Synopsis
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.
Review
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.
Coup de Grâce by Sofia Ajram releases on October 1, 2024 from Titan Books.
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