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Хризалида
Миллениалам Тому и Дженни Декер, не имеющим даже нормальной работы, приходится быстро повзрослеть — они теряют дешевую квартиру в престижном районе Нью-Йорка. Переезд за город оказывается тяжелым ударом для парочки хипстеров. Но все быстро забывается, когда они находят Дом Мечты — на удивление, доступный дом в субурбии. Оплата счетов, долги по ипотеке и совершенно незапланированная беременность Дженни вызывают у Тома только страх. Он не хочет брать на себя такую ответственность. Пока случайно не находит в подвале дома НЕЧТО. ОНО дает ему почувствовать себя победителем, меняет его восприятие и ощущения. И вот новая работа приносит ему большие "бабки", теперь Дженни сможет заняться воплощением бизнеса своей мечты в реальность. Но Дом Мечты Декеров прячет не один смертоносный секрет. Одержимость Тома подвалом растет, и Дженни решает ради спасения семьи раскрыть его тайну. До того как ОНО уничтожит их всех. Никто не хочет взрослеть.… но иногда это единственный способ остаться в живых.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published September 4, 2018
46 people are currently reading
1380 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
July 23, 2021
Well this sucks!! I won this book in my libraries reading program this year! I loved the book I won last year but this one I hated. The people are dicks and I skim read it at one point. Whatever, we can’t love them all.
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
July 2, 2018
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.
September 23, 2018
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/09/22/...
Every so often, I find myself pleasantly surprised by books like The Chrysalis, which, for the record, I believe was indeed written as a horror novel, though marketing for the book may have oversold the whole “monster in the basement” and “haunted house” angle a little too zealously. I get it, though. With a story like this, the creep factor is easier to sell, despite there being so much more it has to offer.
The book follows married couple Tom and Jenny Decker, who are urban millennials and proud of it. Both their identities are wrapped up in their modest but up-to-the-minute Manhattan lifestyle, with Tom working as a bartender and Jenny as a personal trainer to rich bankers. But then the day comes when their building management company suddenly raises the rent on their Alphabet City apartment, leaving the young couple no choice but to leave behind the life they’ve grown to love. Feeling dejected about having to move to the suburbs, their spirits are nevertheless lifted somewhat by the fact they’ve managed to find a beautiful, spacious, and surprisingly affordable three-bedroom Victorian in New Jersey.
The reason for the low cost of the house soon becomes apparent, however, as the grim history of its previous residents is eventually revealed. By then, the Deckers have already moved in, and Tom has stumbled upon the mysterious slime-covered chrysalis hidden behind an old refrigerator in the basement, which he keeps a secret from his wife. Jenny, on her part, is also trying to adjust to some major life changes beyond settling into a new house, for not long after the move, she discovers she is pregnant. The subsequent loss of her job becomes devastating, with a mortgage to pay and a baby on the way, forcing Tom to quit bartending for a corporate position which would help bring in a stable income for his growing family. With work being barely tolerable most days, Tom finds it easier to start each morning with a clandestine trip down to the basement to see the chrysalis, seeking the euphoric, almost intoxicating effects being in its presence grants him, which gives him the confidence to succeed at his job. Jenny also starts her own business, and for a while, life seems to be looking up for the Deckers.
Unfortunately, like any drug high, their success doesn’t last. As Tom becomes more and more obsessed with the secret he keeps hidden in the basement, the chrysalis’ nefarious influence grows, filling his mind with violent visions, unraveling his grip on reality, and destroying his life with Jenny.
What I find interesting about The Chrysalis—despite the novel’s “Welcome to the dark side of suburbia” tagline—isn’t so much the idea that evil and wrongness can lurk so close beneath the surface of normalcy, but that it’s really a story about a young couple experiencing “quarter-life crisis” (along with the themes and associated fears related to “adulting”) told through a horror lens. While it had its creepy moments, what impressed me most was the author’s attempt to deliver a deeper symbolic message. Whether it was communicated successfully is debatable, but regardless, I thought this book was wonderfully atmospheric and a fine example of building suspense effectively. I also give it credit for what it tried to do with the idea that some people just don’t want to grow up, desperately clinging on to their superficial perspective of reality to avoid facing real-life problems.
Depending on the type of reader you are, you might find Tom and Jenny relatable…or you might not. Personally, I found them both rather infuriating and off-putting, especially Tom, whose whining about having to become a corporate sellout was the epitome of entitlement, considering how the job was practically handed to him while many in the country are dying to find work and would have jumped at a much lesser opportunity if it means putting food on their family’s table. But poor Tom had to cut his hair, boohoo. Here, let me play you the world’s smallest violin. Still, even if you can’t relate to the Deckers, the story delves into concepts like family responsibility and addiction, offering a more personal perspective on Tom and Jenny’s plight. For one thing, they learn that nothing wakes you up to the reality of the world quite like the news of a baby. The narrative dutifully portrays all the highs and lows during this stressful time, puncturing surface-level moments of traditional horror with deeper and more significant themes that explore the characters’ confusion, anxiety, and feelings of helplessness related to their impending parenthood.
In the end, I think these are the ideas The Chrysalis tries hard to but struggles to convey, as a lot of the story’s potential winds up slipping through the cracks. Still, it gets kudos from me in spite of its outward appearance as another typical entry into the horror-suspense genre, mainly because of its efforts to go beyond the usual scare tactics by playing off the fears and existential woes of a new generation of emerging adults who dread having to grow up. Tom and Jenny thought their worst nightmare was becoming boring suburbanites and corporate drones, but this is a story about how the thing in their basement proved them wrong, with the author keeping the horror elements ever-present but understated. As a result, this book is really more unsettling than scary, but I really enjoyed it.
Every so often, I find myself pleasantly surprised by books like The Chrysalis, which, for the record, I believe was indeed written as a horror novel, though marketing for the book may have oversold the whole “monster in the basement” and “haunted house” angle a little too zealously. I get it, though. With a story like this, the creep factor is easier to sell, despite there being so much more it has to offer.
The book follows married couple Tom and Jenny Decker, who are urban millennials and proud of it. Both their identities are wrapped up in their modest but up-to-the-minute Manhattan lifestyle, with Tom working as a bartender and Jenny as a personal trainer to rich bankers. But then the day comes when their building management company suddenly raises the rent on their Alphabet City apartment, leaving the young couple no choice but to leave behind the life they’ve grown to love. Feeling dejected about having to move to the suburbs, their spirits are nevertheless lifted somewhat by the fact they’ve managed to find a beautiful, spacious, and surprisingly affordable three-bedroom Victorian in New Jersey.
The reason for the low cost of the house soon becomes apparent, however, as the grim history of its previous residents is eventually revealed. By then, the Deckers have already moved in, and Tom has stumbled upon the mysterious slime-covered chrysalis hidden behind an old refrigerator in the basement, which he keeps a secret from his wife. Jenny, on her part, is also trying to adjust to some major life changes beyond settling into a new house, for not long after the move, she discovers she is pregnant. The subsequent loss of her job becomes devastating, with a mortgage to pay and a baby on the way, forcing Tom to quit bartending for a corporate position which would help bring in a stable income for his growing family. With work being barely tolerable most days, Tom finds it easier to start each morning with a clandestine trip down to the basement to see the chrysalis, seeking the euphoric, almost intoxicating effects being in its presence grants him, which gives him the confidence to succeed at his job. Jenny also starts her own business, and for a while, life seems to be looking up for the Deckers.
Unfortunately, like any drug high, their success doesn’t last. As Tom becomes more and more obsessed with the secret he keeps hidden in the basement, the chrysalis’ nefarious influence grows, filling his mind with violent visions, unraveling his grip on reality, and destroying his life with Jenny.
What I find interesting about The Chrysalis—despite the novel’s “Welcome to the dark side of suburbia” tagline—isn’t so much the idea that evil and wrongness can lurk so close beneath the surface of normalcy, but that it’s really a story about a young couple experiencing “quarter-life crisis” (along with the themes and associated fears related to “adulting”) told through a horror lens. While it had its creepy moments, what impressed me most was the author’s attempt to deliver a deeper symbolic message. Whether it was communicated successfully is debatable, but regardless, I thought this book was wonderfully atmospheric and a fine example of building suspense effectively. I also give it credit for what it tried to do with the idea that some people just don’t want to grow up, desperately clinging on to their superficial perspective of reality to avoid facing real-life problems.
Depending on the type of reader you are, you might find Tom and Jenny relatable…or you might not. Personally, I found them both rather infuriating and off-putting, especially Tom, whose whining about having to become a corporate sellout was the epitome of entitlement, considering how the job was practically handed to him while many in the country are dying to find work and would have jumped at a much lesser opportunity if it means putting food on their family’s table. But poor Tom had to cut his hair, boohoo. Here, let me play you the world’s smallest violin. Still, even if you can’t relate to the Deckers, the story delves into concepts like family responsibility and addiction, offering a more personal perspective on Tom and Jenny’s plight. For one thing, they learn that nothing wakes you up to the reality of the world quite like the news of a baby. The narrative dutifully portrays all the highs and lows during this stressful time, puncturing surface-level moments of traditional horror with deeper and more significant themes that explore the characters’ confusion, anxiety, and feelings of helplessness related to their impending parenthood.
In the end, I think these are the ideas The Chrysalis tries hard to but struggles to convey, as a lot of the story’s potential winds up slipping through the cracks. Still, it gets kudos from me in spite of its outward appearance as another typical entry into the horror-suspense genre, mainly because of its efforts to go beyond the usual scare tactics by playing off the fears and existential woes of a new generation of emerging adults who dread having to grow up. Tom and Jenny thought their worst nightmare was becoming boring suburbanites and corporate drones, but this is a story about how the thing in their basement proved them wrong, with the author keeping the horror elements ever-present but understated. As a result, this book is really more unsettling than scary, but I really enjoyed it.
January 30, 2019
I really had no business reading this book. I don't read a lot of straight-up horror and so it's difficult for me to compare this to other horror as my experience with it is very limited. However, my husband is a horror buff and as I read this and told him about it he was intrigued. I stopped giving him plot points later on as I'm hoping he will read it. What I can say for certainty is The Chrysalis kept my attention and hooked me right from the opening pages.
The Plot
While there is nothing special about the concept of Brendan Deneen's latest book; there is a creepiness to the writing and portrayal that permeates throughout and got to me. A weird 'thing' exists in the basement of a creepy house bought by a couple who are trying to find their place in life as they are forced to leave their New York apartment and buy (in a low price bracket) in New Jersey. The main plot is about the house itself, about our couple and the deterioration of their marriage, and (of course) the 'thing' in the basement called the chrysalis. Where did this thing come from? What does it do to people? How does it live? And what are our lead characters going to do about it? All questions that Deneen gives us answers to throughout the story.
Lead Man
I enjoyed the perspective of the leading man in this horror story. He's an unambitious bartender who seems (more or less) content with his plot in life. He doesn't make a lot of money and doesn't mind until his wife gets pregnant and they need to pay for a new baby and their mortgage. I think the depression and emotions of our lead guy are very genuine. At points I wondered if author Deneen hasn't lived some elements of the story and experienced some of the same thoughts. Looking at my own life, (I have a mortgage and a husband) I couldn't help but wonder if my own spouse has had some of the same thoughts of our leading man. He feels so genuine and authentic. Perhaps that is what makes this story so compelling and creepy; not that the chrysalis exists, but that the man who is affected by it is so realistic that you can't help but understand why he does what he does in the end.
Overall
Again, I can't speak to the scariness for the regular horror reader; but I can say that for me it was creepy enough and that there were points at which I was concerned I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. I did not read this before bed for that very reason. As I read more than one book at a time that works for me. While I would have liked to learn more about the chrysalis itself and it's origin there is not a lot else to really criticise in terms of content and plot. However, there were points during the wife's pregnancy that seemed a bit unrealistic or de-emphasized. While I've never been pregnant myself, I have known many women who have been and it seemed that some of the difficulties of the wife during her pregnancy were downplayed.
As an aside, I loved the authors note and acknowledgements at the end. He gives a lot of credit to others and I must agree with his assessment that the brilliance of doing the story over 9 months of a pregnancy is one of the best elements in the story (even if he didn't come up with that idea himself). I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good supernatural, alien, x-files, horror-like story; with the caveat that while it disturbed me in places I'm not sure it's 'scary enough' for most horror fans.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
The Plot
While there is nothing special about the concept of Brendan Deneen's latest book; there is a creepiness to the writing and portrayal that permeates throughout and got to me. A weird 'thing' exists in the basement of a creepy house bought by a couple who are trying to find their place in life as they are forced to leave their New York apartment and buy (in a low price bracket) in New Jersey. The main plot is about the house itself, about our couple and the deterioration of their marriage, and (of course) the 'thing' in the basement called the chrysalis. Where did this thing come from? What does it do to people? How does it live? And what are our lead characters going to do about it? All questions that Deneen gives us answers to throughout the story.
Lead Man
I enjoyed the perspective of the leading man in this horror story. He's an unambitious bartender who seems (more or less) content with his plot in life. He doesn't make a lot of money and doesn't mind until his wife gets pregnant and they need to pay for a new baby and their mortgage. I think the depression and emotions of our lead guy are very genuine. At points I wondered if author Deneen hasn't lived some elements of the story and experienced some of the same thoughts. Looking at my own life, (I have a mortgage and a husband) I couldn't help but wonder if my own spouse has had some of the same thoughts of our leading man. He feels so genuine and authentic. Perhaps that is what makes this story so compelling and creepy; not that the chrysalis exists, but that the man who is affected by it is so realistic that you can't help but understand why he does what he does in the end.
Overall
Again, I can't speak to the scariness for the regular horror reader; but I can say that for me it was creepy enough and that there were points at which I was concerned I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. I did not read this before bed for that very reason. As I read more than one book at a time that works for me. While I would have liked to learn more about the chrysalis itself and it's origin there is not a lot else to really criticise in terms of content and plot. However, there were points during the wife's pregnancy that seemed a bit unrealistic or de-emphasized. While I've never been pregnant myself, I have known many women who have been and it seemed that some of the difficulties of the wife during her pregnancy were downplayed.
As an aside, I loved the authors note and acknowledgements at the end. He gives a lot of credit to others and I must agree with his assessment that the brilliance of doing the story over 9 months of a pregnancy is one of the best elements in the story (even if he didn't come up with that idea himself). I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good supernatural, alien, x-files, horror-like story; with the caveat that while it disturbed me in places I'm not sure it's 'scary enough' for most horror fans.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
September 4, 2018
"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!
September 11, 2018
Gak...this was a remarkably bad book. I say remarkably with tongue in cheek...because I'm slowly realizing that there is a good chance that the next dozen books I read will be meh. What's happening in literature today? Has everybody taken a Benadryl and quit for the day? Remarkably hideous. And this one popped up on my Kindle as a "must read". Must not pay attention to my kindle.
This book, The Chrysalis, is about Tom and Jenny who get booted out of their apartment in someplace called Alphabet City. Not a east coaster so I don't know...but they make a big deal out of Alphabet City. They are hipsters who drink too much, smoke too much, whatever...they are typical milliennals, I guess. I'm just kind of sick of reading about them. Might be my problem here: I like the horror genre and it appears that writers feel that scaring the shit out of 30 year old hipster is [gasp] IMPORTANT. Gack...crack another bottle of wine and feed your partner food from a Chinese take-out.
Anyhoo...Tom and Jenny move to New Jersey to some creepy old house. The realtor did not disclose a murder that occurred in the kitchen...thought that was a kind of law in real estate. By this time, I was getting sick of Tom's drinking and Jenny's "victim" game with her sister, Victoria. The relationships in this book do not lend themselves to the horror genre: you just don't give a damn whether ANY of them get locked in a closet for ten years.
The blob. There's some kind of blob behind a refrigerator in the spooky basement. Tom gets cozy with the blob [cue Stevie Wonder's Cherie Amour] and starts having gruesome hallucinations.
Tom gets a haircut. Don't ask...it's probably some kind of symbolism.
Oh yeah..the baby. Sigh.
I wish I cared. Truly I do. But I just don't.
This book, The Chrysalis, is about Tom and Jenny who get booted out of their apartment in someplace called Alphabet City. Not a east coaster so I don't know...but they make a big deal out of Alphabet City. They are hipsters who drink too much, smoke too much, whatever...they are typical milliennals, I guess. I'm just kind of sick of reading about them. Might be my problem here: I like the horror genre and it appears that writers feel that scaring the shit out of 30 year old hipster is [gasp] IMPORTANT. Gack...crack another bottle of wine and feed your partner food from a Chinese take-out.
Anyhoo...Tom and Jenny move to New Jersey to some creepy old house. The realtor did not disclose a murder that occurred in the kitchen...thought that was a kind of law in real estate. By this time, I was getting sick of Tom's drinking and Jenny's "victim" game with her sister, Victoria. The relationships in this book do not lend themselves to the horror genre: you just don't give a damn whether ANY of them get locked in a closet for ten years.
The blob. There's some kind of blob behind a refrigerator in the spooky basement. Tom gets cozy with the blob [cue Stevie Wonder's Cherie Amour] and starts having gruesome hallucinations.
Tom gets a haircut. Don't ask...it's probably some kind of symbolism.
Oh yeah..the baby. Sigh.
I wish I cared. Truly I do. But I just don't.
September 26, 2018
2.0 stars for this light horror story involving a millennial couple who buy their first house. Hmmm, What is that reddish stain on the kitchen floor that just won’t clean out? I’ll give you one clue - it’s not ketchup!
The title gives it all away what is lurking in the basement behind the piles of junk and behind the old refrigerator. What this is, where it came from, what it does, what it needs and what it becomes are all revealed. It’s rather lame.
This corny story of a thing/monster in the basement, is based on the author’s fear of his own dark basement in the house he grew up in.
It was relatively easy for me to figure out where this was all going and how it was going to potentially end, but I still read all the way through. It’s a quick read; you really don’t have to do much thinking about it at all.
I don’t know why I chose this particular book off the library shelf, but the cover looked pretty good and someone from The New York Times called it “creepy, wonderful, powerfully twisted.” I must disagree - it’s not so creepy. It’s certainly not wonderful; it’s just slightly fair. Yes, it’s twisted slightly, but I would not say “powerfully” twisted. The summary on the inside cover sounded interesting to me, but the book did not deliver to my expectations. Oh well. Bye bye Chrysalis!
The title gives it all away what is lurking in the basement behind the piles of junk and behind the old refrigerator. What this is, where it came from, what it does, what it needs and what it becomes are all revealed. It’s rather lame.
This corny story of a thing/monster in the basement, is based on the author’s fear of his own dark basement in the house he grew up in.
It was relatively easy for me to figure out where this was all going and how it was going to potentially end, but I still read all the way through. It’s a quick read; you really don’t have to do much thinking about it at all.
I don’t know why I chose this particular book off the library shelf, but the cover looked pretty good and someone from The New York Times called it “creepy, wonderful, powerfully twisted.” I must disagree - it’s not so creepy. It’s certainly not wonderful; it’s just slightly fair. Yes, it’s twisted slightly, but I would not say “powerfully” twisted. The summary on the inside cover sounded interesting to me, but the book did not deliver to my expectations. Oh well. Bye bye Chrysalis!
April 24, 2019
Thanks to Netgalley for a Kindle copy of The Chrysalis.
This is my first book by the author so I was open minded and excited, mostly because Netgalley approved this read.
** Spoilers ahead **
Tom and Jenny Decker are already living hand to mouth when they are forced out of their tiny apartment by a huge rent hike.
They are pleasantly surprised when they find an affordable house in Jersey, despite their strict budget.
The house needs work but its roomy, spacious, and most importantly, cheap.
Then, Tom finds the chrysalis in the basement. And that's when the weirdness happens.
I was all ready for the creepiness to start but there were a few obstacles I had to get through first.
1. I disliked Tom, and I barely liked Jenny. They were closet alcoholics, all they did was drink, drink and drink some more. Not all millennials are like this. Or maybe they are and I'm just biased because I don't imbibe.
2. Tom, Jenny, and Ray, the contractor, all had traumatic childhoods. Tom grew up in an abusive household, Jenny's father is unkind and Ray, some poor schlub no one cares about, for some inexplicable reason tells the reader about his own abusive childhood that sounds nothing more than filler. And I don't care about Ray. But the chrysalis does.
Even Kevin, Tom's BFF, mentions his absent parents who died and how he had to live with his grandmother and siblings, struggling to make ends meet.
What's the author trying to tell us?
That most of us have f**ked up childhoods?
Newsflash: that's not news.
To make the characters more sympathetic? Ehh...try again.
3. The premise isn't original but worse, it wasn't scary.
It wasn't dark enough. It's billed as horror and there's your typical body horror, body changes, hallucinations, nightmares, voices, violence, mood changes, but it's not SCARY.
I wanted more interaction between the chrysalis and Tom. Does it speak? How does it forge a connection with Tom, its host?
The chrysalis didn't intrude into Tom and Jenny's life enough. It wasn't INVASIVE and MONSTROUS enough.
Months go by but we don't get an understanding of the progression of how the chrysalis invades Tom's life, and bit by bit, Jenny's.
There's no buildup, no urgency, no creeping horror of something or someone about to explode into a terrifying maelstrom of whatever the chrysalis is incubating.
4. No exposition on the chrysalis itself except minor details from the previous homeowner who had excavated it. And Gollum is missing her precious quite a bit, if you know what I mean.
5. The writing is simplistic and the author LOVES the world BEETLING.
He describes eyebrows doing that no less than three times. I think someone needs a thesaurus.
I was open to a haunted house story or an alien story, whatever it is, I'll give it a shot, but poor characters and lackluster writing made this a fast read, but not a fun one.
This is my first book by the author so I was open minded and excited, mostly because Netgalley approved this read.
** Spoilers ahead **
Tom and Jenny Decker are already living hand to mouth when they are forced out of their tiny apartment by a huge rent hike.
They are pleasantly surprised when they find an affordable house in Jersey, despite their strict budget.
The house needs work but its roomy, spacious, and most importantly, cheap.
Then, Tom finds the chrysalis in the basement. And that's when the weirdness happens.
I was all ready for the creepiness to start but there were a few obstacles I had to get through first.
1. I disliked Tom, and I barely liked Jenny. They were closet alcoholics, all they did was drink, drink and drink some more. Not all millennials are like this. Or maybe they are and I'm just biased because I don't imbibe.
2. Tom, Jenny, and Ray, the contractor, all had traumatic childhoods. Tom grew up in an abusive household, Jenny's father is unkind and Ray, some poor schlub no one cares about, for some inexplicable reason tells the reader about his own abusive childhood that sounds nothing more than filler. And I don't care about Ray. But the chrysalis does.
Even Kevin, Tom's BFF, mentions his absent parents who died and how he had to live with his grandmother and siblings, struggling to make ends meet.
What's the author trying to tell us?
That most of us have f**ked up childhoods?
Newsflash: that's not news.
To make the characters more sympathetic? Ehh...try again.
3. The premise isn't original but worse, it wasn't scary.
It wasn't dark enough. It's billed as horror and there's your typical body horror, body changes, hallucinations, nightmares, voices, violence, mood changes, but it's not SCARY.
I wanted more interaction between the chrysalis and Tom. Does it speak? How does it forge a connection with Tom, its host?
The chrysalis didn't intrude into Tom and Jenny's life enough. It wasn't INVASIVE and MONSTROUS enough.
Months go by but we don't get an understanding of the progression of how the chrysalis invades Tom's life, and bit by bit, Jenny's.
There's no buildup, no urgency, no creeping horror of something or someone about to explode into a terrifying maelstrom of whatever the chrysalis is incubating.
4. No exposition on the chrysalis itself except minor details from the previous homeowner who had excavated it. And Gollum is missing her precious quite a bit, if you know what I mean.
5. The writing is simplistic and the author LOVES the world BEETLING.
He describes eyebrows doing that no less than three times. I think someone needs a thesaurus.
I was open to a haunted house story or an alien story, whatever it is, I'll give it a shot, but poor characters and lackluster writing made this a fast read, but not a fun one.
April 4, 2020
THE CHRYSALIS by Brendan Deneen is a very well-written, fast-moving, skin-creeping horror novel that deftly combines literary prose and graphic violence with more than a dash of the cosmic entity trope. A beautifully-paced tale of human deconstruction with just enough twists and surprises to keep you guessing the outcome until the very last page. Highly recommended for fans of Barker, King, Straub, or anyone looking for a fresh-take horror read.
July 16, 2018
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to review. I'm really not sure what to say about "The Chryalis." It was marketed as a horror novel, but it was far from it - more like light sci-fi. There were no jump scares or really anything worth noting. Very disappointed in this as I was expecting something more.
July 22, 2018
I enjoyed this book. It wasn't scary or anything, more of a kind of creepy, sci-fi type book. You sort of knew where it was headed before it was revealed. Good for a weekend read.
I was given an eARC by the publisher through NetGalley.
I was given an eARC by the publisher through NetGalley.
November 6, 2019
Don't go in the basement!
September 4, 2018
The Chrysalis was a fun book to read! My initial interest in the book stemmed from reading the synopsis and seeing the tagline on the cover, DON'T GO IN THE BASEMENT. I had expected a lot more horror than I got, and even read a few reviews that considered this sci-fi and not horror at all. While I agree that it is not as MUCH horror as I wanted, it is still horror (horror light? horror adjacent?) and I do not really think it is sci-fi by any means.
I really enjoyed the protagonist's descent into madness based on the basement/what's in the basement. It was reminiscent of Jack Torrance from The Shining in some ways, and it made for an unpredictable character to read about!
If anything, I want to know more about the house, its past, the previous owners, the basement, the thing in the basement, etc. I don't feel like we got enough of that which could have helped with the element of horror.
Overall this was a great read and I give it 4 out of 5 stars! Thanks to the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!
I really enjoyed the protagonist's descent into madness based on the basement/what's in the basement. It was reminiscent of Jack Torrance from The Shining in some ways, and it made for an unpredictable character to read about!
If anything, I want to know more about the house, its past, the previous owners, the basement, the thing in the basement, etc. I don't feel like we got enough of that which could have helped with the element of horror.
Overall this was a great read and I give it 4 out of 5 stars! Thanks to the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!
September 6, 2018
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I LOVE horror. I love horror movies and creepy books, so I was excited to read this book when I requested it on Netgalley. I do have to be honest, I'm not sure if it's really horror, or more Sci-Fi, but the book does have some very creepy parts. If you like horror and Sci-Fi as well, you could easily read this book, I finished it in two days!
A longer review can be found at Bite Into Books
I see a lot of very critical reviews for this book. People are disappointed, because it's not your classical horror. People say that the book isn't scary, but I don't agree. If you like horror and Sci-Fi you'd be able to rush through this story. The beginning and ending in this book are strong and if you want to know how it ends... Pick it up!
I LOVE horror. I love horror movies and creepy books, so I was excited to read this book when I requested it on Netgalley. I do have to be honest, I'm not sure if it's really horror, or more Sci-Fi, but the book does have some very creepy parts. If you like horror and Sci-Fi as well, you could easily read this book, I finished it in two days!
A longer review can be found at Bite Into Books
I see a lot of very critical reviews for this book. People are disappointed, because it's not your classical horror. People say that the book isn't scary, but I don't agree. If you like horror and Sci-Fi you'd be able to rush through this story. The beginning and ending in this book are strong and if you want to know how it ends... Pick it up!
May 29, 2018
Easy read with a tiny creepfactor. The book mainly covers ordinary life in an ordinary street experiencing some extraordinary events. The thing in the basement has a funny hold on people, but it didn't freak me out until the very end when the situation became quite surreal. The Chrysalis kept me pleasantly entertained. Well worth the time.
Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan/Tor Books for the ARC
Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan/Tor Books for the ARC
October 5, 2018
I loved this book! Super creepy and suspenseful. Loved the idea of the Chrysalis and what it was doing to Tom and Jenny and what it ended up being. Some solid gore at times and some scary parts and anxious parts! Would recommend!
December 14, 2018
3.5
The Chrysalis es una novela de Brendan Deneen publicada en septiembre del 2018. Deneen es un autor aún poco conocido que basó el libro en sus propias experiencias cuando se mudó de New York a New Jersey con su joven familia. Deneen es el autor de los libros "Scatterbrain" y "The Ninth Circle".
En The Chrysalis seguimos a Tom y Jenny Decker, una joven pareja que vive en la ciudad de New York.
Cuando el apartamento donde viven registra un considerable aumento en el precio de la renta, los Deckers deciden que es tiempo de mudarse.
Tom es bartender y aspirante a pintor, mientras que Jenny trabaja en un gimnasio. Sus ingresos no son suficientes como para encontrar un lugar en Manhattan. El Bronx ni Brooklyn son opción. Y es cuando se verán buscando hogar en los suburbios de New Jersey.
Cuando ninguna casa les interesaba (o no estaba dentro del rango del presupuesto), su agente de bienes raíces les muestra una casa con 'personalidad'.
El inmenso tamaño de la casa y su bajo precio son los incentivos principales para que los Deckers presionen el gatillo. Pero la agente se guardó una información vital: En esa casa se cometió un asesinato no hace mucho tiempo.
Además, hay algo en el sótano.
Cuando las cosas parecen empezar a estabilizarse, Jenny, -quien ha quedado embarazada- pierde su empleo. Tom debe conseguir un trabajo normal mientras que las facturas se acumulan. Aparte de ésto, Tom empieza a ser manipulado por el chrysalis y crece dentro de él una obsesión insaciable.
The Chrysalis es una novela de horror que avanza con un buen ritmo y que tiene una trama bastante digerible. Es un libro que se lee rápido ya que, en la mayor parte del tiempo, el diálogo mueve el argumento.
La relación de Jenny y Tom es una relación normal que se irá deteriorando poco a poco a medida que el chrysalis afecta los sentidos de Tom (sin el conocimiento de Jenny).
Personalmente, me gustó el personaje de Tom, quería que saliera airoso tanto en su vida personal como laboral. En cambio, Jenny me pareció demasiado dependiente (de su esposo, de su exitosa hermana). Los personajes secundarios son memorables en descripción pero olvidables en ejecución. La hermana lesbiana de Jenny y su reservada esposa, los padres insatisfechos; el amigo mujeriego de Tom, el jefe detestable, la figura paterna con la hija transexual. Todo un cóctel colorido y de acorde con la sociedad de hoy en día.
El punto más elevado de la novela está cuando pienso que el autor quería mostrarnos más que un libro de horror. Creo que quiso escribir algo con un sentido más profundo. Pues resulta que The Chrysalis trata del salto a la adultez madura. Tom y Jenny deben sacrificar su estilo de vida y adoptar uno más responsable y equilibrado debido a todo lo que recae sobre ellos en cuestión de meses.
The Chrysalis puede estar categorizado como 'horror', pero creo que es una versión ligera del género. Si les interesa la trama, creo que no tiene desperdicio. Una lectura rápida que no aportará mucho, pero que tampoco descuenta.
The Chrysalis es una novela de Brendan Deneen publicada en septiembre del 2018. Deneen es un autor aún poco conocido que basó el libro en sus propias experiencias cuando se mudó de New York a New Jersey con su joven familia. Deneen es el autor de los libros "Scatterbrain" y "The Ninth Circle".
En The Chrysalis seguimos a Tom y Jenny Decker, una joven pareja que vive en la ciudad de New York.
Cuando el apartamento donde viven registra un considerable aumento en el precio de la renta, los Deckers deciden que es tiempo de mudarse.
Tom es bartender y aspirante a pintor, mientras que Jenny trabaja en un gimnasio. Sus ingresos no son suficientes como para encontrar un lugar en Manhattan. El Bronx ni Brooklyn son opción. Y es cuando se verán buscando hogar en los suburbios de New Jersey.
Cuando ninguna casa les interesaba (o no estaba dentro del rango del presupuesto), su agente de bienes raíces les muestra una casa con 'personalidad'.
El inmenso tamaño de la casa y su bajo precio son los incentivos principales para que los Deckers presionen el gatillo. Pero la agente se guardó una información vital: En esa casa se cometió un asesinato no hace mucho tiempo.
Además, hay algo en el sótano.
Cuando las cosas parecen empezar a estabilizarse, Jenny, -quien ha quedado embarazada- pierde su empleo. Tom debe conseguir un trabajo normal mientras que las facturas se acumulan. Aparte de ésto, Tom empieza a ser manipulado por el chrysalis y crece dentro de él una obsesión insaciable.
The Chrysalis es una novela de horror que avanza con un buen ritmo y que tiene una trama bastante digerible. Es un libro que se lee rápido ya que, en la mayor parte del tiempo, el diálogo mueve el argumento.
La relación de Jenny y Tom es una relación normal que se irá deteriorando poco a poco a medida que el chrysalis afecta los sentidos de Tom (sin el conocimiento de Jenny).
Personalmente, me gustó el personaje de Tom, quería que saliera airoso tanto en su vida personal como laboral. En cambio, Jenny me pareció demasiado dependiente (de su esposo, de su exitosa hermana). Los personajes secundarios son memorables en descripción pero olvidables en ejecución. La hermana lesbiana de Jenny y su reservada esposa, los padres insatisfechos; el amigo mujeriego de Tom, el jefe detestable, la figura paterna con la hija transexual. Todo un cóctel colorido y de acorde con la sociedad de hoy en día.
El punto más elevado de la novela está cuando pienso que el autor quería mostrarnos más que un libro de horror. Creo que quiso escribir algo con un sentido más profundo. Pues resulta que The Chrysalis trata del salto a la adultez madura. Tom y Jenny deben sacrificar su estilo de vida y adoptar uno más responsable y equilibrado debido a todo lo que recae sobre ellos en cuestión de meses.
The Chrysalis puede estar categorizado como 'horror', pero creo que es una versión ligera del género. Si les interesa la trama, creo que no tiene desperdicio. Una lectura rápida que no aportará mucho, pero que tampoco descuenta.
August 17, 2020
The Chrysalis was a subtle, twisted Amityville of the modern day. The horror of the suburbs. I thought the characters were absolutely great, I relished the contemporary feel to the story, it complimented perfectly the slow and insidious building of mania and dread. I was completely invested, until the grotesque, bitter end. For a book with such horrific qualities, the standard and authenticity of the writing went down as smooth as silk. I’m disturbed to say the least. 5 beautiful stars.
For lovers of The Cipher by Kathe Koja, The Apartment by S. L Grey and Rosemary’s Baby, Ira Levine, this little gems for you.
For lovers of The Cipher by Kathe Koja, The Apartment by S. L Grey and Rosemary’s Baby, Ira Levine, this little gems for you.
November 21, 2019
An ok horror story that could have been much better. The premise: A couple buys a new house that's suspiciously cheap. It's because there's a strange chrysalis growing in the basement. The husband discovers it, gets gross with it, and things go bad.
I feel like this story either needed to be fleshed out A LOT more or cut back A LOT and just made a short story. There just wasn't enough to sustain a whole novel although the ending was fun.
I feel like this story either needed to be fleshed out A LOT more or cut back A LOT and just made a short story. There just wasn't enough to sustain a whole novel although the ending was fun.
November 5, 2018
Fan-freaking-tastic horror novel! Part "Amityville Horror", part "The Ruins", with some nasty insect ickiness to boot. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel for it's creepiness. My only criticism is that I want a prequel novel to follow the story of Abigail and Spencer, with her discovery and yet another prequel of the origin of the chrysalis. As Johnny 5 would say: NEED MORE INPUT!
November 3, 2018
I am so confused by the low ratings because this book is great!!! Ok, so maybe it's more sci-fi than horror, but it's still seriously creepy. The entire book is drenched in a feeling of hopelessness and dread, and i hated to put it down.
November 1, 2018
Just couldn't stick with it -- found the dialogue sophomoric and poorly paced.
September 16, 2021
Okay after a sleep I can say this book has messed with me dreams. The creepiness and detailed description of gore does it for me. It wasn’t bad reading it but I guess my unconscious was more affected than I thought. On another note there are too many unanswered questions that I can not deal with.
February 24, 2019
Somewhere between 2 and 3, I suppose... I'll have to think it over some more, but this will be my initial, gut reaction review. *light spoilers*
The good: the prologue
The bad: the reviews?
The ugly: everything else
I don't really know how to rate this book. I didn't hate it, but it just felt sloppy. For example, way back in high school, sophomore year, we had a short creative writing unit and had to peer-edit each others' short stories. Say you read a classmate's story and comment, "Wow, this is really good! You should be a writer some day." And maybe they do become a writer, but when someone digs up their old sophomore year story, they blush because of how embarrassing it is in retrospect. This novel is like an extended edition of that high school paper.
I picked this book up from my local library's new fiction shelves, liked the cover, read the description and "praise," and thought, why not give it a shot. I was thoroughly deceived, or I deceived myself with my expectations. I think mybiggest deceptions were the title - The Chrysalis - with David Moody's snippet of praise (from the back cover): "Cronenbergesque body horror with genuine heart." My mind raced, what could be the horror niche revolving around these millennials, with imagery of insect pupae? Will one of our millennial protagonists undergo a transformation akin to Jeff Goldblum in The Fly? Will a Kafkaesque metamorphosis stand in for some soliloquy about adulthood? Will the author have something profound to say about Millennials and their expectations or roles in society? I started the book and the three page prologue about a senior couple, madness, and gore spurred my interest on regarding all these questions.
But...
There was absolutely ZERO body horror, in my opinion. That was almost the biggest draw for me. Were they considering Jenny's pregnancy as body horror? Because that's the closest I come to why Moody would say that, but there was nothing outlandish regarding it. Oh no, we're a twenty-something couple who is going to have a baby! What physical aberrations are befalling us!
I hated the main characters. All of them. I didn't feel sympathy for anyone, they had no depth, and I feel that there was nothing positive to say about the Millennials in this book, for how much emphasizing the jacket did regarding this. Tom and Jenny Decker were written with the standard (and overly generalized) tropes of the Millennial experience: the generational divide between success and failure, work ethic versus partying, bohemian lifestyle and traditional family. The Decker's are written to fit perfectly in to how Millennials are presented to or described by older generations, no nuances needed.
The writing felt bland and repetitive. I need to go back and find it, but I think the same sentence was stated three times in two pages.There was added information at times that was utterly useless, or plot points were brought up, only to be forgotten later. What the hell was all that about Tom looking like Hannah's brother/Jenny looking like Malcolm's wife forced down our throats? Where even did Malcolm and Hannah go?!? I cared more about these two bartenders and their backstory than whether Tom would go mad and kill Jenny, or whether some ancient evil would be unleashed upon New Jersey.
I really only kept reading because I have a hard time just putting a book aside if I've started it. Also, I had a morbid curiosity if Tom and Jenny would become more tolerable. They don't.
I do think the idea behind this story is interesting and, like others, would like to see how it could be portrayed on the big screen. As a print medium, however, it turned out mediocre.
The good: the prologue
The bad: the reviews?
The ugly: everything else
I don't really know how to rate this book. I didn't hate it, but it just felt sloppy. For example, way back in high school, sophomore year, we had a short creative writing unit and had to peer-edit each others' short stories. Say you read a classmate's story and comment, "Wow, this is really good! You should be a writer some day." And maybe they do become a writer, but when someone digs up their old sophomore year story, they blush because of how embarrassing it is in retrospect. This novel is like an extended edition of that high school paper.
I picked this book up from my local library's new fiction shelves, liked the cover, read the description and "praise," and thought, why not give it a shot. I was thoroughly deceived, or I deceived myself with my expectations. I think mybiggest deceptions were the title - The Chrysalis - with David Moody's snippet of praise (from the back cover): "Cronenbergesque body horror with genuine heart." My mind raced, what could be the horror niche revolving around these millennials, with imagery of insect pupae? Will one of our millennial protagonists undergo a transformation akin to Jeff Goldblum in The Fly? Will a Kafkaesque metamorphosis stand in for some soliloquy about adulthood? Will the author have something profound to say about Millennials and their expectations or roles in society? I started the book and the three page prologue about a senior couple, madness, and gore spurred my interest on regarding all these questions.
But...
There was absolutely ZERO body horror, in my opinion. That was almost the biggest draw for me. Were they considering Jenny's pregnancy as body horror? Because that's the closest I come to why Moody would say that, but there was nothing outlandish regarding it. Oh no, we're a twenty-something couple who is going to have a baby! What physical aberrations are befalling us!
I hated the main characters. All of them. I didn't feel sympathy for anyone, they had no depth, and I feel that there was nothing positive to say about the Millennials in this book, for how much emphasizing the jacket did regarding this. Tom and Jenny Decker were written with the standard (and overly generalized) tropes of the Millennial experience: the generational divide between success and failure, work ethic versus partying, bohemian lifestyle and traditional family. The Decker's are written to fit perfectly in to how Millennials are presented to or described by older generations, no nuances needed.
The writing felt bland and repetitive. I need to go back and find it, but I think the same sentence was stated three times in two pages.There was added information at times that was utterly useless, or plot points were brought up, only to be forgotten later. What the hell was all that about Tom looking like Hannah's brother/Jenny looking like Malcolm's wife forced down our throats? Where even did Malcolm and Hannah go?!? I cared more about these two bartenders and their backstory than whether Tom would go mad and kill Jenny, or whether some ancient evil would be unleashed upon New Jersey.
I really only kept reading because I have a hard time just putting a book aside if I've started it. Also, I had a morbid curiosity if Tom and Jenny would become more tolerable. They don't.
I do think the idea behind this story is interesting and, like others, would like to see how it could be portrayed on the big screen. As a print medium, however, it turned out mediocre.
August 13, 2020
Well, we have a disgusting slimy thing growing on the basement wall and a man slowly descending into madness because of it. So the story has a lot going for it. It's well written and creepy with a fever dream sort of vibe. But the ending...was anticlimactic. And there were multiple loose ends that I felt needed tying up: things mentioned in the beginning of the story that feel like they should be important but just sort of fade away as the story progresses. So I'm torn on this one. 3 1/2 stars really, but rounding up due to goodreads system.
September 16, 2018
Terrifying. I tried to binge read it but needed to put it down and walk away so I didnt fall into the chaos and mind-twisting dementia along with Tom and Jenny. Took me 4 days to fully digest it and I feel like starting on page 1. Tomorrow. During daylight hours. Well done my friend. Well-freaking-done.
December 5, 2020
Well we tried
September 6, 2018
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.The nitty-gritty: Disturbing and atmospheric, The Chrysalis combines traditional horror elements with solid character development and delivers a cautionary tale about addiction.
The Chrysalis is being described by a lot of readers on Goodreads as “science fiction,” but I just don't get that. To me, this was pretty clearly a horror story, and while it might not work for some horror aficionados, I personally enjoyed the slowly building terror and the creepy atmosphere. This isn’t a haunted house story, but there is something awful living in the basement of the Decker’s new suburban home, and it wreaks havoc on Tom and Jenny’s relationship, not to mention their relationships with their friends and family. Take a bit of Rosemary’s Baby , add in a dash of Little Shop of Horrors and The Shining and mix well with Deneen’s horrifying glimpse into an imploding marriage and you’ll have an idea of what to expect.
Tom and Jenny Decker are a young couple living in New York. Tom’s an artist but works as a bartender, and Jenny is a personal trainer, dodging lewd passes from her businessman clients. They live in an apartment that they love, until one day the landlord triples their rent and they are forced to move out of the city. Luckily, they find a huge old house in the suburbs that they can easily afford (with the help of Jenny’s rich sister Victoria), and despite the fact that the house is literally falling apart and is stuffed full of the previous tenant’s junk, they decide to move in, thinking it might be a fresh start. And just days after they arrive, Jenny discovers she is pregnant, a surprise to both of them since they hadn’t even been thinking about starting a family.
Jenny refuses to go down into the basement, which is stacked high with old furniture and boxes, but Tom is drawn to it, for some reason. One day he decides to start clearing out some of the junk and discovers something sinister: hiding behind an old refrigerator is a large, slime-covered, pulsing chrysalis clinging to the wall. Tom feels compelled to touch it, and when he does, he feels an intense, drug-like high that also gives him blood-soaked visions of killing people. When Tom snaps out of the influence of the chrysalis, he barely remembers anything, but just like any addict, he can’t stay away from the chrysalis for long. Soon he’s sneaking into the basement at least once a day for a fix, but Jenny knows something is up.
As Tom begins to change from the loving husband she once knew, Jenny knows she must do something to bring him back. But the chrysalis has other plans for them…
We spend a lot of time with the characters in this story, and not so much time in the basement with the chrysalis (more about that later.) But I’m not complaining. I loved getting to know Jenny’s sister Victoria and her wife Lakshmi. The dynamic among the four of them is fraught with tension, since Tom can’t stand Victoria. We also meet Tom’s best friend Kevin, who is constantly trying to get Tom to come and work for his company. As the story progresses, and Tom’s personality and behavior goes downhill, we get to see how that behavior affects each relationship in a different way. I thought it was an interesting choice to make Tom and Jenny heavy drinkers, just bordering on alcoholism in my opinion, which also affects all their relationships.
I loved the atmospheric quality of the story. I’m a sucker for creepy house stories and Deneen does a great job of describing the house with all its dark corners and terrible smells, rotting wood steps and peeling wallpaper. The suburban setting adds to the feeling that the Deckers are no longer in the heart of the city, but stuck out in the boonies by themselves. The story is divided into nine sections which follow the progression of Jenny’s pregnancy, which I thought was a clever way to frame the story. It also added a lot of tension, as Jenny gets closer and closer to that nine month mark. Jenny’s due date is in December, and I loved how the weather turns cold and snowy as things move towards their inevitable climax.
One of the odd things for me in this story is that the chrysalis itself is mostly “off screen.” Most of Tom’s interactions with it are described after the fact, so as far as monsters go, it was pretty passive. If you’re looking for an in-your-face, action-filled horror story, you won’t find that here, although there are some violent moments. Instead, this story is character focused, and the real horror is Tom’s descent into homicidal madness. Deneen touches on lots of human fears--impending parenthood, job security, money worries and changing relationships--and uses the chrysalis to magnify those fears.
There were several story elements that I felt could have been better developed. Let’s just say I had a lot of unanswered questions when I finished reading the book, and while the author may have deliberately left things vague, allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions, I would have liked to see the story expanded in parts. For example, Tom makes friends with Malcolm and Hannah, a father and daughter who own a local bar, and when they first meet, both are taken aback at how much Tom looks like Malcolm’s deceased son Nick. Later, Jenny visits the bar, and Malcolm and Hannah tell her that she looks exactly like Malcolm’s dead wife. This weirdness is never explained, and in fact has nothing to do with the rest of the story. Since the author never did anything with the idea, I just felt, what was the point of putting it in?
There’s also a hint that Jenny’s unborn child has something to do with the chrysalis, but again I felt like it was a terrific idea that just wasn’t fully developed. The action picks up near the end, in fact it turns bat-shit crazy, although the ending left me scratching my head a bit and also felt a little abrupt. Ultimately, this story isn’t about the chrysalis, it’s about Tom and his addiction to the chrysalis. Deneen almost could have left out the scary bits and this would have been an effective and emotional drama about a troubled marriage, but luckily he didn’t. If you’re in the mood for an atmospheric, psychological tale with a focus on the characters, then you’ll love this book.
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
The Chrysalis is being described by a lot of readers on Goodreads as “science fiction,” but I just don't get that. To me, this was pretty clearly a horror story, and while it might not work for some horror aficionados, I personally enjoyed the slowly building terror and the creepy atmosphere. This isn’t a haunted house story, but there is something awful living in the basement of the Decker’s new suburban home, and it wreaks havoc on Tom and Jenny’s relationship, not to mention their relationships with their friends and family. Take a bit of Rosemary’s Baby , add in a dash of Little Shop of Horrors and The Shining and mix well with Deneen’s horrifying glimpse into an imploding marriage and you’ll have an idea of what to expect.
Tom and Jenny Decker are a young couple living in New York. Tom’s an artist but works as a bartender, and Jenny is a personal trainer, dodging lewd passes from her businessman clients. They live in an apartment that they love, until one day the landlord triples their rent and they are forced to move out of the city. Luckily, they find a huge old house in the suburbs that they can easily afford (with the help of Jenny’s rich sister Victoria), and despite the fact that the house is literally falling apart and is stuffed full of the previous tenant’s junk, they decide to move in, thinking it might be a fresh start. And just days after they arrive, Jenny discovers she is pregnant, a surprise to both of them since they hadn’t even been thinking about starting a family.
Jenny refuses to go down into the basement, which is stacked high with old furniture and boxes, but Tom is drawn to it, for some reason. One day he decides to start clearing out some of the junk and discovers something sinister: hiding behind an old refrigerator is a large, slime-covered, pulsing chrysalis clinging to the wall. Tom feels compelled to touch it, and when he does, he feels an intense, drug-like high that also gives him blood-soaked visions of killing people. When Tom snaps out of the influence of the chrysalis, he barely remembers anything, but just like any addict, he can’t stay away from the chrysalis for long. Soon he’s sneaking into the basement at least once a day for a fix, but Jenny knows something is up.
As Tom begins to change from the loving husband she once knew, Jenny knows she must do something to bring him back. But the chrysalis has other plans for them…
We spend a lot of time with the characters in this story, and not so much time in the basement with the chrysalis (more about that later.) But I’m not complaining. I loved getting to know Jenny’s sister Victoria and her wife Lakshmi. The dynamic among the four of them is fraught with tension, since Tom can’t stand Victoria. We also meet Tom’s best friend Kevin, who is constantly trying to get Tom to come and work for his company. As the story progresses, and Tom’s personality and behavior goes downhill, we get to see how that behavior affects each relationship in a different way. I thought it was an interesting choice to make Tom and Jenny heavy drinkers, just bordering on alcoholism in my opinion, which also affects all their relationships.
I loved the atmospheric quality of the story. I’m a sucker for creepy house stories and Deneen does a great job of describing the house with all its dark corners and terrible smells, rotting wood steps and peeling wallpaper. The suburban setting adds to the feeling that the Deckers are no longer in the heart of the city, but stuck out in the boonies by themselves. The story is divided into nine sections which follow the progression of Jenny’s pregnancy, which I thought was a clever way to frame the story. It also added a lot of tension, as Jenny gets closer and closer to that nine month mark. Jenny’s due date is in December, and I loved how the weather turns cold and snowy as things move towards their inevitable climax.
One of the odd things for me in this story is that the chrysalis itself is mostly “off screen.” Most of Tom’s interactions with it are described after the fact, so as far as monsters go, it was pretty passive. If you’re looking for an in-your-face, action-filled horror story, you won’t find that here, although there are some violent moments. Instead, this story is character focused, and the real horror is Tom’s descent into homicidal madness. Deneen touches on lots of human fears--impending parenthood, job security, money worries and changing relationships--and uses the chrysalis to magnify those fears.
There were several story elements that I felt could have been better developed. Let’s just say I had a lot of unanswered questions when I finished reading the book, and while the author may have deliberately left things vague, allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions, I would have liked to see the story expanded in parts. For example, Tom makes friends with Malcolm and Hannah, a father and daughter who own a local bar, and when they first meet, both are taken aback at how much Tom looks like Malcolm’s deceased son Nick. Later, Jenny visits the bar, and Malcolm and Hannah tell her that she looks exactly like Malcolm’s dead wife. This weirdness is never explained, and in fact has nothing to do with the rest of the story. Since the author never did anything with the idea, I just felt, what was the point of putting it in?
There’s also a hint that Jenny’s unborn child has something to do with the chrysalis, but again I felt like it was a terrific idea that just wasn’t fully developed. The action picks up near the end, in fact it turns bat-shit crazy, although the ending left me scratching my head a bit and also felt a little abrupt. Ultimately, this story isn’t about the chrysalis, it’s about Tom and his addiction to the chrysalis. Deneen almost could have left out the scary bits and this would have been an effective and emotional drama about a troubled marriage, but luckily he didn’t. If you’re in the mood for an atmospheric, psychological tale with a focus on the characters, then you’ll love this book.
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
September 30, 2018
This book got a creepy vibe on it but it didn’t quite achieve the chilling factor I was expecting. The title spoiled us of what’s lying in the basement although what it can do remains a mystery. After the prologue, you can immediately get an idea of what’s about to happen to our characters and yet hoping that maybe it will still surprise you along the way.
The characters are okay, but they are not someone you can easily relate to. I had trouble connecting to any of them especially Tom. He appears self-absorbed most of the time, even before the chrysalis, and I couldn’t care less whatever happens to him. Jenny isn’t any better. For a pregnant woman, she sure likes her alcohol a little too much. As it is, I can’t find any sympathy towards the couple.
As for the chrysalis, it sure is creepy but after the initial encounter, not so much. There’s just not enough of it and I would have preferred to know a lot more about it because I was left with a few unanswered questions. There’s just so many interesting elements that were left undeveloped. It certainly got a huge potential but didn’t quite deliver.
In spite of all those issues I have with this, I’d still say the book turned out to be an okay read. Not too bad, but not great, either. Some may enjoy it but for me, something is missing. Maybe because it didn’t quite meet my expectations. It looks like it could be a good movie, though.
*Copy courtesy of NetGalley.
The characters are okay, but they are not someone you can easily relate to. I had trouble connecting to any of them especially Tom. He appears self-absorbed most of the time, even before the chrysalis, and I couldn’t care less whatever happens to him. Jenny isn’t any better. For a pregnant woman, she sure likes her alcohol a little too much. As it is, I can’t find any sympathy towards the couple.
As for the chrysalis, it sure is creepy but after the initial encounter, not so much. There’s just not enough of it and I would have preferred to know a lot more about it because I was left with a few unanswered questions. There’s just so many interesting elements that were left undeveloped. It certainly got a huge potential but didn’t quite deliver.
In spite of all those issues I have with this, I’d still say the book turned out to be an okay read. Not too bad, but not great, either. Some may enjoy it but for me, something is missing. Maybe because it didn’t quite meet my expectations. It looks like it could be a good movie, though.
*Copy courtesy of NetGalley.
September 7, 2022
Yikes, this was a surprisingly bad read. I don't know if I've ever read such unrealistic dialogue in my life; the character's conversations with each other sounded like the cringy conversations I wrote in fifth grade. I didn't find any part of the book particularly scary either, and got very bored with the non-compelling storyline about halfway through. This was almost a DNF for me, but it was short enough that I decided to just push through and get to the end.
Also, what in God's name was up with the constant ellipses?? I swear every page had multiple "..."s in each paragraph, and for some reason that really started to bug me after a while. I've never in my life seen a book with so many ellipses.
Not a fan of this one.
Also, what in God's name was up with the constant ellipses?? I swear every page had multiple "..."s in each paragraph, and for some reason that really started to bug me after a while. I've never in my life seen a book with so many ellipses.
Not a fan of this one.
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