Chrysalis

A spellbinding puzzle of a novel, this provocative debut follows a young woman whose bizarre metamorphosis poses vital questions about our modern, online existence.

Chrysalis is the story of a mysterious young woman transforming first her body and then her digital presence, told by three very different people who find her inexplicably fascinating. Elliot, a recluse who notices her at the gym, witnesses her physical evolution; she wants to be bigger and stronger so as to become still and tree-like. Bella, her mother, worries about the strange, dark effect her daughter's new way of life is beginning to have on others as she reflects on their relationship, a close cocoon from which her daughter has broken free. Susie, her ex-colleague and best friend, houses and feeds her as she makes the transition to self-created online phenomenon, posting videos of herself meditating for hours in strange physical positions and encouraging her followers to renounce their previous lives and join her in solitude. Despite the mysterious nature of her intentions, her peculiar philosophy elevates her to guru status, and she amasses legions of followers. But her strange brand of digital fame turns notorious when one of these followers goes missing.

Uncanny and alluring, Chrysalis asks whether a woman can slip the shackles of society through her art, and what truth lies between the observers and the observed. This daring novel dazzles with its deadpan humor, hypermodern yet occult energy, and peculiar, private logic.