A Goodreads Most Anticipated Historical Fiction Book of Fall 2024
âA sinister romance and hypnotic Gothic fairytaleâsurreal and luscious with a fascinating twist on the story of Hades and Persephone.â âJennifer Saint, bestselling author of Ariadne
A woman with no past. A man who seems to know her. And a monstrous garden that could be the border between their worldsâŠ
Italy, 1948
Julia Lombardi is a mystery even to herself. The beautiful model canât remember where sheâs from, where sheâs been or how she came to live in Rome. When she receives an offer to accompany celebrated eccentric artist Salvador DalĂ to the Sacro BoscoâItalyâs Garden of Monstersâas his muse, sheâs strangely compelled to accept. It could be a chance to unlock the truth about her pastâŠ
Shrouded in shadow, the garden full of giant statues that sometimes seem alive is far from welcoming. Still, from the moment of their arrival at the palazzo, Julia is inexplicably drawn to their darkly enigmatic host, Ignazio. Heâs alluring yet terrifyingâand he seems to know her.
Posing for DalĂ as the goddess Persephone, Julia finds the work to be perplexing, particularly as DalĂ descends deeper into his fanaticism. To him, she is Persephone, and he insists she must eat pomegranate seeds to rejoin her king.
Between DalĂâs fevered persistence, Ignazioâs uncanny familiarity and the agonizing whispered warnings that echo through the garden, Julia is soon on the verge of unraveling. And she begins to wonder if sheâs truly the mythical queen of the UnderworldâŠ