I heard this was Lynchian, which is like catnip to me; I can't pass up a chance to read a book that might be able to capture some of the vibes of Twin Peaks, Mulholland Drive, or another of David Lynch's wonderful films. I can definitely see the comp here; this is unapologetic storytelling, expecting the reader to either get it or realize they don't get it but continue anyway, pulled in by the cadence and structure. I appreciate the confidence, and it was refreshing in some ways to read a book written by someone who didn't seem to want to pander to an audience at all.
I'm not sure the book is entirely successful, but I'm also not quite sure what the intention of the story is, and it feels like because it's told so confidently, maybe it is completely successful at fulfilling the author's vision. I struggled a bit with keeping the characters straight, with so many similar names, and the ultrashort chapters feel designed to disrupt any attempt to find flow in the story. It's a difficult book to skim because the rhythm shifts so quickly, which again feels fairly intentional. But there are some incredibly compelling moments, and the meat of the story feels just out or reach, like I'm only seeing around the edges and can't look directly at it.
This is a book to chew on, I think.

Thank you to the publishers - Victory Editing – for giving me access to this book as an E-ARC via Netgalley.
This review was posted on my Goodreads account on July 9th 2025.

I like reading different genres, and weird fiction can be interesting to read and explore, but this book wasn’t for me. It just left me I like reading different genres, and weird fiction can be interesting to read and explore, but this book wasn’t for me. It just left me confused. I believe that has to to do with me, though, and not necessarily the book..

A bizarre tale that had me re reading parts to see if I understood them correctly. Described as a cross between Watership Down and Twin Peaks, this will appeal to those looking for something weird and eerie.

It was certainly a book…
I love weird fiction, Rampo, Kobo Abe, Matthew Bartlett, Thomas Ligotti, Melick Jr. Throughout all of those works, no matter how random and bizarre, they felt cohesive in a way I didn’t find with The Lyons of Rabbit.

It could absolutely be a me thing, maybe Darby Guise just isn’t the writer for my taste.

Was it a story about rabbits, the room, the typewriter? Maybe it was the super quick changes in chapters, the lack of character development, with the exception of a few, even then it was pretty shallow and quick.
It could be I’ve spent too much time away from, or too much time with the brilliant absurdist works of Kobo Abe, and my view is changed since I’ve last read this type of novel.

Sadly, nothing about this book grabbed me, I continued on because I felt like I needed too, not because I was curious or driven too (maybe that says even more about the writing than I’m allowing myself to believe).

Thank you to Bear Skin Bob Press and NetGalley for the ARC, in return for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC.

I have no idea what I just read. 

Were they rabbits? Were they people? I'm very confused. 

The description of this book was very vague so I had no idea what I was getting into. I finished the book and I'm still not entirely sure. 

The chapters were very short so it was a very quick book to get through.

I'm mostly just confused.