Thank you Net Galley and Clash books for the arc read for my honest review.
4 out of 5 stars/First pov past tense(Corey)/Unique format using playwriting dialogue

Corey seeks revenge of her old professor who see used to see as a mentor. Maxine tells her about accepting a job in Chicago which cause the jealously of Corey to turn dark. She heads to a dim lit room in the Dallas mall to place a curse on Maxine. Corey follows Maxine to her new job to watch her downfall.

This is a unique take on what happens when jealously gets out of control. As someone who teaches theatre and now fills the mentor role, this book freaks me out. Haha. Because of my viewpoint, it was hard to find the real motivation on why to place the curse because Maxine seemed supportive.

This book has such a beautiful cover, it is enough to draw ANYONE in. The format was very unique - well, to me, anyway. However, it was not enough to keep me hooked. I was unable to connect with anyone, and the reasons for the curse didn't vibe. I feel like this book will work for a very specific reader, and I hope it finds it's audience.

I never knew where this story was going to take me and it was exciting! I had such a great time reading this book but of course, I did struggle a bit with the starting chapters. Once I got a hold of the writing style, I couldn’t put the book down! I also didn’t know which character to side with because they both had valid points (one way or another lol).

It was a perfect mix of reality, insanity, and also the supernatural (which I never expected). No plans, just vibes all the way through. Definitely would recommend this to anyone who’s wanting to read a fast-paced, “Wtf did I just read”, or “crazy FMC goes through all stages of grief with rage creeping inside of her” themed book!

The writing was very unique too, it really lived up to the whole theatrics of the book. It also made me feel like I was there with the characters in every scene, which is kinda scary but at the same thing perfect for setting the mood of the story!

Holy narcissistic gaslighter!
This is a play about an unstable and immature young woman and the theater professor she feels (unfairly and ridiculously) betrayed by. It's baffling and absurd. But there is something wickedly fun (and properly horrifying, of course😉) about watching a cursed woman succumb, and I was always curious what kind of psychological torment this girl was going to pull next.

Once I read the description of this book, it was an instant request to read! Thank you to NetGalley, CLASH Books and Caroline Macon Fleisher for the ARC!

The first thing that stood out to me was how lovely and descriptive the narration was. Visualization of the scenes came very easily and was honestly my favorite part. I felt as though I was side by side with Corey as the play progressed. The biggest miss for me was the dialogue unfortunately. It felt a little disjointed, clunky, and sort of took me out of the moment in some instances. Somehow the pacing seemed a little fast and a little slow at the same time. Aside from those details, the book was entertaining. The concept was attention-catching and I maintained my interest throughout reading. I'm not sure I would reread, though I may recommend it to other folks.

3.25 stars!

A lot of this really worked for me. The obsession and ultimate mutual destruction, some really lovely prose, the structure of the dialogue and the play-like parts of it all. Despite it being such a quick read, it still felt slow at times. Some things felt a bit ambiguous, specifically towards the end. While some may enjoy that, to me it just felt unsatisfying.

Blending theatricality with sharp prose, Fleischer crafts a narrative that feels both whimsical and deeply unsettling. The play’s nonlinear structure and eccentric characters—including a cursed grandmother and a possibly doomed protagonist—create a dreamlike yet biting commentary on generational cycles.

Fleischer’s writing is witty and inventive, with moments of poetic insight, though some readers may find the absurdist tone disorienting. The play thrives in its ambiguity, leaving room for interpretation about whether the curse is real or simply a metaphor for inescapable familial legacies.

"A Play About a Curse" is a compelling novel in hybrid form about a mentee's obsession with her mentor and the narrow border between admiration and envy. It's an interesting and entertaining exploration of the dynamics between two women—one young and aspiring, the other mature and established— struggling with jealousy and their shifting power differentials.

The unique form, structuring the dialogue in script format and using acts/scenes in place of parts/chapters, had a strong sense of intention and was well executed. The dialogue was expert, capturing the hyperbolic delivery of lines performed on stage and accentuating the melodrama of the conflict. These formal elements, in combination with the strong thread of magical realism running through the plot, made A Play About a Curse read like a fever dream in the best way.

I initially felt the characters were slightly underdeveloped - but after finishing, I believe this was intentional on the part of Fleischer. At one point, referencing Bertolt Brecht, a character explains that "theatre should create a gap between the audience and the story told before them." Fleischer's attempt to incorporate the dramatic form into the novel isn't limited to formatting; instead it informs how we engage with the characters. I don't think we're supposed to “like” our heroine or “feel close” to her, we’re meant to be provoked into engaging with the themes at the heart of this story and its characters.

Thank you CLASH books and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you, Caroline Macon Fleischer NetGalley, for the ARC. I leave this review voluntarily and happily. Also, thank you publishers for your hard work!

I absolutely loved the way that this book was written. It was written like a play, and I just adore books that are different like this. Would i call this horror? No. It's definitely something dark and twisted. It's a fever dream that you can't quite let go of even at the end. Full of darkness, anger, betrayal, and so many emotions. The characters are very well developed, and you definitely feel their emotions deeply throughout the entire book. Of course, i do have my differences with the main character on some things and don't agree with everything she did, but that's going to be everyone. The atmosphere was eerie and intriguing at times. I also never lost interest throughout the story.

This book is the first I have read from this author, and it certainly won't be the last one. The writing style was definitely unique not only for the format but also for the words described. I am still thinking about the end of this book and how descriptions just jump out at you. I also love the little bit of folklore that was put into the book.

This book isn't blood, guts, and death. There are a couple of things involved in this book, but not so bad itle have you putting the book down and looking at the wall. I do hope others enjoy this book as much as I have.

very interesting concept, was really drawn to reading this but unfortunately none of it really worked for me personally. I think this will be a book that a lot of people can really love but it's really just not for me. despite the length it felt weirdly slow to me, but that could have just been a result of my lack of interest in the story

Enter COREY, a passionate young nobody, and her professor, MAXINE, an award winning playwright and living legend of the American theatre. When Maxine shatters Corey's dreams of artistic collaboration after graduation, Corey seeks revenge. At a clairvoyant's den in a violet-lit Dallas strip mall, the young playwright unleashes a life-altering curse on Maxine.
Possessed by dark powers and even darker ambitions, Corey follows Maxine to a prestigious playwriting residency in Chicago where the women become fatally entwined. Through three acts, two interludes, and one curse, Corey pushes her mentor toward theatre's haunted margins, where reality begins to crumble. Caroline Macon Fleischer's A Play About A Curse reads like an A24 film. Part psychological horror and part theatrical fever dream, Curse shadows a heroine-turned-villain as she confronts the supernatural power struggle between mentor and protégé, learning that to achieve our dreams, someone else must suffer a nightmare.

What if the devil’s liaison was an angry 23-year-old? Hell hath no fury like a college graduate scorned.

“A Play About A Curse” gives us an unreliable narrator angry at her college mentor for accepting a residency in a new city just as she graduates and needs to find her footing in the Theater world. It’s a quick descent into curses and madness and destruction from there. Throw in French folklore about sirens and you’ve got quite the story of a relationship that goes awry when the parties feel jilted and jealous.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

The screenplay formatting was executed really well, usually I'm not a fan but I think this book changed my mind.

I can't get over the unfairness of Maxine being cursed for nothing. She DID NOT deserve it! Corey is such an unlikeable main character, she annoyed me the whole story I was just rubbing my hands waiting for karma to come for her. Her fragile ego, her possessiveness. UGH
She deserved worse than she got but the final scene was so beautifully written. Her last words are going to stick with me for quite a while.

I try not to think too hard about superstition and magic in reality but I am sure that if you believe in magic and use it with the intension of harming someone else it will come back on you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Clash Books for the Advanced Reader Copy!

I really enjoyed this novella. The chapters where short and to the point with beautifully tragic writing. I enjoyed the pace and the fact it is written like a play, soooo cool! I have never read anything like this before and I think I will reread to pick up on some more foreshadowing and points within the book as I do feel like I missed some things. I liked the themes of jealousy and revenge and felt like a rat race in some sense. I really enjoyed this one and will be rereading for a deeper understanding and to be with these unstable characters once again.

A Play About A Curse by Caroline Macon Fleischer writes an emotionally raw and taut play that chronicles obsession, betrayal, and revenge between a young playwright and her mentor. Narrated in an entirely play format, the story is engaging with its fast-paced dialogues and writing, and psychological tension pulling the reader into the spiralling relationship.

The story follows Corey, a 23-year-old student who becomes close to her mentor Maxine. When Maxine announces at their farewell dinner that she is moving away, Corey feels hurt and betrayed. Seeking revenge, she visits a clairvoyant to cast a curse on Maxine — setting off a domino effect of manipulation, sabotage, and emotional unravelling.

Structured as a play with stage cues and rapid dialogues, the book uses its theatrical form to heighten tension and immediacy. The narrative pace mimics Corey’s frenetic controlling energy, she is the driving force. But she is an unreliable narrator. A manipulator whose descent into self-sabotage is mesmerising — from switching Maxine’s pills to sabotaging their joint interview workshop with Daniel, Corey’s chilling and deliberate actions are calculated and cruel, buoyed by the ancient magic of the curse.

But there are moments where she begins to doubt how far will she go to exact her revenge. Fleischer paints Corey with terrific nuance, especially in moments of triumph. Corey grapples with brief flashes of guilt, especially when she watched Maxine wade deeper into the water or the time after spent in contemplation with Daniel in the police car.

At the centre of it, the novel explores the emotional fragility and the treacherous power dynamics that dictate the relationship between a student and mentor. What is often a temporary relationship will curdle into hate when confronted emotional possession and obsession.

Corey’s lack of acceptance of the rejection and loss, in the final scenes, the letters: blackout, leave Corey’s fate and her moral reckoning open to interpretation. Is she dead? Or is she emotionally dead? The ending of the play is abrupt, open to speculation, oddly apt with Corey’s emotional impulsive nature and instability.

A Play About A Curse is as much a story about a curse and the unravelling of the human mind. Fletcher’s idea to tell the story in a play format helps provide this story that tautness and provocation it needs to power Corey’s voice — unreliable as it may be.

2.25 ⭐

As a theatre, horror and book lover, I thought this would be my new fave book. Unfortunately, it just didn't quite land for me. I felt it was quite confusing, slow and it almost felt like it needed to lean more into the script style or back away. It felt slightly clunky to me.

A Play About a Curse follows Corey, a 23 year old playwright/student who befriends her mentor, Maxine. Maxine is a woman in her 40s who has had great success in the theatre industry. When Maxine accepts a job in another state, Corey feels betrayed (and jealous). She seeks out a psychic who helps her put a curse on Maxine and allows Corey to be "better" than her.

The book follows Maxine's decline and contains some key themes like obsession, jealousy, feminism, history and (of course) curses. And sirens! 🧜🏻‍♀️ I liked the premise, and the tie in with history (as a history graduate) but it just didn't quite work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and CLASH Books for this advanced Reader Copy. 🎭🧜🏻‍♀️😨

First off, I would like to thank NetGalley for providing me an ARC of "A Play About A Curse"!
Phew! Where to start with this book?
My initial reaction to it was "if your favorite character in Glee is Rachel Berry, then you're gonna love this". I still stand by that, just like turn up the darkness by a hundred.
I've never been, truth be told, an avid theatre reader. This past year I've had to read several plays for some of my classes, and I found myself dragging through them. However, Macon's story manages to take the best aspects of the play format and mix them with a novel, creating this intriguing and quite fascinating cast of characters and plot.
I've seen some reviews talking about the main character being unlikeable, and I think –in some way– that's the point. Personally, I loved her, because she's so achingly human and we get to explore parts of human psyche that sometimes authors are scared to write. In this case, we see our main girl be ruthless and ugly and devious, but it's constructed in such a way that I couldn't help but keep on reading!
The pace in the book also helps, with short chapters and beautiful dialogues. I found myself that every time I tried to put the book down, I just kept on wondering what was yet to happen.
Macon's structure –with the play-like dialogues and cues– makes it such an interesting object not only from a "I'm enjoying this book" kind of way, but also from an academic angle! One can see how much dedication the author has poured into this, and it bleeds throughout the pages. There are some parts that are begging to be studied and analyzed, some of Maxine's dialogues and interpretations of theatre such an entrancing theory.
I'm excited and happy to say that this will be on my top 5 books of the year!

I liked the concept, and mostly the writing was good but sometimes came across overworked and the dialogue didn’t flow. I found it very difficult to understand why the main character decided to set the curse in the first place. It didn’t seem as though it should have been such a big deal that her mentor took another job, let alone a reason to make a deal with the devil. However, I don’t think I’ve ever hated a main character more than in this book and that itself is testament to the writing.
Corey is malevolent in nature and Maxine is the unwitting subject of a curse she didn’t deserve. The descent in to madness made me want to look away and look at something cute and cuddly as it was so scary how someone could be so vindictive. It read like a horror film. Where you want to scream at one of the characters to get out of the way or open their eyes to what was happening and it made me as a reader feel very out of control and uncomfortable. It was a very different, disturbing read, ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was simply FASCINATING to read.

Act 1 Scenes 1 and 2 do a great job of foreshadowing future events.

Notable Quote:

“I’d rather run a knife into my stomach than be bored.”

The author’s choice of a three course meal reflects the three acts in this tale, which in turn symbolise the breakdown of the relationship between Maxine and Corey; the starter meal is exciting, like the idea of a budding friendship with her mentor. Corey idolises Maxine, going out of her way to dress to impress.

The main course is something they enjoy together, a reflection for their mutual acceptance of this new friendship - “We savoured every bite…alone but still together.” Corey has what she wants, now. It’s comfortable, it’s nice.

And the bliss ends with the arrival of the chocolate and raspberry soufflés. Corey’s appetite wanes at the end of the night.

Act 1 Scenes 3 - 5 excellently include motifs of spirituality, otherworldliness, witchcraft and the practice of dark magic. There is use of incense and cats, typically associated with bad luck or the dead. Ironically these can also be seen as lucky or holy. (In sense is used within churches, for example). Corey blurs the lines between themes of good and evil when she equates the feeling of walking into the clairvoyant’s den “like [ feeling she ] was about to walk into [ a ] sacred church.”

Throughout the book, the colour green is used to portray her jealousy/envy; Maxine’s use of green pen, “a mystical green cloud” appearing as a figment of Corey’s imagination, towards the end the lightbulb in her bathroom “casting a sickly green tint across [ her ] skin.”

Water also plays a very significant part in this story, with Maxine almost drowning and Corey accepting her fate - she must go to the lake in Annency.

The author portrays Corey as a character aware of her hamartia; she knows she’s jealous, she knows she’s horrible. In Chicago she describes feeling judged by the Jesus on the crucifix in the wall of the old parochial school, deciding she doesn’t care about the disproval in his stare. Corey thinks, “I should have felt ashamed that even the son of god would harbour disdain. But I didn’t. I felt sick with glee.”

Corey is so consumed by her greed, her jealousy, ultimately it is what contributed to her decline. Yet she occasionally displays conflicting thoughts, particularly evident when Maxine ventures into deep water, risking her life, and in the police car with Daniel.

In my opinion this is almost like a modern Greek tragedy - use of pathetic fallacy, the use of mythical creatures/lore, the question of morality, the concept of death and the physical structure in the writing.

I like to think that in the ending, Corey attempts to seek some sort of redemption by honouring her side of the bargain.

It’s almost like she finally awakens in Act 3, displayed by her eventually getting Joan Fontcuberta’s name right, compared to when she first mentioned it in Daniel’s Interlude.

She also appears to die, written as undergoing a gruesome transformation. Her hands crack, nails change shape; she goes “wrinkly and stinking, just as Maxine had.”

And she finally figures out what her oversight is, mentioned in the interview exercise at the workshop with Maxine, Daniel and Corey. Once she accepts everything she has done, she feels herself transform back to her natural appearance.

So, are Maxine and Corey “both victims and monsters” ? This idea is presented in Act 3 through the “embracing skeletons.” Maxine had her flaws albeit from Corey’s perspective - and Corey had hers, the latter being more obvious to the reader.

The book ends with a “Blackout” as a stage direction. It leaves me as a reader with questions. It is unclear exactly what is happening towards the end. What exactly is part of the play and what is not? What is reality? What really happened? This reminds me of Maxine’s Interlude - the narration about, in a nutshell, when does a play really end?

Corey is an unreliable narrator; it is clear from her monologues - she’s unstable, possibly crazy. It’s difficult to decipher reality with her version of events.

This is the first time I have read something like this and it certainly didn’t disappoint me. I enjoy plays and books that conform to the structure of a tragedy.

A Play About A Curse was a very engulfing read. I would love to see more from this author. She exemplifies skill as both playwright and author and it is rare to see both intertwined so well in this way.


Trigger warnings for A Play About A Curse should be highlighted:


- Suicide
- Eating disorders
- Abusive behaviours such as gaslighting, tampering with medication
- Addiction
- Mental Health struggles - anxiety, depression, manic behaviours


Themes:

- Death
- Femininity and Womanhood
- Jealousy/Envy
- Good vs Evil
- The supernatural/otherworldly
- Redemption
- Guilt
- Sexuality
- Fatal Flaws
- Obsession
- Mental health
- Tragedy
- Literature/The Arts- references to artists such as Mozart and Salieri, for example
- Betrayal
- Desire

I liked this one. The writing is good and the pacing just right. I had good time reading it. Longer review to come.