This is one of my favourite books of the year.

Get lost in a liminal maze, while staring at yourself in the mirror, in this gorgeously written nightmare novella.

I've been having the same dream for 15 years, where I am stuck wander in a liminal space, sometimes I am trying to find a way out, sometimes I'm trying to escape from something. I always wake up without ever finding a way out. So when I heard that this is premise of Sofia Ajram's book, I almost fell off my chair. The book is almost exactly my dream, and it's also so much more.

This is like a magic eye picture, one way to read it is as a man who is lost in a never ending subways station, then at the same time, in the same image, it's a deep dive into the layers that make up depression and nihilism.

The prose are beautiful. I highlighted over 100 quotes in this book, and already pre-ordered the physical version so I could highlight and tab. Here are a few of my favourite quotes:
- There's not getting out of here. There is no way out. I feel like it's somehow all my fault.
- If you need me, I'll be having a nice ugly cry lying down on the floor.
- Pain is a god the body worships.
- Everything that makes me feel good, simultaneously makes me feel lost.
- Jesus take the wheel.

I love the exploration of place and belonging, from being stuck in a never ending subway station, to the things about this book that are very Quebecois. We also explore life as a place to stay or leave, and home as a real place vs a memory we're trying to return back to. It's gorgeous and heartbreaking.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan for the ARC.

This book is best read on a subway, while a cute guy flirts with you. Call him or continue? The choice is yours.

Liminal spaces absolutely terrify me and the premise of our main character being stuck in a subway station was one I thought I'd be so wrapped into because the real world fear it holds for me. This unfortunately fell short and I'm gutted to admit that. Ajram's writing was so good but maybe I'm just not the target audience for this type of book.

(I received this book from the editor and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
Welcome to the backrooms: They are located in Montreal, somewhere among the subway lines, invisible but always vigilant, and they are composed of emptiness, despair, some not-so-healthy food and the worst nightmares your mind can create.
I loved Sofia Ajram’s Coup de Grâce. I was going to say “enjoyed” but that definitely is not the most precise word. With its unique and dreamlike style, I was entrapped inside the subway almost from the beginning, even if I was still not sure of what this journey to nowhere was going to lead me.
This novella deals from the start with very heavy subjects: its main character, Vicken, is really depressed and suicidal and his emotions are shared with the reader with no sweetener. We follow his attempts to find an exit very closely, his encounters with anxiety, his feelings with fear. The story turns graphic when needed and does not gloss over anything.
And then, suddenly, the book does the cruellest thing imaginable; I think that is the best way of describing it without spoiling any details. I can honestly say I felt numbed for a moment and questioned whether what I was seeing was real or just some type of joke. I was definitely not expecting it and I’m sure no one will if not told beforehand.
However, even in its cruelty, it was such an original twist, so unique, it really got me. I wanted to go on but at the same time I was so afraid for Vicken I think I stayed longer than usual in each page. I hope more people get to this book because I really need to talk to someone about that last third. Simply genius. And so, so cruel.

Your enjoyment of this book may depend on two factors;

1. Do you like liminal spaces? I do. Pockets of alternate reality where the rules are turned upside-down excite me. The subway station is an interesting liminal space.

2. Do you like dense philosophical prose? This isn't quite my jam, fiction-wise. The author is talented and if you're into this type of prose, you may enjoy the novella!

Ultimately, the premise is interesting. I'm not sure if the end was clever or if it took away from the book. I can't say more without revealing what happens. Check it out and decide for yourself. Do heed the warnings if you're sensitive about suicide.

I wanted to like this book as the overview sounded intriguing but I just couldn’t connect with it.
The first part dragged for me, making this feel like the longest short book. It felt like Backrooms from 4Chan had a baby with House of Leaves.

Things picked up about two-thirds of the way in, but even after finishing, I still feel like I missed the point.

I’d much prefer a Goosebumps PYO ending!

It is written well, but it felt too 'flowery,' almost like the author fell into a thesaurus. Honestly, the real coup de grâce would’ve been someone putting me out of my misery while reading this.

These are just my personal thoughts!

ARC from NetGalley- published by Titan Books 1st October 2024

This book was absolutely stunning. The main character, Vicken, finds himself trapped in a labyrinth of a subway station and unable to find his way out. The horror of Vicken's situation mirrors his mental health struggles. The books is grotesque and captivating all at the same time and has some fun little surprises in it as well. It's something I will be rereading more than once!

I had high hopes for this novella about a suicidal man trapped in an endless Montreal subway station, spurred by the comparisons to Susanna Clarke. Unfortunately, Coup de Grâce is no Piranesi. Protagonist Vicken is unshakeably determined to die—and I appreciated Ajram sticking to his (the author uses he, she and they pronouns) guns on this; few novelists are so willing—but we have almost no sense of what their situation is in life, or who their family and friends are. There are dropped hints: EMT training because med school was unaffordable; a mother who rarely comforts or soothes. But overall Vicken's personhood feels unconvincing. He also often drops in philosophical or artistic musings that, while obviously not impossible for someone of his socioeconomic standing, aren't properly integrated; they feel authorial, external to Vicken's consiousness. The deserted subway station setting, meanwhile, is creepy, but marred by persistent overwriting: "Overhead, inverted crenellations of concrete dissever further mezzanine landings and cut the harsh luminescence of the overhead lights into a lambent gloom." File under "not for me".

Vicken has thought about suicide for a long time, and now he's ready to follow through. There's too much suffering, too much mundane, too much expectation and loneliness. As he rides the subway to his final destination - the Saint Lawrence river - he falls asleep. When he wakes, Vicken discovers the subway station he's in isn't like any he's ever seen before. It has no exit. It's geometry and architecture make no sense. There's no natural light and no other people (at least, not really). At the same time, he's certainly not alone.

To put it simply, I wasn't the right audience for this book. Ajram is very obviously a talented writer (albeit a little prone to excess in my opinion) and the imagery in Coup de Grâce hit hard. The endless subway station was mesmerizing, grisly, horrific, and completely dreadful. Vicken's helplessness and frequent hopelessness was palpable, made all the more painful knowing he was struggling well before landing in this monochromatic prison of sorts.

But, and this might sound contradictory given the outlandishness of the setting, the story was too grounded in reality for me. I think I expected the suicidal aspect to take a back seat to the drama/horror fantasy of the neverending station. Instead, the two are inextricably linked. Despite being a novella, the constant cycle of Vicken's internal depressive and self-loathing monologue became too much. I also felt a bit cheated when it came to the ending.

A huge thank you to Sofia Ajram, Titan Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. Coup de Grâce will be published and available on October 1, 2024.

I was immediately intrigued based on this cover and the summary and based on the synopsis this book is one that I should’ve loved. Unfortunately it fell a little flat for me.

There were definitely some creepy vibes and it was enough to keep me reading, but I just didn’t love it as much as I thought I would.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for my copy

This book had all the keywords to excite me. Queer, architectural horror, inspired by House of Leaves. I'll start with what I liked, which is the prose. The way the book deals with text and images is incredibly playful and meaty. As a fan of the Gothic, I like purple prose, which this book has in abundance.

One gripe I had is that I wish the book trusted its audience a bit more with its metaphors. Every few chapters, I feel like the protagonist Vick turns to the fourth wall to tell the audience exactly what an image or motif represents regarding mental health.

Leading me to the end, which unfortunately felt incredibly rushed. There is a tonal shift, with changes of tense, form and as many metafictional tropes as possible suddenly cramped into about 20 pages. The protagonist suddenly starts being super glib and swearing with what feels like a Holden Caulfield impersonation. It's out of the blue and takes away from the earlier gothic tone.

Ultimately, I think this book flip-flops between a gothic nightmare and postmodern pop culture, without developing either half enough. I think it wears its inspirations from House of Leaves too much on its sleeve, rather than taking the time to build its own identity.

It's a very short book, so definitely worth a read if you're intrigued by a take on architecture horror intermingled with contemporary mental health issues and a dash of creepypasta.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley. I really enjoyed the first 75% of this book. I was invested in the character, embedded in the situation, loving the rainbow representation, loving the way the MC's mental health was depicted. I was all in.
But about 3/4 of the way through, it felt like the author wasn't sure how to end the story, and was just throwing ideas at the wall, hoping something would stick. The "choose your own adventure" schtick really didn't sit well with me either. At that point, I was ready for this story to be done. So ... I think it might be one of those books that people love or hate. I wanted to love it, but I really hated the ending, hence my ambivalent 3 star rating.

Ajram has certainly created an unsettling work where the world sent me, the reader, into a breathless panic. The very idea of navigating corridor after corridor and never finding a way out is the stuff of nightmares for me. I have been thinking of how to review this novella but can really only emphasise how it made me feel. The content is mysterious, hopeless and dark. There are many mentions of suicide or suicidal ideation and body horror so this is not for the faint of heart. It is a fast read but one that has certainly stayed with me since I finished it.

Poetic and dark and draining and glorious.

I am a fan of Sofia Ajram's work since reading Bury Your Gays anthology.
When I saw the book trailer for Coup de Grace, I immediately wanted to read it. Liminal spaces are a favorite trope of mine and this felt like Back Rooms only darker. While it is that, it is so much more. The twists and turns felt like The Worm and His Kings by Hailey Piper but with a far more claustrophobic and unrelenting story line.
Ajram's poetic language is soporific and lulls the reader into a dream-like state to skim the surface of the main character, Vicken's own depression and existential terror. There were moments I was worried this story would leave me in a fugue state afterwards and wondered if I should stop reading for my own mental health. I kept going though.
The end, with its choose your own adventure style and fourth-wall breaking point of view was brilliant.
I can tell this book will be sticking with me like cement dust in my pockets for a very long time.

The premise of the book drew me in, but the writing failed to capture my attention. I was eager to start the book but it became difficult to stick with.

Content Warnings: Suicide/suicidal ideation, Body Horror, Gore, Mental Illness, Existentialism

Ajram's novel is extremely successful in its vivid descriptions. Whether it is the mystery of the looping train story, body horror heavy experiences, or the first person narrator The descriptions of the train station, body horror heavy experiences, and lived experiences of the first person narrator were all wonderfully penned. However, I found the book lingered too long for me. I eventually began to skim because it felt too repetitious. Then, when it got to the Choose Your Own Section, I couldn't participate easily in the ebook version. That part may be a me problem; the links themselves worked fine, but it was hard for me to keep track of what I had or hadn't done, as opposed to a physical book where I can hold a finger or put a place holder.

While this book is not for me, it's NOT poorly written, and I think there are many would may enjoy it. Specifically, Ajram's book reminded me immediately of horror video games, which have recently had a lot of settings that use looping, liminal spaces, and often multiple endings based on the player's actions. Those who enjoy those kinds of narrative will, I think, dig this book.

I was really enjoying this one until about halfway through when it went a little too surreal for my taste. That’s ok, I was still along for the ride until the choice to end it on a choose you own adventure type of interactive storytelling. It took me right out of it and any hope of a cohesive narrative was gone. I still really enjoyed the premise and there are amazing parts. It just gets a bit bogged down by its own cleverness.

Thank you Netgalley and Titan books for the ARC copy for review.

Sofia Ajram's Coup de Grâce is an unsettling journey into the depths of depression and existential dread, masquerading as a subway station from hell. The story follows Vicken, a suicidal man who finds himself trapped in an endless, labyrinthine Montreal metro. Ajram's vivid, often poetic prose creates a claustrophobic atmosphere that mirrors the protagonist's spiraling mental state. While the metaphor may be heavy-handed at times, the book's strength lies in its visceral portrayal of despair and the human psyche. If you're looking for a less conventional, more cerebral take on horror that delves deep into the human condition, this experimental horror novella offers a unique and unsettling experience.

I haven't a single solitary clue what to say about this book. It was haunting and horrific but left me plagued with thoughts about my mental health. I would not recommend reading this if you're feeling particularly suicidal at the moment, as this may cause you to spiral down even further (thank you Zoloft for keeping me afloat here).

My one gripe with this book is that at times I felt like I was too stupid to be reading it. There were many times when it felt like Ajram went a little hard with the thesaurus, but I powered through. I feel like in the end I wound up with more questions than I had answers, and I rather think that was the point. Life doesn't often provide us with the exact answers we want, and we also don't always get the happy ending, despite what Hollywood desperately tries to convince us of.

I think it was worth the read, but like any other book with triggers, proceed with caution.

A haunting and atmospheric experience. Juxtaposing concrete brutalism and organic decay all throughout was brilliant and works so well with the subject matter of depression and suicidal ideation.
I really enjoyed this book despite how deeply upsetting it was, and as far as whether or not I recommend it? Just make sure you're in a good headspace.
Formatting-wise the choose-your-own adventure type links to different chapters was a neat idea but I personally feel as though that only works in a print.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing a copy of this book for review in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher dir this arc!

I really wanted to like this book. I am a big horror fan but this one just fell flat for me.