Fear of Paradise

Fear of Paradise is a story of longing and missed opportunities, of separation, the passage of time, and the unforeseen consequences of innocent decisions. Set against the rise of Fascism in 1920s Italy, Vincent Engel’s haunting novel takes us on a journey through a wild and romantic landscape where two lonely young people forge a strange and wonderful friendship. Between the sea and the forest, in the heart of Puglia, lies the village of San Nidro, frozen in time. Here, Basilio and Lucia swear their love and loyalty until an irreparable act sets them on a collision course with the tragic realities of history. “A beautifully constructed, unsettling novel – set in a superbly realized Italian village before the cataclysm of World War II – Fear of Paradise speaks volumes about the secrets we all carry with us.” — Douglas Kennedy, author of Five Days. “Vincent Engel is the kind of writer I dreamed of becoming. At once discreet and prolific, he has allowed his body of writing to speak for itself, and he is today among the most important and well-respected writers in French.” —Alain Mabanckou, author of Lumières de Pointe-Noire. “Life and death, love and lust, religion and superstition make up the mix that award-winning Belgian author Vincent Engel stirs into his haunting novel, Fear of Paradise. Set in a remote fishing village in southern Italy in the 1920s, the plot follows the story of two young star-crossed lovers and examines the impact of Fascist rule on a simple people steeped in tradition. Poetic and thought-provoking, Richard Kutner’s glowing translation deftly retains the flavor of the original.” —Victor Rangel-Ribeiro, author of Tivolem.