a harrowing tale of surviving domestic abuse. As opposing as some of those descriptions may seem to be, it somehow manages to do it all, but it's also so well written it doesn't feel try hard. Really thought provoking and highly recommended.

'Chrysalis' is a very compelling story. Well-paced, the three different POVs of the narrators help paint the picture of the book's protagonist. It's one flaw is how unlikeable I found the main character - whether or not that was my interpretation of her on paper or if it was the narrators' actual view of her is still unclear to me. The novel is a wonderful debut, Anna Metcalfe painting a simultaneously in-depth and superficial picture of a woman. In this digital age, the idea of someone coming to life and only representing themselves online isn't a new one, however 'Chrysalis' does an excellent job at showing the oxymoronic nature of being "authentic" in a world that is built for us to create an idea of "flawlessness" online. One of the more scathing reviews of the influencer lifestyle I've read.

Chrysalis by Anna Metcalfe is a debut novel about an unnamed woman who becomes a viral internet sensation, told by three people who are/have been close to her.

Elliot first sees her at the gym, where he is captivated by her strength and no-nonsense attitude.

Her mother speaks about a daughter constantly reinventing herself from childhood and wonders if she sacrificed too much (or not enough) of herself in order to raise her.

Her friend Susie talks about taking her under her wing after her relationship became dangerous. But did Susie save her, or did she save Susie?

It's a clever, uncomfortable, modern novel that asks many questions of us and of how we view fellow humans as "content" to consume - the commodification of authenticity, the lure of celebrity. We know so much about the woman at the centre of this story, from her childhood to her relationships to her friendships - yet we don't even know her name. It looks at the influence we allow people to have, especially when we don't actually *know* them, and asks the question - even if people give themselves freely online, should we take? It also looks at the online wellness industry, and asks - is it self care? Or monetized narcissism?

It's really sharp, it's uncomfortable at times, but it was a gripping read and I will absolutely look out for more writing from Anna Metcalfe.

This novel takes a little while to warm up - I found the first chapter to be somehow both mundane and strange simultaneously, and initially almost put the book down. I persevered, though, and am glad I did. It builds slowly, and each new POV adds layers to the story - like the titular chrysalis - rewarding the reader for their perseverance. The book is absolutely not what I expected from the blurb, or from a book about a ‘fitness influencer’, for the better. It’s an odd, surreal and almost plotless story that drifts along on a tide of tight, impressive prose as we see the nameless lead character transform through the POV of three people who know her. The writing is gorgeous, though on occasion the framing device did feel a little like a writing exercise. I found the first POV the least engaging - despite also finding it to be necessary later on, when reframed through the context of the other POVs - which may struggle to hook some viewers. My favourite was the middle section, from the perspective of the unnamed main character's mother - composed of cool, crystalline prose that resembled and evoked the stone house it was largely set in - that explores the difficulties of motherhood, from an often unseen perspective. The novel is truly a meditation on loneliness and isolation and we see how each different character struggles with this, through the lens of their connection to the lead character. I did understand why the unnamed characters acted as she did, but she remained pretty cold and unlikeable, so it was a bit hard to see why (most of) the other characters were so enamored with her. At times I found the POVs were a little similar to each other, the opening chapter does drag somewhat in comparison to the second and third and the ending did feel a tad abrupt, but over-all this was a strange, skillfully written and beautiful debut.

3.5 Didn't have the speculative slant that I was wishing for but a well written and compelling read nevertheless! All three of the perspectives were intriguing, I love when incongruencies are casually revealed via a co-narrator. Examining reinvention in this specific obsessive, selfish self-care, influencer context worked well and the novel sets a nice disconcerting tone with all the oddness.

The download date was unfortunately missed, I would be happy to re-review if it became available again. I have awarded stars for the book cover and description as they both appeal to me. I would be more than happy to re-read and review if a download becomes available. If you would like me to re-review please feel free to contact me at thesecretbookreview@gmail.com or via social media The_secret_bookreview (Instagram) or Secret_bookblog (Twitter). Thank you.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this one - and I definitely could not have predicted where this novel would go! I enjoyed the journey without knowing what our destinations was. The writing style was good and absorbing. I was half expecting to see the point of view of HER, our nameless female character, and I was mildly disappointed we didn't get to see the inside of her mind. It was an interesting transition nonetheless, and I loved the idea of building strength and finding stillness. This novel was a little different, which I enjoyed, but I can't neccessarily think of instances where I would recommend it to people because of the overall vagueness and lack of direction. Certainly one for the "weird and wonderful" shelf!

I really liked this, but wish it had gone deeper in many areas. The MC is observed by 3 people as she begins to change both her body and her mind, to become the strongest she can be. This narrative device lends a distance and I never felt like I got inside the MC‘s head.

Still, it left me with many questions, and I can‘t stop thinking about it. (Maybe that is the point, questions rather than answers?)

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Chrysalis is a portrait of a person shown from three perspectives. It is the story of an influencer, never named, who preaches to her loyal followers about the benefits of solitude, selfishness, and putting yourself first. Through the eyes of an acquaintance she meets at the gym, her mother, and her friend from work, we are drip-fed details that uncover the intriguing and thought-provoking mystery surrounding her.

This was a very strong debut novel. The success of the novel hinges on the reader engaging with the mysterious aspects of the central character; there’s no plot as such, and we’re told up front about the influencer she becomes, and so the only thing really driving the narrative is the details we’re given gradually about her past and the way she acts. This might sound like a hard sell, but Metcalfe really pulls it off - the characters are believable, their interactions are engaging and you really do find yourself caring about the little moments of intrigue. The central character’s behaviour is compellingly odd, and the sinister undercurrent running through the novel from the start is really effective - leaving you with the sense that, though you can’t entirely identify just what has happened, something dark is going on.

I’d highly recommend checking this one out. Metcalfe was recently included on Granta’s list of the 20 Best Young British Novelists, and this debut proves that this is a worthy inclusion.

Thanks to Granta and Netgalley for the e-ARC!

Chrysalis is a novel split into three parts which follows a different person and their experiences with our nameless protagonist. Our protagonist, who in general, is quite fascinating as she chooses to go against the grain of society's conventions in abandoning the average feminine body type, her daytime job, and even her loved ones, instead living a life of isolation in order to better her physical and mental well being.

Our first part of the book follows a lover. This section very much focused on gyms and exercise - something that usually doesn't interest me in the slightest but this was my favorite section! Our protagonist is at her most mysterious here and Metcalfe is able to make something so mundane also interesting to read about.

The next two parts follow her mother and her friend/work colleague. These sections were both very strong and did everything needed to in order to propel the plot forward. Metcalfe paced this book fantastically - there are often times where I sit and think a book has rambled on for far too long and can't wait for it to be over but this was the perfect length without feeling like I was missing out on crucial information.

I'm pretty sure this is Metcalfe's first book and the rest of her stuff in publication is just short stories but I will definitely be picking up the next novel she releases as I really enjoyed my experience with this one, especially as a debut novel.

This novel is a triptych detailing the physical and mental transformation in the unnamed main character told by three different people Elliot (a short- term infatuation), Bella (her mother) and Susie (a somewhat colleague and friend). There is both a warmness to the storytelling and also a frankness in how these relationships develop. The novel has a feeling of movement and of progression even though the story is told through different periods of time, with missing gaps as she disappears and ‘hibernates’.

Her change into a You Tube meditation and fitness influencer allows the narrators to reflect on their relationships. Elliot realises ‘how simple our relationship had been up until that point. She had only needed me to watch. I was her first viewer, her first subscriber, her first like’.

Even her mother realises the transactional relationship that had been developed between them ‘interactions…she could fold into her philosophy without ever having to confront the complexity of another human being’.

This is a modern and engaging novel on personal growth. Anna Metcalfe is now one of the Granta’s 20 Young British Novelists (2023) which is published every ten years.

With thanks to Granta Publications and Netgalley for a review copy.

I read this debut novel as the author was recently selected for the decennial Granta Best of Young British Novelists list (2023 edition).

The author has a MA and PhD in Creative Writing from UEA and now lectures in Creative Writing at the University of Birmingham.

And this is very pertinent to the book which originally arose (from a Bookseller interview) from a timed writing exercise, one inspired by her favourite novel Han Kang’s “ The Vegetarian” in which she asked her students “to invent their own “recalcitrant or hard to pin down” protagonist and then describe that character through three different points of view” with her own attempt to model the exercise providing the genesis of the novel.

So we see the novel’s unnamed central protagonist (who is at the time the novel is set a social media lifestyle influencer) through three separate people looking back across their encounters with her:

Elliot - a rather solitary contract worker who alternates between unhealthy 24-7 contract working and gym obsession and who encounters (then obsesses over then forms a relationship with) the woman when she visits his gym, full of self-assurance and purpose to remodel and build her body.

Bella - her mother who gives birth to her as a recently orphaned single mother and brings her daughter up in an intensely close relationship in a small cottage where Bella produces her art. Through Bella we learn that since a child the woman has suffered inexplicable but frequent attacks of extreme shaking.

Susie - who starts work in a legal firm at the same time as the woman and a man Paul who later enters a relationship with the woman which (at least from her account) becomes increasingly toxic and controlling causing the woman to move in with Susie.

While each reflects in their past with the woman, they are also consumed by her present as an influencer - her meditative videos seemingly promoting a self-absorbed and self-sufficient life of both physical presence/strength and a ruthlessly conscious cutting off of all ties; a message at an extreme of social media’s assiduous influence - not just putting out a curated life free of weakness and the vicissitudes of real life but which actively promotes the elimination not just of bodily weakness but of the messiness of relationships and ties.

And this in itself means her clinically dropping her relationships with each of the narrators despite their shared pasts and the parts they each played in her life – and this for each of them causes them to focus more on their own life difficulties and insecurities.

Elliott with his solitude, seeming lack of social skills and alternating bouts of extreme IT work-induced slobbing and gym self-obsession would seem to be a paid up member of the Incel club except the woman allows them to form a relationship ship which then turns sexual. He ends inspired by her journey to take one of his own – although over the other two sections we realise that this has been taken too an extreme to the consternation of his own mother.

Bella, scarred by her own upbringing by a distant mother and the loss of her father invests everything in what she sees as an idealised 2 person nuclear family unit with her daughter - only to have her daughter seemingly reject her own body, the world and firm her only attachment with a sympathetic teacher - an attachment which to Bella seems designed only to point out the flaws and inadequacies of her own parenting. Later when her daughter goes to University Bella is left bereft, and turns her feelings of isolation back into her own art while still taking solace in the achievements of her daughter even as they seem to consciously exclude her.

Susie as a legal graduate is desperately insecure with a strong desire to confirm and even stronger sense of imposter syndrome. She initially siezes on the woman as an example of unconventional self-assurance to aspire to, feels betrayed when the woman moves in with Paul only to be delighted to be able to turn provider when the woman asks to move in with Susie when Paul turns abusive.

Overall I found this a very interesting and thought provoking novel.

Chrysalis by Anna Metcalfe is a very original, thought-provoking and fresh novel told from three different perspectives about transformation and reinvention, trauma, loneliness and isolation, motherhood, obsession and infatuation. My favourite part was the middle one. I would definitely want to read more from this author.

Anna Metcalfe’s Chrysalis deliberately reworks aspects of Han Kang’s The Vegetarian. Like Kang’s novel it’s divided into three parts in which the same, nameless woman is viewed from different angles. Metcalfe touches on concerns that frequently surface in discussions of strands in contemporary western society: from the role of social media influencers and fandom to the wellness and self-sufficiency industries through to transactional relationships, narcissism and voyeurism. Each of her narrators is witness to an aspect of the nameless woman’s transformation from floundering, and possibly traumatised, to seemingly-invulnerable colossus. Two of these three are people who’ve met the woman as an adult, Elliot with whom she has a brief sexual relationship and Susie her former work colleague, the third is her mother Bella.

Elliot is a slightly unnerving character, aspects of his behaviour and his fascination with the woman reminded me of Frederick in John Fowles’s The Collector - possibly intentionally since both books deploy imagery related to metamorphosis and butterflies. Elliot’s account feigns objectivity and detachment but it’s clear he’s deeply invested in the woman from the moment he first spies her at a local gym. Elliot’s self-obsessed, socially-awkward and reclusive yet prepared to disrupt his everyday rituals for a chance to be close to the woman. But the woman’s more bent on physical transformation than personal connection. Like Elliot, the woman’s mother Bella has intentionally chosen relative isolation. She’s also ambivalent about the woman, an apparently challenging child whose disturbing bodily tremors proved inexplicable to the medical and other practitioners they frequented in search of a cure. Bella views her child from a distance, more caught up in her work as an artist than the process of parenting. But she’s confused too about her daughter’s mercurial qualities and capacity for reinvention, as well as what either of them actually wants from each other. Then there’s the conformist Susie, lonely and drifting, the woman’s brief stay in her apartment provides a direction and purpose she’s been seeking. For Susie this woman is a possible role model, someone to emulate as much as she is someone to nurture.

There were moments when Metcalfe’s intense, introspective narrative felt almost annoyingly slick and manipulative, but sometimes it took on a near clinical feel. That sense of the clinical chimes with the territory she’s exploring as well as her characters’ relentless dissection of their unnamed subject. Alongside an underlying commentary on narrative itself, Metcalfe raises interesting questions about identity especially the idea of a finished, authentic self; as well as probing the fragile boundaries between self and others. She’s particularly adept at dealing with ambiguities, in each of the interactions with her unnamed woman it’s difficult to discern whether these are relationships grounded in mutual or one-sided exploitation or based on fantasy and projection borne out of each individual’s unfulfilled desires – the narrators’ recollections are often far more revealing of the observers than the observed.

The woman at the centre of the novel’s hard to pin down, at once fearful and fearless. As she assumes control of her body, her increasing physical power is accompanied by an equally powerful personal philosophy – or maybe that’s an impression that’s equally dependent on the fantasies of others. But for many, her desire for strength and stillness, almost tree-like, appears to represent the perfecting of life as art. A stance that offers up a vision of an organic self that clearly appeals to the growing band of followers drawn to her online presence. Many of whom seem to be seeking a blueprint for how to live. For the woman part of this process of change, and later promotion of solitude, may be founded in childhood trauma and then her experiences while living with an abusive man. Interestingly this element of her journey is the least developed perhaps because it offers a solution that’s too clearcut, a form of narrative closure Metcalfe’s clearly not prepared to entertain. Overall, I thought this was a well-crafted, full-length debut, and although it could be curiously static, it was sufficiently intelligent and intriguing to hold my attention.