The Dark Side of the Sky
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected May 7, 2024
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- $9.99
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- Pre-Order
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A page-turning literary fantasy filled with terror and wonder, set in a sun-baked Southern Italy, for fans of The Girls by Emma Cline, The Magus by John Fowles and The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai.
It’s been labelled a doomsday cult, but the Bastion might be humanity’s last hope. Amidst all the lies and chaos, come hear their true story, in their own words.
On the rural coast of Puglia, Italy, Becca and Ric run the Bastion, offering solace and a home for lost souls. Each year they welcome new members to join the Open Feast, where they teach them to release their burdens and create a better world, in a journey of self-discovery and spiritual teachings.
But the Bastion has secrets. The Bastion has a destiny. Deep in the Inner Pinewood, a place of real magic and beauty, they are all that stands against the dark forces that would tear the sky wide open
And what of those who call Becca and Ric liars? Cult leaders and con artists? What of those who tried to leave the Bastion? As it becomes increasingly difficult to tell truth from fiction, who can you trust to save us all?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The hard-hitting and violent latest from Dimitri (Never the Wind) explores shattered beliefs and broken bonds within an unusual spiritual retreat. A small group of guests spend four days at a grand villa on Italy's Adriatic Coast every June, where they drink, smoke, whisper their most painful secrets into bonfires, and dance naked in the rain. When, one year, some guests don't return home, families and friends suspect they've joined a cult run by the retreat's charismatic organizers, siblings Rebecca and Riccardo Abbracciavento. The Abbracciaventos promise followers an escape from grief and oppression, offering spiritual lessons that often entail sacrifices (including that of the villa's pet pig, Napoleon, who gets turned into prosciutto). As the acolytes have spiritual awakenings and out-of-body experiences, they notice journalists showing up at the villa gates and drones flying above. Social media erupts with footage of their orgies and "satanic" rituals. As outside pressure mounts—exacerbated by trespassers and ex-lovers—conflict erupts within the villa and mob violence ensues outside. Dimitri juxtaposes the damning documentation of the cult with narration from those inside the community to create tantalizing tension. Bringing this to earth are lovely descriptions of summer nights and sumptuous food details that will make readers' mouths water even as their heads are spinning. Blurring the line between fantasy and fanaticism, this is a story to be savored.
