Voice Like a Hyacinth: Wonderful Horror Book Review

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Art School in Mallory Pearson’s Voice Like a Hyacinth

Voice Like a Hyacinth by Mallory Pearson is a witchy, queer horror novel set to release in 2025. The story follows five young college artists who share a powerful bond that begins to twist and warp after a gory sacrifice. Exploring deep themes of martyrdom, ritual, and obsession, the book asks whether the spell they’ve cast will lead to success or unimaginable destruction. Set against the unique backdrop of an art school, this grotesque tale blends creativity with the supernatural, delivering a haunting and unforgettable narrative.

Haunting Journey of Artists

“Art student Jo Kozak and her classmates, including her best friends Caroline, Finch, Amrita, and Saz, share an unbreakable bond as muses, with their unique language and deep dedication to their craft and inspiration. But when they naively turn to the occult to spark their creativity and place a curse on their esteemed yet creepy professor, the consequences of this transgressive ritual spiral into a violent aftermath. Jo finds herself haunted by something inexplicable, her once prodigious and full-of-life paintings turning dark and unhealthy, while their shared journey as women, students, and artists begins to crumble. Driven by their obsession, these desperate friends take things a step too far, leading to a place of no turning back.”

Voice Like a Hyacinth by Mallory Pearson

The title of the book Voice Like a Hyacinth takes its meaning from a translation of a stanza in a Sappho poem. It paints a vivid image of a hyacinth flower—once wild, beautiful, and free—being trampled under a shepherd’s feet, leaving nothing but a purple stain on the dirt. In the story, Jo and her friends are compared to these hyacinths, not merely because of the cruelty of men, but because of their relentless ambition and their choices that lead to personal destruction.

This interpretation, though not one an art historian or expert in classic poetry might give, resonates deeply with the unfolding unpleasantness for characters like Jo, Caroline, Finch, Saz, and Amrita. Their lives, filled with a desperate reach into the unknown, show how chasing the otherworldly dream of success can leave them crushed under their own weight, much like the hyacinth flower in Sappho’s work.

Friendship Dynamics in Voice Like a Hyacinth

As a horror fanatic, I was drawn to the supernatural and witchy elements in Voice Like a Hyacinth, a novel that truly shines in its portrayal of friendship dynamics. Mallory Pearson captures the raw, almost overwhelming platonic obsession that often forms when you’re young and finally find your people. The bond between Jo, Saz, Amrita, Finch, and Caroline feels magnetic as they move through the campus, their connections so intense that everyone else around them dims and fades in comparison.

However, there’s a weird duality to their friendship. While the group seems intertwined, nearly joined at the hip, their bond sometimes feels flimsy, as if forced rather than natural. They gobble up each other’s likes, dislikes, and even speaking tics, forming a collective that moves as one. Yet, they don’t seem fully primed for this closeness, making it hard to believe at times. Still, the allure of their group is addictive and seductive, as if being part of it pulls you in like a riptide, impossible to resist or escape.

Many Horror Stories Start with a Cursed Object

In Voice Like a Hyacinth by Mallory Pearson, the horror lies not in a typical cursed object like a book, doll, or button, but in the fragile bond of friendship itself. This novel explores how something as simple as a connection between two people can become a cursed thing, unraveling their lives and leaving them doomed to be brought down by their shared past. The story’s unique twist on traditional horror stories makes it a compelling and haunting read.

"She said finally, "Sometimes I worry that we know each other too well.". "I worry that it's hurting us."
                                                                                                                       — Quote Source

A Dark, Poetic Experience

Voice Like a Hyacinth, a novel by Mallory Pearson, immerses readers in a dark, Renaissance-era world filled with gnarled and mangled imagery. The book’s descriptions evoke vivid and unsettling scenes—meat spilling from a chest cavity, blood smeared on splintered glass, and even roadkill—all wrapped in florid, poetic language. While these details sometimes reveal a distorted beauty in the prose, the style can feel overwrought, with lush metaphors so heavy that they nearly make the sentences crumble. Perhaps this approach was purposefully chosen to mimic the characters’ lives. Still, the solid, creepy story beneath the frills keeps readers hooked.

The novel begins with an auspicious quote pairing Sappho and Charli XCX, setting a unique tone that’s undeniably worth a shot, even with its questionable and overly-dramatic creative choices.

Releasing on Feb. 1, 2025, through 47North, this book offers an experience that blends purple prose—or even a deep Russian violet—with haunting undertones. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Listed below are a few other books that you can consider to read: