Description

A rediscovered gothic classic with a groundbreaking, gender-nonconforming protagonist at its heart.

‘I do not sin,’ he smiled. ‘I am Sin’

In a quiet medieval city, alone in his shadowy chambers, Dirk Renswoude worships the devil. Then the wind brings the young scholar Theirry to his door. Could this beautiful man share his dark obsession? Under a hushed midnight sky, the pair swear themselves to the black arts, and to one another.

Yet Dirk shies away at the slightest touch. He will not discuss his past. As the duo hex their way across moonlit woodlands and learned cities, it becomes clear that Dirk will stop at nothing to live the life he desires, while concealing one precious secret.

‘A subtle and complex thriller…Just don’t give away its secret’ Washington Post

READER LOVE – JOIN THE DARK SIDE:
‘Beware. This is dark gothic fiction at its best.’
‘A thick and oozing tale of every possible sin and horror…perfect for spooky season’
‘That twist!’
‘For fans of historical fiction, or horror, or fantasy, this novel should prove absolutely scrumptious.’
‘A super fun Gothic extravaganza.’
‘Demons! Spells! Satanic rituals! Love triangles! Ghosts and witches! Medieval opulence! Gruesome violence! THE ANTICHRIST! …Flat-out, straight-up awesome.’

The Vintage Classics Weird Girls series: Dive into the depraved, delectable depths of weird fiction with nine books by nine pioneering female authors. Bold, disruptive, chilling and enchanting, these tales of the weird are strange enough to get lost in.

Publisher Review

‘It was Miss Bowen’s apparent zest that made me want to write. One could not read her without believing that to write was to live and to enjoy.’ — Graham Greene The finest British woman writer of the uncanny of the last century — Michael Dirda