This was my very first ARC read (digital format) from NetGalley.

I requested an ARC as I was interested in the synopsis and the book title.

Being a lover of theatre and scripts, I found the alternating narrative style between play and first person a great approach, but everything else felt underwhelming.

I found the characters to be pretentious, and I couldn't even side with Corey's motivation for cursing her mentor.

I won't even go into the writing. Perhaps we didn't vibe. I had to get a palate cleanser afterwards because some of the sentences were too far reaching.

I nearly didn't review this one as I feel it's such a low rating, but it's my genuine opinion.
Thank you to Netgalley and Clash Books for the opportunity to read A Play About A Curse.

Written partly in play format and first person I felt like this never really clicked for me. I enjoyed mostly the dialogue parts that were in the play format, but found the first person parts quite dull and almost pretentious. I also found Coreys reason to but the curse on Maxine quite mundane and the whole thing felt very farfetched.

Overall I didn't really like any of the characters and there was a small part about how woman's symptoms are often ignored in a medical field, that is a important topic, but it was touched so briefly that ultimately it's not enough for me to rate this higher.

This book pulls you straight into a psychological spiral that’s as gripping as it is unsettling. It explores the hunger for recognition, the corrosion of envy, and the slow unraveling of sanity—and does it all in a way that feels bold and inventive.

Told in the format of a script rather than a traditional novel, the structure actually deepens the emotional impact. It’s not just a stylistic choice—it makes the tension between the characters crackle on the page.

Corey and Maxine are an intense duo. Their dynamic is messy, manipulative, and completely captivating. Even at their worst, I couldn’t look away.

If you're into stories that are offbeat, psychologically rich, and just a little bit unhinged, this one’s a must-read.

Did you ever wonder which depths of human nature could be unraveled if a student can’t get over the superiority of their mentor? Then this book is definitely for you!

Dealing with jealousy, greed, anger, paranoia, mania, and insanity, this book really offers you the whole package deal of unwanted human emotions and how they can affect an individual. You get to watch the characters slowly unravel and feel with them deeply.

The book is partially written in the style of a playscript, which I really enjoyed since I’m really into unconventional novel formats.

I really enjoyed the dynamic between the characters and how they interacted with each other, as well as how much detail the author gives the reader. It paints a great mental picture and you get absorbed into the story easily!

The structure of this one was a fun change-up from a normal novel. It’s both a novel and a play about an unhinged young woman who, furious at her playwright mentor’s decision to move away from her, seeks revenge via a curse produced by a psychic at a strip mall. This was super short and a good, unexpected time. Because of it’s length and structure you don’t really get to know our narrator, Corey, more just follow her along on her quest for revenge on Max, her mentor. But I don’t think that’s a negative with this one! It’s perfect for what it is. I really like when authors shake up a traditional novel structure, as well. The background setting of the theatre in this one adds to the melodrama of the story. I very much enjoyed this weird little gem.

I love books about theatre, especially horror, so this was a real treat. A book that starts out feeling like a B-movie (no shade, I love B-movies) and ended up having these strong feminist themes, as well as some very powerful messages about mental health. I did wish it was a little longer so we could find out more about the characters, specifically Corey, as I felt a bit detached from her intentions. I also have mixed feelings about dialogue in novels being written in play format- while it’s easy to read, I feel like we lose some of the emotional aspects of the story this way. Overall some solid writing, especially loved Maxine’s interlude about Bertolcht Brecht.

This book is a brilliantly written and structured descent into envy, desperation for success, and ultimately madness. The way the book is structured, like a play script instead of a traditional novel is not a gimmick, it brings depth and originality to the story and characters. Corey and Maxine are such complex and interesting characters that even when they are doing mean, strange things to each other, it’s always engrossing. I loved this unique, dark, and horrific book.