Anna Metcalfe

A spellbinding gem 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 distinct people, each differently mesmerized by her. Elliot, a recluse who notices her at the gym, witnesses her physical evolution as she becomes bigger and stronger, in order to still her body and mind. 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 meditative solitude. 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.

A Novel

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.

This provocative, fiercely imaginative debut follows a woman trying to slip the shackles of society by controlling her body and mind in extreme ways, by one of Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists. “Chrysalis is a thrilling look at how we spin silk around ourselves by watching the world on our screens.”—The New York Times Book Review It was hard to be in the present, she said, but if her body were heavier and more in control, then her thoughts would clear and her mind would recover its power. What happens when a woman dares to take up space? An enigmatic young woman drastically transforms her body, working to become bigger, stronger, and stiller in the wake of a trauma. We see her through the eyes of three people, each differently mesmerized by her, as they reckon with the consequences of her bizarre metamorphosis. Each of them leaves us with a puzzle piece of who she was before she became someone else. Elliot, a recluse who notices her at the gym, witnesses her physical evolution and becomes her first acolyte. Bella, her mother, worries about the intense effect her daughter’s new way of life is beginning to have on others, and she reflects on their relationship, a close cocoon from which her daughter has broken free. Susie, her ex-colleague and best friend, offers her sanctuary and support as she makes the transition to self-created online phenomenon, posting viral meditation videos that encourage her followers to join her in achieving self-sufficiency by isolating themselves from everyone else in their lives. Uncanny, alluring, and intimate, Chrysalis raises vital questions about selfhood and solitude. This daring novel asks if it is possible for a woman to have agency over her body while remaining part of society, and then offers its own explosive answer.

A Hope on the Wall

Anna Metcalfe's stories are about communication and miscommunication - between characters and across cultures. Whether about a blithely entitled English teacher in a poor Beijing school, an immigrant female taxi driver in Paris, or a young Chinese girl spouting made-up Confucian phrases to please tourists, the stories examine the assumptions we make about other people, and about ourselves. Blind Water Pass is an auspicious debut by a superb young writer.

Anna Metcalfe

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