, is a visceral blend of historical fiction, supernatural horror, and dark fantasy. Set against the backdrop of the Black Death in 1348 France, it explores a world where the plague is not merely a biological catastrophe but a symptom of a second war in Heaven spilling over onto Earth. Core Premise and Setting The story follows a disgraced, excommunicated knight named , who discovers a mysterious orphan girl named
: Reviewers often describe the book as "grotesque," "dreamlike," and "unremittingly bleak," frequently comparing its imagery to a Hieronymus Bosch painting come to life. Key Characters between two fires christopher buehlman vk