Voice Like a Hyacinth: A Novel

By Mallory Pearson

Five young women eager for success rely on the unspeakable to make their dreams come true in a chilling novel about martyrdom, ritual, and obsession by the author of We Ate the Dark.

Art student Jo Kozak and her fellow classmates and best friends, Caroline, Finch, Amrita, and Saz, are one another's muses--so close they have their own language and so devoted to the craft that they'll do anything to keep their inspiration alive. Even if it means naively resorting to the occult to unlock their creativity and to curse their esteemed, if notoriously creepy, professor. They soon learn the horrible price to be paid for such a transgressive ritual.

In its violent aftermath, things are changing. Jo is feeling unnervingly haunted by something inexplicable. Their paintings, once prodigious and full of life, are growing dark and unhealthy. And their journey together--as women, students, and artists--is starting to crumble.

To right the wrong they've done, these five desperate friends will take their obsession a step too far. When that happens, there may be no turning back.

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Published Feb 1, 2025

367 pages

Average rating: 7.38

8 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Lit_With_Alex
Mar 05, 2026
8/10 stars
Voice Like A Hyacinth is a surreal, atmospheric exploration of guilt, ambition, friendship, and the blurry line between supernatural horror and psychological collapse. The story pulls you into a spiral where you’re constantly questioning what’s truly happening versus what’s being distorted by shame and obsession.

It examines how far people will go for success, how selfish decisions ripple outward, and the emotional wreckage that follows. The tension is electric, the characters flawed and compelling, and the atmosphere heavy in a way that lingers.

A wild, anxious, art-soaked descent worth experiencing.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5
Format: Kindle + Audiobook
Favorite quote: “Everything tasted like static.”

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