The Cruelty is one of the most disturbing books I’ve ever read. I say this as a compliment. It’s not a book you’d fondly recall, it’s a book you need to read and recommend. Many people have experienced a bit of what Camila goes through or knows someone who has. The #metoo movement cannot be forgotten and our cancel culture often pushes sexual-assault-reform to the back burner. Novels like The Cruelty are social justice warriors speaking out. Truth can be in fiction as much as testimony and as I read Camila’s story I read the story of many women. Cultural acceptance of violence has to end and awareness is one way it will. I couldn’t put this book down; it literally gave me chills. I was so impressed with Daquin’s handling of an extremely hot-topic and whilst she didn’t hold back, neither did her protagonist. It’s that courage that will eventually bring change. If you have a daughter, ensure she reads The Cruelty before she goes to college.
Susi Bocks, Editor & Author, Feeling Human and Every Day I Pause.
Daquin’s debut novel The Cruelty, is outstanding in its perception of human-nature and the writers’ innate awareness of the depravity of certain human behavior. This taut psychological thriller will keep you guessing and guessing, it’s got the addictive quality of a best-seller, with the finesse of a writer who knows how to capture and keep her audience. This is a crucial book in our war against intimate violence and a brilliant read.
Megha Sood, Poet and Literary Activist. author of the award-winning collection, My Body Lives Like a Threat.
Candice Daquin’s writing provides an exquisite blend of the delicate and powerful, of profound emotion established in simplicity, of eloquence and terror and wisdom born of experience and self-examination.
Robert Okaji, Author of Our Loveliest Bruises & Scarecrow Sees.
Daquin’s persona doesn’t hold a high moral ground like a martyr; she also shares her vulnerability and imperfections; Resilience always comes to her with wounds. Her voice is well-formed, and her observation adds an overlooked fact or image that enhances the reader’s understanding of the world. She brings her entire being into her writing.
Shweta Rao Garg, Poet & visual artist, author, Of Goddesses and Women, Shakespearewalis: Verses on the Bard and the graphic novel The Tales from Campus: A Misguide to College.
As a man, I found The Cruelty, a sobering read; evidencing the hideous reality of male-on-female-violence. Whilst disturbing; the novel didn’t seek to blame all men, but rather, a society that spawns monsters of any gender. This equality in handling such a tricky subject, is hard to successfully wrangle, but Daquin’s writing is stunning, in its precision and comprehension of human nature. This isn’t a book that blames men, it’s a book about survival, for all survivors.
Eric Syrdal, Author, Pantheon.
An incomparable writer, well before her time. Her writing is magnetic and pulled me in from start to finish. The words found in these pages will live on in one’s mind for years to come; they have lasting power.
Tremaine L. Loadholt, Author & Editor, A New Kind of Down and Séduire.
Perhaps the life left over in her is just enough to escape the hellish void, where she’s been stripped of everything but her breath. Or is it? She wonders… as the world turns into another contorted mind trap in a devilish time-loop of endless agony.
We think those kinds of scenarios belong only to fiction, but they are the bread on which we rub our butter. Well-worn stories of manipulation…. Why do we find them so fascinating? Because the sickness we as humans are capable of, astounds our sensibilities. We tell gruesome horror tales as part warning to our children, part wisdom. Don’t be stupid… learn from others’ mistakes…
This tale portrays the horror a man can become, but, with every word, it etches…
The anger of a woman who knows she is worth more than being a thing of man.
Nitya Swaruba, Copy-Editor and Author, Curiosity Saves the Thinker.
Fans of psychological thrillers will relish this unpredictable, shocking and original novel The Cruelty. As a therapist I found it incredibly useful and insightful to shed light on the legacy of abuse. Daquin helps us understand and get to the core of abuse through generations. Her strong female protagonist is a sign broken people can recover and thrive. As a therapist to survivors, this book is one I would recommend to my clients and their families. It will trigger, it’s not an easy read – but neither is what they’ve gone through. More of us should be aware of the extent of abuse and sexual violence; the toll it takes and the fight survivors go through. 1 in 3 women is the victim of some kind of violence in the homeplace. On a purely psychological thriller basis, this novel is exceptionally exciting but it’s so much more than that, it’s self-aware.
Jodi Roberts, Licensed Professional Counselor.
If you are disturbed by the things humans are capable of, The Cruelty doesn’t pull any punches, but this isn’t a horror novel, if you turn on the news you will see similar examples every day. Women are still the #1 victim of domestic and sexual abuse. Previous abuse sets anyone up for future abuse. Until we understand this legacy, we cannot find ways to curb it. The Cruelty does a really thorough job of exploring this challenging subject with deep insights. As much as this is a work of fiction, there are many strands of lived truth, readers will be disquieted by. We need these kinds of books to cut a pathway through old tropes. The Cruelty is a fantastically exciting novel where you hold your breath hoping the protagonist will survive against literally all the odds. The unexpected twists and psychological depths are fascinating, terrifying and ultimately redemptive.
Dr. Belinda Román, Professor, Committee Member with International Federation for Feminist Economics.
As a big fan of psychological fiction written from the stance of a woman, I found The Cruelty an intelligent, feminist expose of modern culture. With a fascinating female lead, I was on the edge of my seat cheering her on, through the brutality of her experience, she grows in front of our eyes and fights back in ways unimaginable. I didn’t see the ending coming, I don’t think anyone can. Finally! A great book that has a finely crafted ending. Bravo! There is absolutely nothing disappointing about this riveting thriller.
Elizabeth Green, Psychotherapist. Trauma Therapist.
The Cruelty kept me on tender-hooks. Its ability to pierce the inner-lives of survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, so viscerally, alongside an incredibly beautiful writing style, is riveting and wholly original. What Daquin’s managed to do with her fiercely feminist debut novel is nothing short of outstanding. As a voice for her generation and for women, she’s accurately nailed the reality behind sexual violence and given us an unforgettable story of survival, that’s ultimately both redemptive and hopeful. Watch this author, she’s the real deal.
Rebecca Huston, Screenwriter & Author, Prytain, and Legenderie.
Having worked with survivors I expected this to be a hard read, but what surprised me was how engrossing and compelling it was. Despite its challenging theme, this psychological thriller is a book you’ll read in a few sittings and recommend to all your friends. Daquin’s style of writing is lyrical, clever and provocative, in its examination of what humans are really capable of. I love psychological thrillers but it’s hard to find one that accomplishes everything in a single book. This is exactly what The Cruelty has achieved. I can usually guess endings, but I challenge anyone to. Gripping, thrilling, informative. Everything you want. This is already my favorite book of 2025.
Didi Artier, Writer, SMITTEN and Defy Definitions.
This book is one I think all survivors of abuse would benefit from reading; because at its heart it is a story of overcoming impossible odds and finding yourself. The characters are really believable, their suffering compels you to root for them as they fight to turn the tide that’s crashing down around them. I was swept away by her beautiful writing set against such a savage storyline; underscoring the importance of this subject for us all.
Chuck Smith, Licensed Professional Counselor.
The issues of identity and origins, the seeming reality of flesh and fabric… ultimately leaving nothing but subatomic particles neither from here nor from there, yet rooted, rooted deeply, in loss.
Donna Snyder, Author & Director of the Tumblewords Project, El Paso, TX.
A suspenseful and fascinating exploration of character; this engrossing debut is packed with realistic psychological insights, tautly plotted and focusing on the central question; how far can cruelty go? Nothing about Daquin’s debut novel feels done before, this is unpredictable, shocking and page-burningly addictive.
Dr. Joaquin Farrokhzad, Editor.
The enigma of how far Camile will go, keeps readers hooked until the very end. Daquin’s pulse-quickening debut, is self-assured and preternaturally intelligent. It’s a highly compelling read, brilliantly constructed and recommended to anyone who appreciates strong female leads.
Iris Nnoseng, Writer.
At times, the author speaks to women, at times to men, sometimes to both. What conjures in our brain while we jostle between dream and reality is a tiny, sometimes unrealized space, wherein folks attempt an exploration of their assumptions and beliefs and draw conclusions on big and small existentialist issues. A master wordsmith, Daquin seems to be moving along with her words, creating a magic spell that is set in motion with the very first lines.
Dr. Anita Nahal, Author of What’s wrong with us Kali women? and Drenched Thoughts.
Daquin has elevated our expectations with her debut novel, expanding beyond entertainment to something breathing, meaningful and socially conscious. Her poignant clever writing is a like a painting that becomes more intriguing the longer you study it. This is an essential social statement with its gloves off.
Georgia Park, Author of Softly Glowing Exit Signs and Quit Your Job & Become A Poet (Out Of Spite!).
When you read Daquin, you will be swept along by the sheer power of her words, and you will return to reread for the connection you felt to those words whether you have similar experiences or not, for she reaches into our experiences, pulling them from us and holding them up for us to examine in the light. Thus, Daquin leads us to vicariously experience what she writes of here with her visceral use of language. Finally, one may return to her work here, reading again, for the simple appreciation of how masterful a writer Daquin is, to convey such powerful raw, honest emotion yet craft such unique figurative language.
Annette Kalandros, Author of The Gift of Mercy.
The first time I read Daquin, I thought of Lorca. Her writing possesses “duende” with a feminist edge. Brutal histories etched in cold acid glide alongside captures of love, urgent and often fleeting, and social commentaries fast and tight as the flick of a switchblade.
Sun Hesper Jansen, Author of, To Tune the Beast and Fairy of Disenchantment.
I admit it, I’m a fan of Candice Louisa Daquin’s writing, I’ve been following her work for several years. As different as our life experiences seem to be, I find that her writing goes deep to the places where the personal and universal meet, and I just “get” her.
Robert. G. Wertzler, Retired Mental Health Worker, Author of, The Comment Poems.
Daquin has a special understanding of and connection with the disenfranchised, the abused, the castaways of society. Quite possibly her extensive work in Psychotherapy honed her laser focus on what lies beneath the surface of things; the surface of people, the surface of behavior.
Linda Paul, Author of, My Life With an Enigma: Unscrambling the paradoxes of an iron-willed romantic.
Daquin’s writing is brave, honest, raw, intense, and at times even disquieting in her willingness to tell it like it is and discuss subjects some might find distasteful. But that having been said, know that what she writes about, are often pieces of her personal reality, and to read Candice is to know Candice, not in part, but in all that she is and has been. Her writing is neither trite nor inconsequential. She is capable of telling stories that are charming as well as ones that are troubling but need to exist.
Clayton Terrell, Actor. Social Activist.
Daquin is that rare commodity, a person who writes what she wishes, how she wishes. Her work is all the more refreshing because of it. Her writing grips you by the throat and does not let go; delivered with brutal honesty and unerring quality.
Richard M. Ankers, Author, Britannia Unleashed and The Eternals series.
The Sylvia Plath of our times. Candice Daquin will be highly noted one day as one of our best contemporary writers.
Kimberly J. Steiner, Trauma Therapist, The Daniel Counseling Center, VA.
Candice is a master of layered meaning, nuanced emotions and vivid imagery.
Stephan C. Anstey, Author, Learning To Do Without.
Incredible read, highly recommended. This book just pours with depth and talent.
Alysia Hutton, Writer, Capital News Service, Virginia Commonwealth University’s Robertson School of Media and Culture.
The feminist, female, queer and BIPOC voice of Candice Daquin is breaking boundaries and insisting it be heard. Hers is the voice we need as women, as women of color, as queer angry females who demand unflinching, real role-models in modern literature.
Hera J. Hernandez, Educator. & Social Activist.
Daquin’s insight into why humans are capable of doing great harm to each other, and her visceral character’s epic battle to free herself from this legacy of abuse, is outstandingly wrought. I couldn’t stop thinking about this novel as I read it, I wanted to give up everything and just finish it. My heart was beating so fast, imagining what would ultimately happen. I didn’t predict the ending, I don’t think anyone could. This is the finest writing I’ve consumed in years, what an outstandingly excellent debut novel.
Dr. Alba Villarreal Norte, Artist, Writer, Feminist.
“Where is the rule book for abuse?” Oof. This is such an incredible story. The tension, suspense, brutality, twists, turns, emotions. Wow.
L. White, Author, Meticulous, Peekaboo, Mermaid and Girl on a Swing.