- Format
- Paperback
- Pages
- 134
- ISBN
- 978-1-951971-18-2
- Price
- $16
- Publication Date
- October 1, 2024
Antenora
Dori Lumpkin
Antenora: Dante’s ninth circle of hell reserved for traitors to their country.
What really happened to Nora Willet? The religious community of Bethel, Alabama can’t agree on the truth. They always said she was trouble. Later, they said she was possessed. Maybe she lost her mind, killing three people and injuring many others.
In a part confessional, part plea for Nora to come home, Nora’s childhood friend Abigail Barnes tells of another girl’s gruesome eighteenth birthday, of the time Nora may have fully revived a snake, of the intimacy of their private encounters at the lakeside, of Nora’s deliverance ceremony. Where, Abigail wonders, is Nora now?
In this tender and horrific debut, religious dogmatism sniffs out two girls whose innocent affections threaten an entire town and way of life, making one a traitor to a homeland in which only Abigail and Nora know the bittersweet truth. A homeland in which Nora can only say, “There’s a snake speaking to me, Abby-girl.”
Praise for Antenora
“A copperhead strike of a novel that shows all the ways in which a person can be more snake than human. Southern religious horror to wrap around your throat like kudzu, Antenora will linger with you long after the last page.” —CJ Leede, author of Maeve Fly and American Rapture
“A startling and thought-provoking meditation of religion and community expectations in the American South, Antenora is a profoundly compelling novella written with such richness and complexity.” —Eric LaRocca, author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke
“Antenora is immersed in the Appalachian south with a distinctive streak of darkness—of people not bothering to disguise their contempt for those who don’t belong…Readers will be both fascinated and repulsed by Bethel and its denizens, turning the pages to see what fate will befall the protagonist. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy southern gothic horror. Fans of Kristi DeMeester, Gwendolyn Kiste, and Lee Mandelo will love Lumpkin’s debut novella.” —ALA Booklist (starred review)
“Antenora is a singularly haunting book which perfectly illustrates the experience of taking comfort in something destructive. A possession tale like no other. Lumpkin has presented us with a horror story that truly resonates.” —Cat Voleur, author of Revenge Arc
“Antenora delves beneath the hypocritical ‘keep sweet’ veneer of Christianity in the Deep South to the vicious oppression lurking just below the surface, exploring the complications of repressed sexuality and forced submission through beautifully fleshed out characters while still delivering the expected gruesome scenes and tension of a horror story. A spectacular read that will break your heart in the best way.” —Emma E. Murray, author of When the Devil
“In this atmospheric, colubrine tale, Lumpkin expertly weaves together small-town religious fervor with holy snake handling. Amidst the crushing isolation of highly regulated patriarchal norms, childhood friends Abigail and Nora must navigate an unexpected—and socially unacceptable—change in their feelings. To complicate matters, something dark and rebellious is blooming inside Nora, which bares its fangs with devastating results. Fans of The Wicker Man and The Devil All The Time should keep an eye on this extremely talented newcomer.” —Lindz McLeod, author of Turducken and Sunbathers
“Dori Lumpkin has given us a meditative pageturner on memory, community, and religion in the Deep South. You won’t soon forget its tenderness and its terror. Come for the horror, stick around for the lyrical prose on par with the gothic greats. This book marks the debut of a brilliant new voice. Antenora is as moving as it is startling to watch unfold.” —Caleb Johnson, author of Treeborne
“Lumpkin’s serpentine storytelling feels honest and unhurried, winding a tightly coiled narrative that builds both in menace and wonder. Antenora is not to be missed.” —Rae Wilde, author of I Can Fix Her
