I have enjoyed this author’s previous novels and it’s maybe with that comparison that this one just didn’t seem to rise to meet her other work. Retellings necessarily have prescribed plot and ending, but I felt that this one was lacking in both. Good writing, interesting take, but less satisfying than her previous work.

Read, no devoured, in one sitting. 4.5 stars rounded up.

The writing was delicious, the classical allusions interesting yet vague, the characters complicated, and the atmosphere rich. 'Ecstasy' is a cathartic, satisfying read to sink your teeth into. Less about the plot, more about the vibes- just the way I like it. Dare I say feminist read of the summer?

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is my first exposure to Ivy Pochoda's work and I absolutely loved it. (I also love Mona Awad and Ling Ling Huang's novels, so this felt right at home in my weird-things-loving heart). I'll be thinking about this book for weeks.

ECSTASY|
BY: IVY POCHODA

When I say that IVY POCHODA is absolutely one of my FAVORITE AUTHORS, I mean that she is at the very top lifetime writers who I fell in love with her writing style many years ago. I have read and loved everything she has ever written. When I saw that she has this new book out I moved it ahead to the top of my queue. To experience her style of writing is to make me feel deeply emotionally moved by how I simultaneously inhabit her characters. since they are so stunningly well developed, and this one was no different the way I felt it had a strong finish. It was my immediate reaction to it until I sat down to write this review, and I know it's only fiction, and I still felt something bothered me about the ending that just saddens me that knowing that this is the first time I can't give this five stars, like I've awarded every single book she's written prior to this. It's not that it's violent. I will disclose why further in the last part of the review why, but for now let me just say that I don't think that if she ever gave birth or raised a child that she would have the same amount of empathy, but furthermore her huge heart that she evokes in her other works towards feminist content that have given me this impression. I could be wrong since I'm only going on instinct, but since most of her other themes reflect back to me a selfless, but brilliant author whose work is related towards raising awareness towards the plight of less fortunate women and girls in the largest part of her body of work, although dark and heartbreaking was realistic and authentic. She also expertly weaves throughout her very unique narratives a fast paced, and suspenseful plot. Few writers can manage to achieve that aspect and do it as well as she does. Her novels are ones that I look forward to and I love how she captures marginalized women for the most part with the ability to captivate my attention from the very beginning and like a sorceress she's able to keep my attention with her magic within her craft. I never check the page count, but I don't even think about anything while reading her spell binding storytelling in one sitting. She packs so much content relating to the atmospheric driven work.

It's a huge coincidence this time with her newest spellbinding novel called, "ECSTASY,:" since I'm always sad to realize that I've finished the ARC, and in this one my best advice is for readers to get to the explosive ending where it strikes a chord. The coincidence is one of my graduate majors was in the Classics so I noticed in her Acknowledgements that she thanked people who work in the book industry that she collaborated with "ECSTASY," for the encouragement for making this story more developed in furthering the sensation of ""edge" in her plot, and characters.. I say that because as I was reading this I kept saying to myself this feels very "edgy.." I think that struck me to have read that she succeeded in her device and original style that I caught on that feeling thinking exactly my exact word was identical to hers which is worth noting..

This was definitely a change from her last two books "Sing Her Down," and "These Women,", in that those which capture the realistic rawness with authenticity that they are on my favorite shelf on Good Reads. This one the imagery was more allegorical with either fantasy or magical realism when the writing seemed to veer off in that direction in its grand finale. The three former books had a lesson, or were written to inform that way of life is a reality that most of us don't face, but It hit me hard with a lasting impact that I've never forgotten. It really made me admire Ivy Pochoda's intentions to remind me that way of life is hauntingly real, and I felt so empathetic towards the characters in those novels since her spotlight on them brought them to life in her spare prose so vivid;y, and tragic. The writing was heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. This one felt very different in that she is still illuminating her point, but I felt her message was less implicit, and much more explicit in her newest, ECSTASY.". I don't want to give spoilers, but she has always managed to achieve getting her message across in all her novels.. She is a writer's novelist who is at the top of her game that this one i took the time to pay attention to why her sensuous skill in delivering a story that packs such a punch in what always h left me wanting more each time I reach the end. There's always a feeling of in my opinion that at least in her last three in which I feel are more fresh in my memory that exude powerful themes are done within an economical shorter feel as if it ends too soon. In other words, she says so much in far less pages than most any other writer I'm aware of. I feel that I've read a novella even though it's a novel. She makes every word count and I confess that she ramps up the momentum so the pace increases never having less than one hundred percent of my attention. This one is written also through the feminist lenses but showcases both upper class and those with less and it is so masterfully written that it took my breath away. It is with reflection that has left me wondering if this author would have gone in the same direction towards the ending if she had given birth herself and experienced how profound we love our children no matter how they disappoint us, it's a bond that most mothers would die in order to protect their child.. My intuition is that even though it's a brilliant novel, that it wouldn't exist if she raised children and I don't even know whether she has experienced it first hand. So since as much as I loved this, and I know that from reading her former three novels how she champions the plight of those women's circumstances from her three former books by their content they gave me the impression that she has a huge heart. Those three previous novels content informed me both with her devotion to teaching, and empowering those without the resources that most of us take for granted to the themes in her two former novels have made me an even bigger fan, since they say a lot about her character. Even though I admire her compassion and extreme empathy in especially, "THESE WOMEN," which stole my heart, I can't deny that as much as this one is masterfully written that everyone will not see it's true literary merits, because most mothers even though we must suspend disbelief will be left feeling the lack of authenticity in Lena's character by what she did to her son.. It is flawless in every other aspect and even though her son was an unlikable character, there are children that take on characteristics that differ from us mothers values that we don't agree with. This work is showing multi- dimensional growth, but subconsciously it will go over many readers heads, since I think no matter what our children do most mothers will find its ending unjustifiable. I read the Acknowledgements and it's just hard to believe that nobody suggested changing Lena's actions towards her son. I would suggest that I know Euripides nineteen surviving plays show important innovations in the way he handled traditional myths. I know that he portrayed abnormal, and irrational states of mind. I remember his introduction of feminine psychology, and his more well known works include Electra, Medea, Hippolytus, Trojan Women, and that this is written with an interest into feminine psychology like the former two books. Keep in mind that Medea was one of the most hated women and I know that this is a modern day interpretation mirroring Euripides Bacchae. That's evident from the first few pages before the story starts. What I want to stress is that Euripides was also innovative in his 92 or 93 plays there was an EMPHASIS ON REALISM, and that's why as a mother who has lived long enough to have had the life experience to feel that no matter what my kids have done I wouln't imagine that I ever could feel thoughts of harming them, EVER.
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This book's is poetic in her cadence with her undeniable talent in the delivery of her prose. As a reader trained decades ago in both the Classics, and a MFA graduate I recognized the rhythm infused in each line that pulled me into this novel so refined that I read it in one sitting. I recognized the growth of her voice as this novel's line by line stopped me to repeat them in amazement of her command of the language. It was more evident in this one than any other novel she's written.. I think I saw only one novel of this SPECTACULAR AUTHOR''S novels that I haven't read, which surprised me., I plan on devouring that one immediately after I finish this review. I drew some parallels with Greek mythology in the end between mother and son that reminded me of Orpheus's with her symbolism, but it's only half of the myth, and the one doling out the punishment and inflicting it upon Orpheus isn't a godess, but it came to mind that it was done with the same kind of resentment that Luz had for her son who seemed more than capable of equal vengeance towards her son for his betrayal of her. Perhaps that's why Luz was able to do what she did, or more significant how this author conceived her character. Again, as a mother and a reader who was trained in the Classics, if my sons did to me what was done to her I feel my love for them would not change, and I wouldn't do the things that she did as a result. That is realism and honesty which is the point of granting ARCS to early readers. I really thought that it reminded me even more of Medea.. I'm repeating myself since it is already stated above from my studies that it's definitely Euripides Bachcchae with a modern retelling,, but since it's emphasis on feminine psychology, my hopes are for this to succeed, and I think it will most likely resonate with younger females, who can't even imagine how it feels to how deep a mother falls in love when she has just given birth, and looks at her baby for the first time. It's a love that transcends most women's lives that makes Lena, Jordan, and Luz characters from what their actions do will alienate most women is my gut reaction to this latest work. As I finish this review I have taken a step back, and.I changed my mind towards awarding it the full five stars as a work of art that's a stunning accomplishment for Ivy Pochoda. I overall, do predict that it won't be for everyone which is sadly my honest opinion,

Publication Date:: June 17, 2025

Thank you to Net Galley, Ivy Pochoda, and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam--G P Putnam's Sons for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own, as always.

#Ecstasy #IvyPochoda #PenguinGroupPutnamsGPPutnamsSons #NetGalley

***Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and the author, Ivy Pochoda, for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.***

I’m really torn on this one. Ecstasy had some intriguing ideas, especially around feminine rage and liberation, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The pacing was pretty slow, and most of the book felt like it was building toward something that didn’t fully deliver. We finally get some drama toward the end, but it’s brief and left me wanting more depth or follow-through. It’s also labeled as horror, which I don’t think fits at all. There’s no real suspense or sense of dread, it’s more of a psychological or literary novel with mythological inspiration. The modern Greek tragedy angle was interesting, but I kind of wish the story had done its own thing instead of leaning so heavily on the retelling aspect. The characters were all pretty unlikeable. Maybe that was intentional, but it made it tough to connect or care about what happened to them. Overall, I wouldn’t say it’s a bad book, but it didn’t quite work for me either. It had potential and some strong themes, but the execution felt a bit uneven.

Ecstasy by Ivy Pochoda is a wild, dark, and fiercely liberating ride. This book dives headfirst into the complexities of female autonomy, desire, and identity—with zero apologies.
Loosely inspired by the Greek myth of the Bacchae, it spins a modern, feminist take through multiple perspectives that are sharp, bold, and brilliantly developed. The pacing? Smooth and steady. The characters? Complex, layered, and unforgettable.
It’s a short read, but it hits hard—equal parts fun, feral, and thought-provoking. If you’re into stories that unravel the chaos and beauty of womanhood while flipping the patriarchy the bird, this one’s for you.

I found this book to be both dark and liberating. I loved that it was a fresh take on a Greek classic of the Bacchae, but also with a more feminist twist to the story. In the classic, the tragedy is more blamed on the FMC whereas with Pochoda's approach, there is more of a feminine freedom. Even through fury and madness, the women found liberation from the shackles of their lives.

I inhaled this book in a day. The pacing was great and consistent. The scenery was beautifully written and like the story, made you question reality (in a good way). I really enjoyed this read.

Thank you for the ARC.
Many symbolisms, especially related to life as a woman. The internal struggles these women go through are relatable. Drew has to be one of the most unlikable characters I’ve ever read. There were times though that the flow of the story lost me. Other than that it was a good quick read if you enjoy the genre.

I love the idea of this book, following women and tragedy based around the mythos of Dionysus but honestly it was hard to get into.

Although the blurb makes this sounds like a bad reality-TV show, it's actually a great retelling of The Bacchae. An unpleasant spoiled son, now a real estate developer, takes his mother and one of her oldest friends on vacation to his newest project. But the land there isn't his, and local forces make that very clear while drawing in the older women to celebrate their own power There is tragedy, yes, but also great liberation, and the novel provokes excellent questions about gender and age and what it means to defy patriarchy and oligarchy. A must-read.

I have loved all of this author's books. This one less so. It starts well, although I don't like such vagueness in the first 20 pages or so and it moves at a good clip, but in the middle it stalls and gets repetitive, a little too heavy on the themes. Having said that the author's writing is always top notch, this one lacked story somewhat. I would, however, recommend it because it's intriguing and the setting is compelling and different.

Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.

Lena’s controlling husband passed and now she has to deal with her son Drew, who acts much like her late spouse. Living a lavish lifestyle hasn’t always been a benefit for Lena. She feels empty and wants to know what her life would be like without a spouse. Her son Drew wants her to fall in love and he’s putting much pressure on Lena. Drew has his own controlling expectations of Lena.

I don’t know the story of The Bacchae, so I think some of the book was lost on me. The characters were flat, and the plot was hard to follow at times. It brought up a lot of conversations of women’s roles and feminism. The writing is hard to follow, and the flow is weird, but I think the entire book was meant to be a bit weird. For a short boo,k it felt a bit longer. I think this book surely had its audience, but I’m not sure if it was for me.

Rooted in the Greek myth of the Bacchae, Ecstasy is a feminist, psychological exploration of motherhood, autonomy, female empowerment, and the debilitating consequences of catering to male expectations. I had slightly mixed feelings about this book. The message was great, but the characters didn't really stand out. The premise was cool, but it didn't quite live up to its potential. It was still a pretty interesting read!

Thank you to Netgalley, Ivy Pochoda, & publishing for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I think the story could've been good I just don't feel this was for me. Its hard for me to want to finish as I'm struggling to get through a chapter.

Can we just collectively agree that Drew is the most insufferable character known to man? The depths of hatred that arises from the pit of my soul when he speaks is a testament to how much Ivy Pochoda made me feel in 220 short pages.

Let's back up a bit. The story follows Lena, a wealthy, middle-aged, former ballerina/party girl after the death of her narcissistic and mentally abusive husband of 30ish years. Lena, her deteriorating best friend Hady, her son Drew, and Drew's wife Jordan are vacationing in Greece to inspect the family's latest luxury hotel and potentially open it's doors to the pubic. Drew, having watched his father marginalize and degrade his mother for his entire life, takes it upon himself to fill that role in his father's absence. Lena hopes to have a nice trip, but Drew doesn't care what she thinks. In fact, he's unconcerned about anyone's fun or happiness except his own. The deplorable man-baby, bulldozer, and gas lighter spends his time bossing people around and making every woman around him feel worthless. Lena indulges him with only a minimal amount of backtalk, which in and of itself is infuriating. The toxic boy mom vibes almost made me wanna quit. But as the book progresses, you start to see Lena blossom. She's making decisions. She's defying the "rules." She's seeing herself return from who she was before marriage and children.
In this process, she becomes infatuated with what is seemingly a harmless group of gypsy-like women who dance on the beach every night, but it's soon revealed that something much darker is at play

If you know the story of The Bacchae, you know you're going into a pretty messy and tragic retell. If you don't know the story, I suggest you do a quick wiki to get the gist, it will make this make more sense. The story is nothing short of a fever dream of revenge and violence combined with the most extravagant episode of "Snapped" you've ever seen. The god's are cruel. The women are wild and nothing about this is warm and fuzzy. If you love a pitch black ending. If you love a story about brutal revenge. If you love greek mythology, I think you'll love Ecstasy.

Thank you to Penguin Group and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This modern-day retelling of Dionysus was overall a pretty fun read. I'm obsessed with the rise in feminism in literature. I did feel like the plot was a little all over the place at times and the characters were pretty one-dimensional. I felt like I still had so many questions in the end.

Ecstasy is a dark, feminist fever-dream that is based loosely around the Greek myth of the Bacchae. It explores themes motherhood and autonomy, female empowerment, and the damaging effects of catering to the male figures in ones life over the self.

This was a fairly fast read, and super fun.

I am not a partier. Never been to a rave, never actually even been to a house party. But Pochoda does an incredible, visceral job setting the dance/rave scene. The writing is poetical and unsettling and perfect for this style of story.

The book shifts perspectives amongst several different characters: Lena, a former dancer who's controlling husband has just died, being the central narrative; her son Drew, as equally cruel and domineering as his father; his wife, the calculating and serious Jordan; Lena's besfriend Hedy who faces macular degeneration; and the mysterious figure Luz who sets the plot underway.

Important note: Fuck Drew. That guy sucks. I rolled my eyes and gritted my teeth every time we got a chapter from his POV. But I guess that is the entire point of him.

I enjoyed this sort of modern reimagining of maenads, drunk on freedom and rage. And the ending is so damn cathartic. I wanted just a little more substance.

Luz was still a bit of a mystery, I wish we got more of her background and motivations. Also, it felt like Hedy was completely forgotten about until the very end.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam, NetGalley, and the author forbthis arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 - Ecstasy was a good, quick read that pulled me in right away with its eerie, atmospheric tone. It felt like a perfect blend of White Lotus and American Horror Story—equal parts vacation luxury (gone wrong) and unsettling, slow-burning tension. The characters were intriguing, and you either love them or hate them (or are totally confused by them). It’s the kind of book that’s hard to describe without giving too much away, but if you're into dark secrets, morally murky characters, and stories that unravel in unexpected ways, this one’s worth picking up.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy in exchange for a review! All thoughts are my own.

Ecstasy is a fast paced Dionysus retelling. I had to brush up on my Greek history a bit to see the parallels. This book was really wild and I think the reason it was so wild was because it’s a modern day spin on the story. The bright colors and modern references made the horror elements more unsettling. This book was really interesting, however the characters were a little flat for me. I could’ve used a little more depth. But overall I sat and read this in one sitting. I’d recommend to someone who really enjoys Greek mythology!

This is a dark, intense, gory read but still not one that really grabbed me by the throat. Very interesting premise but the characters themselves fell a bit flat. Even with multiple perspectives, I don't feel like we really dug deep into anyone and that doesn't lend well to such a character-driven book. Plenty of visceral, brutal, bloody descriptions of body horror but not as much personality as I would have liked. Still, an interesting read overall.