A darkly gothic sapphic body-horror fantasy steeped in medieval history. Perfect for fans of Ava Reid and The Thirteenth Child.
Plagued by sick headaches that are considered an ill portent in her superstitious village, Ediva has prayed to the Goddess Warmth for a cure. Too ill to marry and too weak to farm, she is desperate to contribute to her family’s survival.
When her prayers are finally answered, it isn’t by the Goddess, but by the Vivari—learned men from the North—who claim Ediva’s pain makes her special. They offer a cure in exchange for forsaking the Goddess Warmth and repaying them in lymph, allegedly the source of Ediva’s illness. Upon their orders, Ediva traverses the shimmering auras that appear with her sick headaches to the Otherworld—a strangely beautiful plane where Ediva is free of pain yet haunted by many-limbed beasts.
Pursued by horrors, Ediva is saved by a hard, fearsome girl named Brigid, who claims the Vivari aren’t trying to take away their pain but give it purpose. Ediva wants to believe her, but the more she explores the Otherworld, the more she suspects the Vivari’s promises of power will only be offered to the one who survives. To save the girl she loves, Ediva faces a choice: retreat to a world where her pain means nothing or become like the monsters she fears.
This gothic gem is perfect for readers who love clashes between decaying gods and upstart cults with a heartrending sapphic monster romance. A bloody brilliant reflection on power, pain, and the body’s inherent worthiness.
