Immersions

by Kyle McCarthy

Taut and spellbinding, Immersions follows the aftermath of a celebrated dancer’s abrupt decision to quit her company and join an enclosed convent in France, and her younger sister’s obsessive conviction that her sister’s ex-husband is responsible.

Frances’s older sister Charley was a star of the modern dance world. But just as she was ascending, she fell in love with Johnny, an enigmatic trust fund artist, and married him. A few years into their turbulent marriage, Charley mysteriously leaves her dance company and joins an enclosed convent in Provence. Much to the shock of her family, she changes her name to Sister Anne and cuts off contact with the outside world.

Frances, a dancer herself, grew up in the shadow of her brilliant sister and is suddenly unmoored without her. From their first uneasy meeting, Frances has distrusted Johnny. Now, she is certain he had something to do with her sister’s abrupt abandonment of her art and family. When Frances discovers that Johnny has returned to New York, she reaches out to him, looking for answers and seeking confrontation. The two plunge into an ambiguous intimacy—diving ever deeper, as each tries to unlock the other's secrets. A slender and twisted tale of sexual coming-of-age and of the deep bonds of lust and loyalty, Immersions asks how we are made—and unmade—by desire.

Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery, Art, Adult, Literature

256 pages, Hardcover

Published May 5, 2026

About the author

Kyle McCarthy is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Her fiction has appeared in The Best American Short Stories, American Short Fiction, and the Harvard Review, and she has received support and grants from the Edward F. Albee Foundation, the Lighthouse Works, and the Elizabeth George Foundation. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Reviews

[Lina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 / 5 Stars
The prose in this book was spectacular but I just felt uncomfortable reading parts of this book. I think that was, in fact, the point but I have to be in a particular mood to be open to feeling uncomfortable while reading and I guess I just wasn’t in that mood. In “Immersion,” Frances’ older sister, Charley, was a big star in modern dance until an injury sidelined her. After some time away from dance, she, seemingly out of nowhere, decides to join a nunnery and cuts off contact with everyone. Frances is determined to figure out what led to Charley’s sudden life change, which means getting in contact with Charley’s ex-husband, Johnny. As the two of them reconnect, they form a tenuous relationship, tiptoeing around the subject of Charley and connecting in more ways than they anticipated.

You will probably like this book if you like:
🖤 Beautiful prose
🖤 A messy main character figuring herself out
🖤 Dance as a metaphor for life
🖤 Complicated family and sister relationships
🖤 Exploration of predatory male behavior

I truly cannot underscore enough how exceptional the actual writing was. It was written in one of my favorite styles where Frances addressed the reader as if they were Charley (we are the “you” she was talking to). I loved how much intimacy that created. I was a little sad that we lost this style when we got to “Part 2” and the perspective shifted to third person. I also loved that none of the dialogue was written in a formal way – no quotation marks in sight – because it felt novel and fun. The word choices were exacting and precise. Frances had moments that were casually cruel and moments that were tender, all of which were portrayed so well through the writing.

I just did not love reading about an icky, predatory man no matter what lessons Frances learned through him. Originally, Frances and Johnny had a complicated connection – they felt almost competitive with each other about who knew Charley better but needed each other as a way to hold onto Charley. But then things shifted and I just felt uncomfortable (even though, again, that was probably the point). I wish there had been another twist to Charley’s story or something else behind Johnny’s actions but maybe this is a commentary on how things are as shitty as they seem sometimes? I think this book could also potentially benefit from a content warning (which I think can be done without spoiling anything).

Thank you Zando | Tin House and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: May 5, 2026
____________________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: I need a romance book break and this sounds so intriguing. It is giving that show "Sirens" on Netflix and I am ready for whatever "ambiguous intimacy" means.

[Celine · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely incandescent.

[Liralen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frances has always felt herself to be in her sister's shadow—both dancers, but Charley is older and more celebrated. Until recently, Charley was racking up accolades as a modern dancer. But then came the marriage, and the career-changing injury, and Charley's retreat to a convent in France. Frances is sure that Charley's ex-husband Johnny knows more than he's saying...and she's determined to find out what that means.

I am fond of books in which characters do messy things and make questionable decisions without being either going over the top (slapstick isn't my cup of tea) or just straight up being toxic. Frances is a great fit for this: she's young and impressionable and rash, sometimes, but I found myself biting my fingernails for wanting her to slow down and be more careful, empathizing with her being young and not always making good decisions rather than...well, wanting to stay far out of her orbit.

The ease with which I left my life convinced me it had never been my real life. (loc. 2339*)

And make no mistake: Frances does not always make great decisions here. Nobody here is squeaky-clean, and neither are they particularly trying to be. This ends up being about money and power and family dynamics, and gender and sex and power (yes, power is in here twice)—but also, it's about a young woman coping with the loss of her sister as she knows her.

One for readers who like lit fic and complicated family dynamics and perhaps some ethical grey areas.

*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.

Thanks to the author and publisher for inviting me to read a review copy through NetGalley.

[cursedb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is a great example of how effective a strong prose style can be in a novel. The writing feels extremely immersive, sensual, and emotionally raw, which is what kept me engaged throughout the entire story.The plot itself was not particularly surprising, and I could mostly predict how the events would unfold and what the reality behind everything was. However, despite that predictability, I still genuinely enjoyed reading it, which says a lot about the strength of the writing.I would especially recommend this book to readers who normally struggle with prose-heavy novels, because this never feels distant or overly literary. Instead, the writing feels direct, intimate, and deeply personal, almost as if the story is speaking directly to the reader.I also really appreciated the smaller details about dancing and art throughout the novel. Those elements added a beautiful layer to the story and made the atmosphere feel even more vivid and emotional.
Overall, while the novel is quite sad and deals with difficult themes such as abusive relationships, I still found it incredibly compelling and beautifully written.

[sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

thanks to edelweiss for the arc! 3.5 rounded up, compulsively readable and the main character felt very real and complex but the last third of this book simply did not hold up. the bones are there, the first two thirds are great, and this is absolutely an author to keep your eye on, but the story becomes too on-the-nose for my taste and i think cooking in the editing trenches for longer really would have served this book well. alas

[Maddie Marriott · Rating 5 out of 5]

every once in a while you need to read a book about a spiraling woman so you can scream NOOOOOO!!!!!! NOOOOOO!!!! at the pages

this is one of the best of that genre

[Ellen Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a complex plot that is so well developed that it’s easy to follow and absolutely addicting to read. There is so much mystery behind some of the characters at first but then we get to learn more about them and become hooked on them. Frances was a relatable and fascinating character and I very much enjoyed being in her mind as I read and better understood her motives and could understand how it brings her closer to her sister in a way. I was so consumed by this book and the people in it that I find it hard to move on after I finished. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tory Duffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a compulsive read for me! I truly couldn’t put it down. It offers interesting and thought-provoking commentary on obsession, its motivation and its cost. Smart writing, clever character development, and a well-paced plot made this a solid 4-star read for me!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

[tiya! · Rating 3 out of 5]

beautiful prose and a really vivid gothic atmosphere (reminded me a bit of rebecca by daphne du maurier, especially in the second half) but disappointing follow-through, plot wise

[sonam · Rating 5 out of 5]

there is something about this period of my life that makes reading about a woman my age in nyc absolutely spiraling feel so compelling and comforting. and made even better with such addicting and immersive prose!!!

[charlotterider · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Zando | Tin House | NetGalley for the ARC!

Wow… this left me spinning. Read the bulk of it in one day. Stunning prose, an alluring plot, and utterly addictive in the kind of way that made my stomach hurt. There’s so much ache in these pages. Part of me wishes that incredible build-up had led to a different—maybe more unhinged—outcome, but I’m also accepting it for what it was: raw, uncomfortable, and beautifully perplexing. Had it caught me in a less wistful mood, it might have angered or put me off more (bc genuinely this girl made some insane decisions lmao), but I couldn’t help but drink it in. And while I’ve read other works with similar undertones, this one felt particularly mystical.

[Kaitie Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ rounded-up.

🩰 Sisterhood
🖤 Gothic Undertones
🩰 Obsession
🖤 Bluebeard Vibes
🩰 Litfic + Suspense

I'm not even sure what I just finished reading—but the prose is sumptuous. It feels like so much happens between these pages and yet at the same time... nothing happens.

Frances has grown up in the shadow of her older sister, talented dancer Charley. When Charley leaves her husband to join a convent and spend her days as a nun, Frances becomes obsessed with the idea that Charley's ex-husband (Johnny) is responsible for her fall from grace and her decision to cut ties with the world. As Frances seeks answers about what drove Charley's decision, she finds herself falling into Johnny's arms.

This is definitely a very character-driven story, and we can tell early on how much Frances feels like a shrub growing beneath a mighty oak. Frances isn't as tall as Charley, she isn't as lithe as Charley, she doesn't dance as well as Charley, and she lives in Charley's shadow, never finding her own ground. There are many references to dance and artistic symbolism that represent finding your place in the world. McCarthy uses stylistic choices that some readers may find jarring, but I actually enjoyed how this was written. It's a deeply uncomfortable read. An overall sense of foreboding is felt throughout the story, and Frances continually makes extremely questionable decisions that add to the overall disconcerting tone.

The main reason I can't rate this story higher is that it felt like I was waiting for the shoe to drop. While there's plenty of suspense and toxicity, the overall execution felt less satisfying than it could have been. After all of the long-winded character evaluations and poor decisions, I expected a more substantial reckoning. I understand that this story is meant to focus on character and relationships; however, I felt that the suspense was built up without reaching a true climax.

This was a good read overall. Outside of my hang-ups with the overarching plot, it was truly beautiful in its delivery. It was a deeply uncomfortable slow-burn. I think with the right audience this will have a significant impact, though I'm not certain if I am the right audience.

Thank you to Zando for the ARC of this book. All thoughts and feedback contained within this review are my own.

[Hannah Keyser · Rating 3 out of 5]

I could barely finish this book. I know it has okay reviews but it was not for me. I feel like the author was writing the main characters thoughts/words in a very “pick me” manner. It felt like other books I’ve tried to read (and not been able to finish) that were written by men who try to write from a woman’s perspective. France’s thoughts, words, and actions very much scream “I’m not like other girls”. Also I just hated how icky Johnny was. And I get that was the point but I think it stuck too close to home

Also not a fan of the choice to not use quotation marks when the characters were speaking. That’s my personal issue tho

[Britt McCubbin · Rating 5 out of 5]

tldr; when obsession eats you alive, can you come back to yourself?
for fans of: Saltburn, Bunny, Sally Rooney, & You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty

Immersions follows the aftermath of prestigious dancer Charley’s abrupt decision to quit dance and join an enclosed convent, sealing her away from her family most of the time. Her younger sister Francis is left with many questions, most of which start and end with a conviction that Charley’s ex-husband Johnny had something to do with her disappearance. Francis gets swept up into her obsession with Johnny, losing sight of anything else in her life.

Immersions asks what desire does to a person – the desire to love and be loved, the desire to be better than those around you – and what the jealousy of others having what you want will drive you to do.

The writing in this book is absolutely stunning. It felt like a fever dream in the most addictive way possible. I could not have predicted any of Francis’ choices and found myself wanting to throttle her for making the most insane choice possible in any given situation. McCarthy does a brilliant job bringing these characters to life, and putting you in the story, figuring out what happened to Charley right as Francis is.

This was a lovely read, and I think anyone who loves stories about unhinged characters will love it.

Thanks to Tin House and Penguin Random House for the Advanced Reader Copy.

[Meg.RecsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

digital / 4.25* / netgalley

“A woman likes to be watched, like a dancer she needs an audience.”

You are who you surround yourself with. This novel was a tale too many have fallen into. Where desire holds you captive and before you know it, there is no way out. A repeat offender, one who doesn’t see any harm in how they behave. A brilliant piece of art.

Thank you to netgalley and zando/tin house for the opportunity to read and review this book in advance of its release. Always an honour.

[John Waites · Rating 3 out of 5]

A missing sister, a former dancer turned nun, and a narrator who can’t let it go—that’s the pull here. Frances sets out to understand why Charley disappeared from her old life, but the search ends up saying more about Frances than it does about Charley. Especially once Johnny, the ex-husband, enters the picture and things start to blur in ways that feel… a little too intimate, a little too complicated.

This isn’t a twist-driven story. If you’re here for big reveals, it might feel predictable. The “why” behind Charley’s choices lands in familiar territory. But that’s not really the point.

What does work is the psychological tension. The way obsession creeps in quietly. The way people project, reshape, and lose themselves trying to hold onto connection. It’s messy, uncomfortable, and morally gray in a way that kept me reading.

Still, it never fully clicked for me. I admired the writing more than I felt it. There’s a distance to it that makes the emotional impact feel just out of reach.

Worth picking up for the atmosphere and ideas—but not one I completely fell into.

[Anneka Vander Wel · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 // Immersions is a unique and brilliantly written novel. Despite its thematic and psychological depth, it is easy to read, and is very atmospheric and immersive. It follows Frances as she follows in her older sister Charley’s footsteps. At first Frances wants to figure out what happened to Charley, but she slowly starts to take her place instead.

Ballet is just a fantastic literary concept. It is so intense and full of tensions and paradoxes. I experience life this way, so I really enjoy depictions like this. Ballet is an all-consuming, obsessive, intense thing that can be beautiful and graceful on the outside, yet is rotten and decaying on the inside. The discipline, rigidity, and pursuit of perfection hides its often insidious nature, and the decay underneath. It is both freedom and enslavement; violence and grace. It often can cause immaturity and delayed emotional growth, and can foster an environment of infantilization, toxic male behavior, and unwanted sexualization. The structure, authority, and achievement can greatly harm those who are more vulnerable — it provides something to tell you who you are, but can make you unhealthily dependent on this validation. (I can think of many other similar pursuits – R. F. Kuang’s depiction of academia in Katabasis comes to mind.)
To understand great beauty and to feel immense goodness requires knowing great pain.

The author clearly wants you to be uncomfortable at times, and Frances is morally ambiguous. I love the title, as the book really is all about being immersed in ballet, in a toxic relationship, and in the need to find out what happened to someone. McCarthy also touches on how we can doubt our memory, our sense of self, and our perception of our own story when our interpretations of self, others, and events change. She shows ballet as a performance of life that one is fated to perform, and how its very nature necessitates an audience.

I also really liked the parallels to Swan Lake throughout the story.

The only problem I had was that the shift to third-person perspective in the last 15% of the book didn’t work for me – it took me out of the tension and intensity that had been built up.

Thank you to Zando | Tin House and NetGalley for providing an ARC. This review reflects my honest opinion.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is set to give you the uncomfortable feels. The prose is so eloquent and at times the main protagonist feels like she is speaking to you and addressing you. I enjoyed the artistic integration and obsession with both sisters. If you enjoy lyrical, seductive prose I would be sure to pick this up. I was a little unsatisfied with the end that is why it is a 3.75 star rounded up. Thank you Zando | Tin House and NetGalley for providing this EARC.

[Laurlikestoread · Rating 2 out of 5]

Prose was beautiful. Frances was unbearable. Premise was interesting, but the last half of this book was too much for me.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

At Bluebeard’s invocation, I worried I would be disappointed by the severed heads behind the door. I was and I wasn’t.

Like all good fairy tales, this is a story that imagines the rescue as transformative as the enchantment, but McCarthy’s prose, rich and tender, turns the terrifying Bluebeard into someone oh so pathetic compared to his much more interesting and talented wives.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was exactly what I expected (derogatory)

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It held my attention and kept me wanting to keep reading to find out why Charley left. Then, at the end, it just kind of deflated. It's complicated. It had a good ending but yet, it could have been a bit different.

[Kay Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved the writing, found it a little opaque at times but i loved that frances was an unreliable narrator—and then the ending made it 5 stars for me. absolutely incredible

[Lucia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This should have followed the older sister.

[PaperbackGhosts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how this book was written. It’s lyrical and ethereal and builds a sense of foreboding and dread in such a dreamy way. I wasn’t satisfied with the “climax” or the ending though, and if the writing hadn’t really hit a sweet spot for me I don’t know that I would have enjoyed this as much as I did.

[indiaminnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

picked up at the bookstore because it’s about two sisters who are ex dancers…one becomes a nun?! there’s a sketchy ex-husband, an island, and lots of secrets!! i enjoyed all the references/reimaginations of different choreographers, companies, etc. would especially recommend to my dancing friends!

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so beautifully written. Which makes its uncomfortable parts all the more uncomfortable.

Frances is young and naive, desperate for answers. Her internal monologue is captivating. I can’t help but think of the feeling of being a teenager, seeing the world in black & white and thinking you know everything. Frances doesn’t understand why no one will give her a straight answer about Charley and her decision to abandon the dance world to join a convent. She doesn’t understand the answer is a shade of gray.

Johnny is predatory and gross, and it’s hard to reconcile the beauty of the prose with the harshness of his actions but McCarthy pulls it off. For the book being as short as it is, it is immensely powerful.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kyle McCarthy, and Zando / Tin House for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Nessa Velez · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

Honestly this is exactly the type of literary fiction that I obsess over. It is so insanely beautifully written with a prose that feels so elevated and immersive. It delves into deep philosophical and psychological themes creating an atmospheric feel that draws you in.

It is very unsettling, we are dealing with a predatory male character who gives you the creeps throughout the whole story. The relationship between him and both the main female characters gets deeply under your skin.

We have two stories, Charley the younger sister to Frances who used to be a huge star in the dance world until she began a relationship with Jack and ended up secluded from the world in a convent in the aftermath. This sends Charley in a spiral to uncover what happened to her sister and entangling herself with Jack as she searches for answers but also for her own self discovery.

Charley is quite a complex character, but as a woman you can help but understand her motivation at times even though she can be quite toxic herself. But her search for truth is also rooted in her own self deprecation and mental health after loosing the person she most admired in the world. In a way there’s a level
of blame she puts on herself for what happened and also submits herself to punishment in the worst misconstrued ways.

If you like complicated stories that make you feel a lot of emotions and you don’t shy away from dark themes this is an amazing read.

[Theresa L · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was well-written, but because the author did such a good job creating certain feelings and environments, I will not try reading this book again. As the back cover says, “a slender and twisted tale of sexual coming-of-age”.

[Samantha Woodward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is everything I love about Phsycological Fiction. So uncomfortable, so unsettling, yet impossible to look away. So realistic, that it makes you grit your teeth, seething at the antagonist.

Enchanting prose. The style takes a little getting used to, because quotation marks are not used in the dialogue between characters, but if you've read novels like this before, it's not too difficult to get used to. The writing is so intense and so gripping, that this writing style just works so well.

I applaud Kyle McCarthy for masterfully capturing the point of view of a young girl who experiences some dark emotional and psychological abuse. I was praying that the portrayal of this young woman's emotions, thoughts and sensations would feel realistic, and I was amazed to find that it didn't feel lacking or untrue to a woman's psychology. I never once thought to myself "ya know, a woman would never actually do that or feel that or think that", it was always, "Wow 😳😨, this is scarily realistic, and I can see myself or another woman in exactly her shoes, and I hate it, but love it."

I was reading other reviews about this book on Fable and was very disappointed to see that almost all of the people who have left reviews thus far have ENTIRELY missed the point of this novel. It's MEANT to make your skin crawl, it's MEANT to give you the ick. You are supposed to be very uncomfortable. If you're looking for a feel-good book, maybe you shouldn't have picked this one up. I'm not sure what you were expecting, but if you read the blurb showcasing the description of the book, you can take a pretty big hint on what you'll find inside.

As for me, it didn't disappoint. I'll be looking out for more of McCarthy's works 😯.