I was looking forward to this book. Great hype; great cover; great blurbs. I really wanted to enjoy this book because the concept sounded great. Unfortunately, it was a struggle. I never felt fully engaged, the writing itself felt mediocre and the plot wasn't gripping me. It had a wonderful concept: a surreal, lyrical exploration of a man's depression and psychology as he's stuck in this neverending irreal maze of a subway station (this sounds like it could be akin to Piranesi), but the idle wanderings of the main character constantly looking at a grey space was numbing. I wish the book would have gone deeper even if the author wanted to maintain a brief or slight execution. I was hoping to review this for the autumn issue of the magazine, but I'm not keen on publishing negative reviews for debut authors so I'll pass on this one.

Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for this ARC. Where to even begin? This story explores aspects of the human mind that you'd otherwise prefer to shy away from. It is at times bone chilling & also immersive. A scary place where your mind becomes your biggest adversary. Moments of humor sprinkled throughout were a nice respite. I truly enjoyed it. Please heed the trigger warnings because this is a book that explores some extremely heavy topics.

“A space made for travelers, void of such motion, and I cannot dispose of its perverse emptiness.”

Coup De Grâce follows our main character Vicken, who takes the metro to Montreal to end his own life. Instead of his planned stop, he gets off the subway to discover he is trapped in an endless, looping station. This liminal space welcomes him with open arms and terrifies him with its improbability, and as he tries to escape, Vicken soon realizes he may not be alone.

I love liminal space horror. The backrooms as a concept really unnerve me, and Coup De Grâce accomplishes the horrifying ambience of a liminal space in which escape seems impossible.

The language adds to the eerie atmosphere of the novella; even though I’ve never seen (and hopefully never will see!) a place like the one our protagonist is trapped in, I can see it so clearly in my mind. The sheer contradiction of a liminal space - alien and familiar, nostalgic and off-putting -and what makes it so eerie, is perfectly captured here.

This could be a very triggering book for some readers: Vicken is trapped not just in an infinite subway station but his depressive and existential thoughts. Tread carefully, this novella packs a punch but boy does it deliver on the ending. This is perfectly paced, haunting novella, is going to stick with me for a while.

Sofia Arjam's debut novella, Coup de Grâce, is a chilling, immersive journey that plunges you into a world where your mind is your greatest enemy, and reality dissolves into a labyrinth of horror. The premise of the story is a dark one - it follows a man who, on the verge of ending his life, steps off the subway into an eerie station; only to find himself utterly alone, trapped in an endless maze of desolate halls and rooms that seem to mock the laws of reality.

What makes this tale particularly striking is its masterful blend of visceral horror and existential dread. The author's sparse yet poetic prose creates a relentless atmosphere of claustrophobia and unease, pulling you deeper into Vick's unravelling psyche. I felt consistently uncomfortable while reading this book, and I loved every second of it. Each page drips with grotesque, nightmarish imagery, but it’s the psychological descent that truly sticks with you.

Yet, beneath the surface horror lies a deeper narrative about life, choices, and the human condition. It forces the reader to reflect on how life can oscillate between moments of beauty and despair. And in an unexpected twist, the novella makes you complicit in shaping Vicken's fate to finish the story. Through its "choose your own adventure" format, the story doesn't just examine personal agency - it also asks you to confront your own motivations. Will you condemn Vicken to further torment, or offer him a sliver of hope? Why do you choose what you do?

What I enjoy so thoroughly about Coup de Grâce is that it doesn’t merely tell a story - it poses questions that linger long after the final page has been turned. With its haunting atmosphere, sharp commentary on capitalism, and profound exploration of human choice, this is a story that demands to be read and reread. It leaves you questioning not just Vicken’s fate, but the nature of the choices we all make in the face of an indifferent, sometimes cruel world. I highly recommend this novella for those who enjoy their horror thoughtful, deeply unsettling, and endlessly thought-provoking. Of course, I also recommend Coup de Grâce for any and all Canadian readers who enjoy CanLit and well-written texts set in a famous Canadian setting.

Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of Coup de Grâce by Sofia Arjam in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and are not influenced by any third parties.

The biggest thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for the eARC!

A dark, empty hallway. A vacant elevator. The places made for humans, by humans, that ring hollow. Sofia Ajram utilizes these liminal spaces, these places that scream wrongness for reasons that escape common vocabulary, to explore one of the bleakest facets of the human condition in their startling yet stunning debut novella, Coup de Grâce. A man, Vicken, has made the choice to wade into the waters of the Saint Lawrence River, to put a stopper on the pain he’s endured for so long. However, one seemingly mundane subway ride results in an unexpected stop, one that delivers an unfathomable reality for Vicken.

To be blunt, this is a difficult review to write but for all the best reasons imaginable. Coup de Grâce is a story that elicits undeniable emotions in their rawest forms, artistically exploring the topics we bury. It doesn’t feel as though it is a coincidence that the settling of Vick’s plight is an underground, manufactured, desolate space of concrete. And before I wander too far off on my ramblings of stunning symbolism, it is imperative to note how painfully gorgeous Ajram’s prose reads, how poignant, evocative, and moving. This is a deep character study, not just for Vicken, but an examination of ourselves if we’re a willing audience.

The use of liminal space feels like one of the most memorable, vivid uses of setting to convey unavoidable sensations of dread, overwhelming bleakness, and clear claustrophobia. Ajram’s description of this strange place brings to mind to expectations of a life constructed meticulously, only for the reality of an existence to feel so empty with so many hard edges. It’s the perfect manifestation of depression, a place with no end, no reprieve, no grace. At every corner Vicken turns, there’s another room, another hallway, another door, but absolutely no exit. It’s a devastating atmosphere here in this place that’s truly haunting, something that rings true for those who have felt as though there is no light at the end of that long tunnel.

Coup de Grâce is not a conventional story, and it should not be. There’s no clear plot of moving from point “A” to “B” to “C,” which is the stark reality of battling an unrelenting darkness. Ajram utilizes fourth-wall breaks, reader-chosen passages, and other rare forms of prose to make this story as much about us as it is about Vicken. And while I just finished describing how harrowing this all sounds, there’s an odd glimmer of hope to all of this. Because I’m sitting here, writing this review to share with others, with other humans who have read this story, who will read this story, will talk about this story. And isn’t there a little light in that, a small shade of community to maybe not feel so utterly alone?

Profound, bleak, and most importantly, honest, Coup de Grâce is a devastating exploration of the things that have remained unspoken and unexplored in such a way, until now. Despite the bleakness of Vicken’s situation, Sofia Ajram’s decision to share this story shines a light on the topics that have withered away thanks to shame, guilt, and the human tendency to repress. It’s an unrelenting novella that accurately conveys just how unforgiving depression is. Ajram has crafted something special with Coup de Grâce, a piece of art that demands feeling, demands humanity when there is none to be found.

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

I got this as an arc on Netgalley and it will come out in October. This is NOT a light read and has very heavy themes. This book is a fictional thriller horror about mental illness and the depiction of it still manages to feel accurate. Jesus that end.

This was probably one of my favorite reads of the year. I liked the way that Ajram depicted depression in architectural form, while also playing with the human fear of liminal spaces. The "choose-your-own adventure" style ending was really unique fit quite nicely within the context of the story. I knew what the endings were going to be, but getting to that point was part of the intrigue.

A big thank you to NetGalley for helping me get my hands on this ARC, Coup de Grace.

I'm an avid reader, perhaps best described as a book dragon. I horde what I think is the best and look for the gold among the piles of rubble. I found a ruby. Sofia Aijram did something I had yet to discover. Took self grief and added intellectual humor, wonderfully unfolding doses of body horror and psychological horror done so perfectly that brings the overall experience to a new level. Further than that you will need to discover on your own and I can only hope it was a wonderful surprise to you as well.

Come along with Vicken, as he plans to end his life by way of drowning. He has a brief pleasant encounter, then begins a journey he had no plans for....ever.
The station will do things to Vicken that will make you laugh, cringe, maybe even a little stomach flip, and possibly cry. There are swings emotions that help attach you to the main character if the first person perspective hadn't been successful (which it totally was for me). By the 50% mark, you should really be feeling the highs and lows, but if you aren't and you've reached the 79th, something insane happens. I'm not sure if I should share or just strongly encourage you to just dive in! At this point you will feel the main character's reactions pretty strongly, I don't know how you couldn't. If it wasn't obvious by now, I thought the characters and story execution was phenomenal! I had an amazing time reading this and very much look forward to future publications.
Coup de Grace in the best French translation means fatal blow.

Now for my usual sharing of passages that piqued my interest:

We're constantly deceived by the largeness of life on movie screens, in literature. -11%

It gradually dawns on me that I've been denied a destination, caught in a transitional environment, a space between beginning and an end. -17%

Makes me think she's got signs of rot and necrosis somewhere under her clothing where I can't see, down in her roots. -20%

Can't we think about this a minute before we go urban spelunking in the God-size glory hole? -26%

Years as an EMT have exposed me to plenty of mental shock, but nothing like this. -29%

I feel like a horse in a slaughterhouse; all I want to do is run or scream or cry. -33%

We are small in this place; silence its judgement and indifference our condemnation. -34%

A sickness in the mind is just as poisonous, can devour the body the same as a cancer. -38%

I won't share anything past here so you can get the full effect.

Coup de Grâce had a promising start, but I felt like it never really went anywhere. Sure, the protagonist was moving around the station and doing various things, but none of his actions ever felt like they had any point to them. The sudden usage of an Internet urban legend as a plot point also broke my immersion. And before I knew it, the book was over. The ending was executed in an interesting way, but (without going into any specifics) the change was quite jarring, and I'm not sure if it really contributed anything.

The author succeeded in constructing a very compelling liminal space, but unfortunately, they fail to actually give it any reason for its existence or why any of the events inside it happen. Many questions were raised throughout the book, but there were never any answers. Nothing was ever explained. Why does the station exist? Who knows. Why does <insert some event here> happen? No clue. I get that the reader shouldn't be spoon-fed answers, but I would've liked to have even the tiniest scraps of lore.

Perhaps this book was just not for me?

Vicken is a depressed and lonely EMT working in Montreal who is traveling to the St. Lawrence River via subway train to stuff his pockets with rocks and end his misery once and for all. And that is where this reader's misery began.

What this novella is, is a very minimal story with lots and lots of florid language to prop it up and puff it out, like a bloated corpse adrift on a raft of adjectives (I guess it's infectious, eek!). Take the following example:
"Their essence starts to fade and at once explodes in a fit of fury into a thousand shards, wriggles and broils, effervescing into something larger and more complex; impaling slats of light, a howl of fluorescence through darkness no longer shrouded in emptiness, but gestating, somehow into an empty room; room; rooms, multiplying like cells; mapping the interior void from which we later arise." I could close my eyes, flick through to any page on my e-reader, point, and hit a fragment like this.

The author also displays a penchant for alliteration and a handy thesaurus with words like caliginous, prodrome and feculent thrown around willy nilly, perhaps in an effort to throw the reader more off course? I'm not really sure. Other things that seem thrown in at random just to provide more padding to the story include arbitrary breaking of the fourth wall and the viral Cecil Hotel elevator footage of Elisa Lam.

On the positive side, there is some gross body horror and some insightful passages and statements (that the author immediately ruins dead-horse style in subsequent sentences), and while I found the ending sort of annoying, there was also a part of me that appreciated its novelty. But like a scarf worn by a character that is described as "baroque and threadbare," so is this story. To be entirely honest, I would have dnf'd this if I hadn't felt obligated to submit a review to NetGalley.

In any case, thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for a digital advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review. Coup de Grâce will be published on October 1, 2024.

CN suicide
Coup de Grace is a beautiful, tightly written novella about a suicidal man getting trapped in a labyrinthine part of the Montreal subway network.

The prose was a strong point of the novel; the imagery was vivid and rich, and where needed, visceral and unsettling.

I enjoyed the scenes with Pashmina a lot—I feel like having a character to bounce off really helps the novel, though I understand why for much of it our narrator had to be alone. My favourite part was the choose your own adventure segment towards the end of the book, I found it really hit hard.

I read a lot of this novel on the London Underground, and I don’t think I’ll ever look at it the same again. This was a heavy read, and the content warnings should be heeded, but I enjoyed it and would definitely read more from this author!

Reading this book is what I imagine a hallucination feels like. It takes you inside the mind of someone with suicidal ideation but then twists it into something Escheresque.

Today is Vick’s last day. When he gets off this train he’s going to end his life. However, things don’t exactly go to plan.

“It gradually dawns on me that I've been denied a destination, caught in a transitional environment, a space between beginning and an end.”

There’s the dread of anxiety and the muted colours of depression. There’s the wandering through life without purpose, turning a corner and finding you’re back where you started. There’s the isolation of feeling like there’s no way out. It’s bleak and confusing, and there are choices to be made.

“We are small in this place; silence its judgement and indifference our condemnation.”

This is a strange novella. I’m not entirely sure where I sit on the love-hate continuum. I loved how experimental and disorienting it felt. I didn’t always love the descriptions, which sometimes landed on using the most obscure word in the thesaurus. I loved that the … journey (for lack of a better word) embodied the hopelessness of suicidal ideation.

For a kid that lived for choose your own adventure, I didn’t love that aspect and that’s what’s sticking with me. I was uncomfortable making decisions that would result in how Vick’s story ended. Yes, this is fiction but apparently that doesn’t change how I feel about this.

I’m not on board with trying to make other people responsible for you. For better or worse, your actions are your own.

Having friends who have experienced suicidal ideation as well as having been there myself, I cannot emphasise enough the value of appropriate support and resources when it feels like there are no good choices.

A list of international suicide hotlines can be found here: https://www.suicidestop.com/call_a_hotline.html

Favourite no context quote:

“Isn't that what sickness is? A violence, in need of direction, channeled inward?”

Content warnings include anxiety, body horror, death by suicide, depression, self harm and suicidal ideation.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Titan Books for the opportunity to read this novella. I’m rounding up from 3.5 stars.

Wow! What a hell of a debut novel! In this never ending nightmare of a rabbit hole we follow Vickens who has decided not to renew his subscription to life, he is stuck on a metro station on what seems to be an eternity of nothingness and everythingness all at once, its a modern take on Dante’s inferno that takes you on a spiral of emotions and extremely detailed and raw descriptions.

Have you ever read Goodnight Punpun and John Dies At The End? If you have then you would know if those two story lines get married and have a baby then you’d get this amazingly comical psychological horror that you can’t stop thinking about.

If you are a fan of getting mind f*cked while still having some giggles in between then this here is for you. I cannot rave more about this novel, it was perfection! I’m so grateful to NetGalley, Sofia Ajram and Titan Books to have given me the change to read this e-book ARC

This was comfortably cruising towards being a 4 or 4.5 star rating for me…some of the descriptions were so visceral, so haunting - like Clive Barker doing existential horror - and even though I struggled to fully grasp everything here, it was so damned affecting and gut-churning that I couldn’t help but be drawn in. Then, a choice was made - a tactic was used - towards that end that completely took me out of it and I fumbled through to the end wading through sections that jumbled up the tone of the whole thing and just left me confused. I loved what this was trying to talk about and do, and was transfixed by most of it…but then *that* happened and it just threw me.

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my review.

"A mindbending and visceral experimental horror about a young man trapped in an infinite Montreal subway station, perfect for readers of Mark Z. Danielewski and Susanna Clarke.

Vicken has a plan: throw himself into the Saint Lawrence River in Montreal and end it all for good, believing it to be the only way out for him after a lifetime of depression and pain. But, stepping off the subway, he finds himself in an endless, looping station.

Determined to find a way out again, he starts to explore the rooms and corridors ahead of him. But no matter how many claustrophobic hallways or vast cathedral-esque rooms he passes through, the exit is nowhere in sight.

The more he explores his strange new prison, the more he becomes convinced that he hasn't been trapped there accidentally, and amongst the shadows and concrete, he comes to realise that he almost certainly is not alone. A terrifying psychological nightmare from a powerful new voice in horror."

I mean, I can see the Mark Z. Danielewski connection with House of Leaves, but Susanna Clarke?

This was beautifully written. From beginning to the end, this book is full of dread.
Sofia is a brilliant portrayal of being stuck in a rut and you can’t seem to get out no matter what you do.

This was very relatable to me and I found I could hardly put this down. Also at the same time I wanted to take my time with this one and slowly read what was being said.

The horror is perfect and it will make you squeamish all over. It’s a very unique way of telling a story and I can’t recommend it enough.

Thank you to Netgalley and Titan books for my ARC copy.

Ajram captures the crushing feeling that far too many of us battle and struggle with, pining for leverage, trying to hold on, wanting to hold on, and fighting and fighting and fighting with more than we’ve even got inside, and how it debilitates, and if you can never be who you are, who you want to be, who you’re meant to be, who you need to be, is it ever enough? Or, does it matter? It’s all topsy-turvy. We’re devoured by the machine. The grinding, crushing, pulping, extracting machine. 


(If your body’s ever been a stranger)


The routines. The waiting. The betrayals and adjustments. When everything feels like it’s beating down on you — mashing, mashing, mashing — it’s hard to feel that our lives are truly ours, that this is our ride. 


(If you’ve ever been on the medication rollercoaster — something will work, something will work)


All of us, sometimes, want to turn it off. 

But maybe we can save one another.

Together.

Even when the days blend together, even when the days are monotonous, never changing, indistinguishable, and never ever ever ending.


(And every speck of time feels like: please remain on the line… please remain on the… please remain on the line…)


We get through together, as people. 


(Try to live, and then keep trying and trying and trying and, always, live)


The spark that stories hit us with, Ajram delivers that spark, and then whirls it into a full-on wildfire.


(Your life matters.)




Stay.

It started good and I hoped I will like it, but unfortunately the writing is not for me. I don’t think I’m the right person to read this one.

Thank you to Sofia Ajram, Titan Books, and NetGalley for the ARC!

The writing was very poetic and detailed. I think the concept was very interesting and at its’ core, the story was a metaphor for depression. However, I don’t think it was necessarily my thing, it didn’t feel long enough for me to fully connect and felt more like a monologue than a story. I’m not sure I really liked the ending.

Very cool read though! Trigger warnings for body horror and suicidal themes for anyone looking to read it.