I struggled to finish this book, and after finishing it, I wasn’t even sure what I read.  I fluctuated from thinking the main character, Abby, was mentally ill to wondering if I was just missing the entire point of the novel.  I've come to the conclusion it was probably a mixture of both.

The Paper Wasp is written in what seems to be one very long letter, and revolves around Abby, the MC/narrator, and Elise.  The novel begins in Michigan where, Abby, is unhappy with her life and has an obsession with her estranged now famous friend Elise.  Abby has a talent for creating elaborate drawings, which are based on her dreams; a technique she picked up following Perren, an elusive yet powerful  figure who gained a following through films and his teachings at Rhizome.  It isn't until Abby's 10 year high school reunion that she reconnects with Elise.  Following this meeting Abby travels to California to be close with Elise, and rekindle their friendship for years ago and fulfill her own dreams of being noticed by Perren for her art. 

Dreams are a dominant theme throughout the novel, and Abby's are intense and pretty far out there.  As the story unfolds, Abby continues to weave intricate plans and follow them to a future she envisions.  These plans eventually show a very dark, manipulative side to her character which affects her relationships with others. 

At several points reading this I wanted to quit, and move on.  I also wanted to find out what happened.  This curiosity won out.  As the ending was revealed it became just as strange and otherworldly as the events leading up to it.  Though this was not my taste, and definitely not what I was expecting, The Paper Wasp was well written.

I am still a huge fan of “The Wonder Garden”,
written by Lauren Acampora’s. After reading an early advance copy...
I later bought the hardcopy.
It’s still one of my most favorite unusual- riveting collection of short - linked - stories I’ve ever read. It’s so brilliantly crafted - so mind blowing fascinating and brilliant - taking place in upper-class suburbia -
that I was beyond excited to read this next book.

This book starts out grabbing my attention - dark-creepy-mysterious- ( different than “The Wonder Garden”, but hooking me in with curiosity to keep reading.
Lauren is a skillful exceptional writer.

The two quotes before the book begins are thought provoking and gives a clue of what we are in for;

“If the dream is translation of waking life, waking life is also a translation of the dream”. Rene Margritte

“In each of us there is another whom we do not know” — C.G. Jung

Abby hasn’t seen Elise Van Dijk since they graduated High School. Elise was glamorous. She’s a movie actress living in Los Angeles.
In Abby’s high school year book, Elise wrote
“Abby, I’m sorry we’re not close anymore, but I hope we will be again someday”. My love always, Elise.

What Elise wrote in Abby’s yearbook.. about sorry we are not close anymore - but WISHES to be again — brought up feelings of wonder. And as I kept reading - I felt sadness for how much struggle it is for people to love each other....
Is it ego? jealousy? assumptions? manipulations? narcissism? mental unstableness? >> that friends struggle with to attain purity of deep friendship?

Lauren gives us characters that are imperfect and a story that allows us to observe two very different type of women.
She guides her twisty story with an organic ear for satire.... yet, at the same time - we are exploring relationships that are familiar and real.

The title is fitting. Paper wasps - not aggressive in nature - will sting if disturbed.

Although - this book isn’t mind blowing phenomenal to me as “The Wonder Garden” was ... ( with parts of the storytelling feeling weary to me), its brimming with intrigue- attempting to make sense of the senseless.

I’ll read ANYTHING my Lauren ... she makes me think and is a clever writer.
Spending time with her prose gives me a quiet warm body charge.

Thank you - always - to Grove Atlantic, Netgalley, and Lauren Acampora! Love her!!!!

Abby Graven is plain and stout. Since leaving school she has tucked herself away in a world where she has as little contact as possible with anyone; where she can lose herself in her dreams, her drawing and the films of her hero Auguste Perren. Abby's best friend from school, Elise, has left Michigan far behind and is now a rising star in Hollywood. The girls meet again at a school reunion, Elise passes on her contact number and Abby follows her to LA.

This intense story is told in Abby's voice. She is thrilled to be close to Elise once more and is sure that they have a bond which goes deeper than just friendship. In her eyes they are meant to be together. They will create art together. However both girls are self absorbed. Elise is giddy in a world of stardom; doing what she must to promote her image and relying increasingly on alcohol, and Abby is getting increasingly sucked into her world of dreams.

As the tale develops it darkens and the end is quite disturbing. Lauren Acampora treats us to some wonderful descriptive passages, in particular the description of Abby's dreams.

I think this book has grown on me since I finished it. I certainly was taken aback by the twist in events. I could relate to an extent to Abby's desire to rekindle a close childhood friendship, but that was really as far as I could relate to any of the characters. It turns out to be a much darker tale than you would think from reading the first half and it left me rather gasping for air.

I am grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book.

This was a book that was a bit unlike books I would normally read. I was pulled in by the cover, which is beautiful.
Abbie, our main character, I found inherently unlikeable. She lived her life comparing herself to her old school friend, Elsie, an actor on the brink of big success.
Abbie is reunited with Elsie at a school reunion, and the two end up friends again. Quite predictable, I felt, we learn that Elsie’s life isn’t a shiny as it would have appeared to Abbie, and neither woman is really very happy at all.
Apart from a few interesting moments, I didn’t find the book very engaging or hugely enjoyable.

This was not for me.

Abby is a despondent twenty-something who lives in Michigan and works at a grocery store. When she encounters her old-bff, who is now a movie star, at their high school reunion, she decides to take the leap and fly to California. When she shows up at Elise's front door, her old friend doesn't really know what to do. Soon, she employs Abby and lets her tag along to all her fancy parties - and fancy arts school.

I think I missed the point of this novel. I don't mind reading about an unlikable main character, because usually there's some point to the story and/or the plot is interesting, but THE PAPER WASP had an unlikable main character <i>and</i> a lack of plot (imo). I went between thinking the whole novel was one of Abby's (weird) dreams and thinking she was mentally ill. By the end of the novel, it kind of seems to me that she <i>is</i> mentally ill because of what she ends up doing.

Honestly, I had a lot of problems with this. It seemed like Abby was in love with Elise, but also genuinely hated her. The way she talked about her! I just couldn't grasp it. There wasn't one single healthy relationship in this entire novel. On top of all the "plot" issues I had with this, it was also written in <a href="https://www.grammarly.com/blog/first-second-and-third-person/">second person</a>, which obviously was a stylistic choice but one that I felt fell short of the mark.

The Paper Wasp by Lauren Acampora is an out-of-the-league novel. When I finished reading it, I wasn't sure what hit me - I am still not sure if it is a good thing or a bad one!

I love dark endings, and although this one fits the bill, I cannot really say that I enjoyed it. Don't get me wrong here, the writing style is interesting; the story, not as much though. The main character is fishy, and the reader is left in two minds whether to like her or not. Or may be it is just me, and I couldn't really relate to the protagonist.

One thing that I really loved about the book is the thought process that would have gone behind deciding the title of the book. It is an apt one, and I congratulate the author for the find. Thumbs up!

Thanks to the author and the publisher for the ARC.

This book failed to grab my interest. I couldn't bring myself to care about the characters or what happened to them. I skimmed through the pages at a breakneck pace. Sorry, just not my cup of tea.

Thanks to NetGalley for chance to read and review.

I'm honestly not even sure how I feel about this book. I appreciate being given the opportunity to read it, and have ordered it for my library. I'm certain it will find its intended audience here, as much as I know that I am not it. I respect the time and effort that went into writing this novel, though.

This book was weird. Way weird. The characters were all part-crazy and totally unlikable. The narration was choppy and the dream sequences I glossed over. I'm sure it's a great book to some but it was definitely not my cup of tea.

While this book kept me thinking throughout the day, I’m not sure if it is for everyone. It’s a deep storyline about Abby, dealing with mental illness and her twisted mind narrating throughout the book. She runs into her childhood best friend at her high school reunion and off they go to a life in California.
Keep reading! It gets interesting.

Abby, the narrator, has dreams. Dreams that become true, that is. Her childhood best friend, Elise, is also her obsession. After years, Abby connects with Elise at their 10 year class reunion. Elise seems really happy to see Abby but Elise IS an actress. Abby leaves home a few months later to "visit" Elise in Los Angeles as a surprise. Elise wants to be in a film by Perren. Now, Perren happens to be Abby's goal for the utmost of inspiration. She follows him by reading all of his books and more...

Rafael, Elise's boyfriend, visits a lot - particularly noticed by Abby who somehow has insinuated herself into Elise's house. Abby wants Elise to herself so she goes along with Elise's moods and does her household chores. She eventually becomes Abby's personal assistant. Abby befriends Paul, a former Amish-living cameraman.

Already self-absorbed, Elise is cast as a lead with Rafael in a good movie role. At the moment she does not need Abby's support. That is - until Elise becomes pregnant. She marries Rafael and the rest is all dreams and personalities...

An unusual literary read. Brilliant use of descriptive wording and emotions of the characters. However, I was not totally sold on this book - as it seemed a bit wordy to me. This is just my taste.

A good read.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story.

After reading The Paper Wasp, I am left feeling oddly empty and almost dissatisfied. In fact, honestly, I am unsure what I just read. Told in the view of one main character, I found myself unsure if I was missing something big or if the main character had mental health issues. There was a lot creative writing and I felt that the author did an amazing job with that. Between the dream state and awake state it was very well thought out. Some parts of the book were a little slower, but I found myself wanting to continue reading. As for the story line, it moved almost jarringly -- slowing down then jumping ahead.

Overall, I do think that this was a wonderfully written book with a lot of imagination. It was well thought out. However, I found myself unsure of the point the main character was trying to make. I definitely feel there was some mental health issues and that she thought she was better than other characters. Also, I thought that the incident that caused her scar would have played a more vital role. Most of what she did was calculated and often I did not realize her endgame until the author told me.

An interesting story of a female friendship that goes horribly wrong that features a starlet and her old childhood (obsessed?) friend who reconnect after years apart. You think the narrative is going to head one way, but it ends up in a very different place. Recommended for readers who enjoy complex female friendships with a darker side. If you like philosophy this will work for you as well, since there is a philosophical element that is woven into the story. Acampora keeps you interested and guessing.

This is a thrilling, dark, and twisted look into the lives of characters who carry their damage heavily--and who come alive on the pages. Lauren Acampora's voice is electrifying.

Abby's mother is really happy that Abby will attend her high school reunion. After all, Abby had a breakdown and had dropped out of the University of Michigan to become a cashier in a Meijer grocery--Getting out a bit could help her our of her depression. Abby ends up reuniting with her dear friend from years earlier, the now-famous actress Elise. We come to find out Abby really has some major issues but only as we read further into the book do we see just how messed up she really is. I think the writing is very good and the author is so descriptive, she makes it look easy to write someone so dark. However, how the story evolved throughout left me a bit dazed. The book is written as if Abby is reciting it to her "friend" Elise and it works well for the most part. I just cannot get over the ending,

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

This book immediately captivated me with it's subliminal darkness and the arresting characterization of a woman, Abby, as she teeters on the edge of mental instability. I easily breezed through this story in one day as I felt like I was rubbernecking a slow motion fatal car wreck in progress, unable to turn away.

The entire story is told through Abby's perception of her world and the people in it leaving the reader to constantly question the reliability of the narration.

I am a huge fan of immersive stories such as this one. I would much rather spend 300+ pages doing nothing but burrowing into the unsettled mind of one character over reading about one, or many, superficial characters being led by the plot rather than driving it.

Sadly, this is one of those books that I know will not be embraced by most readers because it doesn't fit the industry mold that is fed daily to the open-mouthed masses.

Laura Acampora is an incredibly talented writer with an uncanny ability to conjure fantastical images and easily deliver them into vivid reality. I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next.


I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a tough one to review. I absolutely loved Acampora's writing style. Her prose was lyrical and her use of language elegant. However I was perplexed by the characters in this book, namely the protagonist Abby. At the beginning of the book she irritated me and by the end she just left me perplexed and baffled. A story that many people have depicted before, but that absolutely none have done in such a fashion. After reading this, it is clear that Acampora is obviously a gifted writer, I'm just left a little uncertain about the construction of the characters contained within these pages.

After completing this book, I wasn’t sure exactly what I had just read. I fluctuated from thinking the main character, Abby, was mentally ill to wondering if I was just missing the entire point of the novel. I think it might be a little of both.

Abby is a dispirited young woman living with her equally despondent parents in Michigan. Her older sister has become enmeshed in drugs and sex and any closeness Abby may have had with her has long disappeared. Abby spends her days creating fantastical and elaborate drawings based on her dreams, and it’s clear that she has talent.

At her 10 year high school reunion, Abby reconnects with Elise, her childhood best friend. Elise is now a burgeoning movie star, and Abby devises a plan to move to California to be close to Elise and hopefully fulfill her own dreams involving her art. Dreams are actually a dominant theme in the book, and through descriptions of Abby’s, I began to question her sanity. Abby has an intense desire to meet and follow the teachings of an elusive, yet powerful figure named Perren, who has created a following through an organization known as Rhizome, in which members are “interviewed” on their dreams. I must admit, the detailed descriptions of her dreams and the “teachings” related to them seemed pretty far out and too bizarre for me to follow or stay interested.

Abby continues to weave plans and follow them toward a future that she envisions, eventually showing a very dark side to her character which affects her relationships with others. At this point, I was ready to just quit reading, as the whole book seemed like a fantasy novel, which I wasn’t expecting. I stuck with it, to see what would happen, and the ending was just as peculiar as the events leading up to it.

Although not to my taste, the writing was well done and I can see that others who are interested in dark fantasy might enjoy this book. For that, I give it 3 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic/Grove Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was drawn into the story. nice descriptive characters and that can be relatable in the way some feel(jealous) could feel when an old friend has moved away and become successful and the other remains back in their hometown. Not sure I know anyone who has gone to the length Abbey went. Made for a good fiction story that you could picture as you read. would read more from this author.

Very, very immersive book. Abby's mind is such a strange place to inhabit: the world has such sharp edges and fateful encounters, such pain and such delusion. She clearly has mental illnesses that need taking care of, but it's interesting to see how she goes through the world with her darkness around her. I like to think that lots of what she saw/experience is tainted by bias, illness and what she hoped for. Taking every fact in the plot to face-value takes some of the story's shine for me.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The pacing was a bit strange, but I understand why it was done this way.