Chrysalis is split into three sections, in which we learn about an unnamed woman from the perspective of her mother, her colleague, and a potential lover. Through their eyes, we learn about her journey from isolated childhood to unconventional social media guru.
I love how the story unraveled; there are no “twists” in this Chrysalis, this is good old-fashioned plot progression, and Metcalfe has complete control. The narrator of each section is fully formed, with completely distinct styles. My favorite was the section narrated by the woman’s mother; Metcalfe captured the complexities of mother/grown-up daughter relationships. I saw another review comparing Metcalfe to Gwendoline Riley, and I definitely saw parallels between this novel and Riley’s superb My Phantoms.
I’m not a big fan of novels where social media is a major factor, but I was so pleasantly surprised by the intelligence of this novel. The woman’s trajectory is unconventional, and this is not an easy read. My favorite books are usually those that fall into the category of “uncanny”, and “evokes feelings of unease”, and Chrysalis checked both of those boxes.
I think this would absolutely work as a play, in a truncated version. The three sections have the feel of a monologue, and wind together perfectly.
I have never read anything like Chrysalis, and I am now a fully certified Metcalfe fan. What an exciting, refreshing, weird novel.
California Reading 