Chrysalis and Requiem

Thank you NetGalley for a free e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Quinton Li's "Chrysalis and Requiem" offers a mesmerizing plunge into the shadowy corridors of Adraredon Academy, where gothic allure meets a modern tale of passion, mystery, and forbidden desires. Li's novel is a bold exploration of the tumultuous inner lives of its protagonists, set against the backdrop of a prestigious institution steeped in history and secrets.

The narrative centers around Veaer Rosell, whose serene pursuit of beauty and knowledge is violently disrupted in her senior year. Witnessing a murder committed by the headmaster's daughter propels Veaer into a whirlwind of moral ambiguity and emotional turmoil. The story excels in its portrayal of Veaer's inner conflict, caught between the pursuit of justice and the weight of silence. Li navigates this moral maze with a deft hand, offering a nuanced exploration of themes such as obsession, grief, and the elusive nature of truth.

The relationship that develops between Veaer and the headmaster's daughter is one of the novel's most compelling elements, characterized by a blend of attraction and repulsion, intimacy and distance. This complex dynamic serves as a microcosm of the larger narrative, mirroring the intricate and often unsettling dance between truth and deception. Li's writing shines in its ability to portray these layered relationships, blending the thrill of a murder mystery with the depth of a psychological drama.

However, the novel occasionally struggles under the weight of its own ambition. The intricate plot, while intellectually engaging, can at times feel convoluted, leaving the reader yearning for moments of clarity amidst the narrative's complexity. Additionally, while the exploration of LGBTQIAP+ themes is commendable for its depth and sensitivity, it sometimes overshadows other aspects of the story.

In conclusion, "Chrysalis and Requiem" is a novel that defies easy categorization, blending elements of a thriller, a romantic drama, and a gothic novel. Quinton Li has crafted a story that is as haunting as it is beautiful, capturing the reader's imagination with its rich atmosphere and complex characters. This book will appeal to those who appreciate a narrative that challenges as much as it entertains, offering a fresh perspective on the intersections of love, morality, and identity.

I was lucky enough to read an arc of this book on netgalley. Honestly, I really enjoyed it. The premise was really interesting, the execution was quite good and it held my interest really well. The descriptions of everything were pretty amazing but sometimes overly dense/thick. The ending was unexpected but in a good way, I really enjoyed how it all came to a head.
I think the book as a whole was very descriptive in a good way but I think the last 80-100 pages went further away from descriptive and more towards too wordy? Like I feel like the amount of description could've been simplified, I found myself getting bored of/wanting to skim more than read the last 80-100 pages because of how packed and full it was.
Overall, great book and would 100% love to read more from the author in the future.

Even thoughh I'm probably not in the age range for Dark academia, it was my jam for a good portion of the year. This book was no exception. I little slow at times but came around at the end. Enjoyable read.

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

Thank you @netgalley for the advance reader's copy.

4 stars

I really enjoyed Quinton Li's Chrysalis and Requiem, unlike anything I've read. Beautiful writing fitting for a story set in an arts and performance school. I loved the mystery and the paranormal. I loved that all the characters were queer. I loved that everyone seemed a little bit mad. Deadly and decadent. Bizarre and enthralling. Great read for when you're in the mood for something dark and mysterious.

I really liked this book I think the characters had so much personality and really made you think about them. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The plot was a little slow but once you start it gets more interesting.

Thanks, Victory and Netgalley, for letting me review this book!

Vaeae Rosell has always felt like an outcast at Adraredon Academy- shes a scholarship kid and a loner who dedicated herself to just make it through her time there. However, vaear witnesses her crush commit murder, and gets drawn into investigating the victim's spiritual ties and eventually each other, despite the danger.

I really loved the plot of this story and all the twists and turns, and who doesnt love a magical school and occult-y murder plot. It did take me longer than i expected to get into this book, and the shifts in the timeline sometimes got confusing for me. The things i struggled with in this book i can see a younger reader, or even myself as a younger reader truly flying right through and enjoying. 3.5/5

Thanks netgalley for the arc.
3.5 rounded up.

I've read the first book of the author and loved it last year so I was super excited to get into this one.

It's a dark academia set in the same world as Tell me how it ends, except this time instead of following wholesome characters we have morally Grey characters doing their worst.

It's a confusing book, at time I wasn't sure of what was going on, but it's mostly because the mc Veaer was confused too and not mentally stable at all.

It's a perfect depiction of toxicity wrapped in a dark setting with cult angels and magic

Spectacular world-building with likeable characters and and even more compelling romance .
There's something about Elise - the princess of the school - that interests Vaear and for once she wants to see what that is
5 stars would recommend

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Chrysalis and Requiem is a twisty, captivating dark academia with angels, tarot, and sapphic romance.

I really liked this one. It was dark and sensual, with intriguing and twisty characters. Many parts of the story resonated with me deeply. I loved how the characters and romance descended into darkness as the story progressed, and the dark academia aspect and haunting setting and characters were entertaining to read about! Quite a few parts felt slow, and I feel they could have been shortened. This book will not be for everyone, but I enjoyed it! Highly recommend!

Thank you to the lovely author for the free ARC!

"At Adraredon Academy, fervent passion, contemporary companionship, and forbidden desires intertwine with tall gothic spires, ancient halls, and centuries of history. Veaer Rosell can't imagine a better place to satiate her craving for beauty, knowledge, and art.

Yet senior year shatters her illusion of tranquillity and civil intellect when she witnesses the headmaster's daughter murder another student and is confronted by an unthinkable choice: avenging her fallen peer or taking this secret to the grave, one way or another.

But fate laughs at Veaer's expense when the headmaster's daughter requests her aid. Driven by an all-consuming thirst for answers, Veaer becomes an untimely partner in solving a murder they both know the answer to, unaware of the intricacies that come with learning the bigger picture and playing with death.

Chrysalis & Requiem is a haunting thriller of tragic obsession and relentless grief, weaving two young, queer women in a spiral of clandestine violence and illicit love."

What would you do if a killer asked you to solve a murder they committed?

I'm struggling to articulate my thoughts for this book.

Overall I see why some people found the way it was structured very confusing, but I found that worked for me, and I absolutely loved the twins and Tychon, I found their characters incredibly interesting.

I went from hating Elise to just feeling sorry for her.

Certain aspects of Veaer's character were quite endearing at times, but mostly I was just concerned for her welfare.

This all in all isn't a book I'd recommend to everyone, but I certainly know people who would quite enjoy it!

Chrysalis & Requiem || Quinton Li
★★★★★
TW: ALCOHOL & DRUG USE, DEATH, ABUSE (EMOTIONAL & PHYSICAL), VIOLENCE & GORE, DEATH (MURDER), TRAUMATIC EVENTS, SELF-HARM & SUICIDAL IDEATION

Good News: We are starting off the year with a 5 star read!
Bad News: I am going to be sick

I'm trying so hard to explain the absolute roller coaster that this book took me on, but I don't think I can. I think the closest imma get is:

[on my website, there is an image of discord messages here. I will type what they say]
i'm trying to gather my thoughts for a review right now and i just
my thoughts are
beginning: teeheehee funny murder mystery with MATH? rood
middle: oh oh OH I FUCKING KNEW IT
end: [these are emojis] :bigscream: :horrifiedscream: :sickwtf:

I guess, I should start from the beginning. This is an ARC!! I am on Quinn's ARC team (and hopefully eventually street team if I can spare the time) and I got this review copy in exchange for an honest review!

Because the book doesn't release until March, I will be keeping this spoiler free. Sad for me, as you guys know I love giving the full run down on the book.

When I started this book, I was a wee small child (i started it yesterday). I didn't know what the universe would hold for me, I didn't know the emotional turmoil I would be put through.

The beginning was a bit hard to get into, as most books are for me these days. I'm incredibly sick at the moment and I just graduated from college last month, any story where I have to learn new things is hard. And you do have to learn new things for this book, I mean it is a fantasy novel.

But once I hit like 20% I was hooked. I stopped reading for the night at 24% and thought that I would be able to meter out my consumption (wrong) only to wake up this morning and blast all the way through to the end.

I am a huge murder mystery person, and when I started this book I thought that might be a detriment. But I can assure you, it isn't. You think that because you saw the murder that you know what's going on. You don't. At all.

I had my theories, about halfway through I had my theories. The group chat will probably never forgive me for reciting the "I've connected two dots" scene from Unsolved but I mean, I'm not the only person reading the book in that chat so I couldn't tell them what my theory actually was because they aren't to that point yet!

Then I hit 60%. And I really started to struggle. This is my fault, the content warnings at the beginning of the book say "This book contains references and themes to alcohol/drug use" and I guess I just didn't realize that meant we would see the POV character being out of her mind drunk for an extended period of time. As someone who really struggles to be around alcohol due to my past, this was nearly enough for me to put the book down. But I'm glad I didn't

Because then, at 72% in:

[more mesages]
72%
1. my theory was right
2. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
3. I FUCKING KNEW IT
4. my theory was at least partially right

And again, not too long after:

[and more messages]
:bigscream:
:horrifiedscream:
i'm tired of this [redacted]
andi SCREM — Today at 6:16 PM
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAa
THE SECOND HALF OF MY THEORY WAS RIGHT

Until finally:

[more discord messages]
omg this book is gonna make me sick (/pos)
i'm so upset right now
i'm crying
(91%)

And honestly, I don't think I can explain anything better than this. I highly recommend this book for y'all, but
please please please be mindful of the content warnings. Actually, imma put them here too

This book contains references and themes to alcohol/drug use, blood, confrontation to abuse, death, emotional abuse, escalating violence, gaslighting/manipulation, gore, lifechanging injury, murder, corpses, visions about traumatic events, panic attacks, paranormal/occult content, self-harm, sexual references, suicide ideation, and trauma.

now for the part some of you are waiting for: some of my favorite quotes!

- Thorns falling away, petals outstretched, bleeding red onto white roses—revelation would be hers and hers only.
- We leave behind love when we die.
- Beautiful, beautiful, so beautiful. They would be beautiful together.
- Girls like you have secrets. I'm going to peel you apart and reveal every part of you. I will consume you.
- To create is to be alive.

and then this one, an epigraph for part four of the book:

Everything is more beautiful because we are doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again.
— Homer, The Iliad

Y'all know I'm a sucker for a good Iliad reference and this one. This one wrecked me. I sure wrote a lot for someone at a loss of words, so I'm going to end this here and go curl in a ball and cry and try not to throw up. I am sick and this book is to blame.

Thank you Quinn, truly. I'm so fucking disgusted I love this book so much

3.75 stars

this feels so different and weird to anything ive read before, and i loved it from the characters the crazy ass culty storyline and the twisted lesbianism of it all. now you couldn't pay me to explain what happened in the first 10% of this book as i genuinely have no idea but once they were over the story and plot pick up to give you a breathtaking light academia (imo) with murder, conflicting feelings, a main character obsessed with beauty and the princess who's the epitome of that beauty that is blinded by needing to be loved and to feel enough that she goes to extremes. some moments had me holding my breath, the romance was chef's kiss, i love me toxic twisted lesbians!!

one thing about me is that im a whore for religious imagery so i was eating all of it up and am all around so glad i got the arc for this book