04/09/2018
Renowned Italian author Dimitri’s beautiful first novel written in English, about a group of friends who have a pact to meet annually in their small Italian hometown, is an evocative meditation on friendship, adulthood, and the liminal spaces that lie just outside human perception. Tony, a surgeon; Mauro, a lawyer; and Fabio, a fashion photographer, show up to their meeting place in Casalfranco, but Art, who formed the pact 17 years before, never arrives. A search of his home uncovers disturbing items, including a very weird book by Art entitled The Book of Hidden Things: A Field Guide, and the friends discover that Art has supposedly healed a young girl who had cancer and is now being held by the local mafia. Each of the friends wants to escape the perceived bonds of his life, and Art’s book offers a pathway to a place of unbelievable bliss and little responsibility, the realm of the Hidden Things. But when the companions learn the price of entry, they struggle to confront their own demons and decide whether the promised joys are worth the cost. Dimitri’s beautifully written tale, steeped in nostalgia, folklore, and religion, will enthrall and terrify readers. (July)
In lesser hands, this blend of detective story, organized crime thriller, and supernatural investigation would feel like a grab bag of plot devices, but Dimitri has created a thrilling spectacle that also manages to point poignantly at the way the landscapes we grow up in shape us in ways even beyond our understanding. A deeply felt look at the idea of home, clothed as a popcorn-worthy page-turner.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“A rich, emotional tale that is less about hidden supernatural things and more about the things we hide from our friends and from ourselves. Perfect for book discussion groups to devour and debate.”
—Booklist (starred review)
“An evocative meditation on friendship, adulthood, and the liminal spaces that lie just outside human perception . . . Dimitri’s beautifully written tale, steeped in nostalgia, folklore, and religion, will enthrall and terrify readers.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A mystifying exploration of unbelief and faith, Francesco Dimitri’s The Book of Hidden Things dazzles with portraits of men at a crossroads . . . Skillfully touches on the deepest vulnerabilities in characters who evolve into sharper versions of themselves . . . Challenges the limits of rationality. Here, mysteries aren’t riddles to solve, but answers that lie within reach.”
—Foreword Reviews
“Dimitri weaves a tale of adventure, mystery, friendship and heart-wrenching beauty that will make you re-examine what is holy, what is true and what is beyond the realm of possibility.”
—BookPage
“[The Book of Hidden Things] has elements of fantasy, and has been described as such, but it also veers into moments of real horror. In many ways, this book reads like a mystery or a crime thriller. It’s also a book about adulthood, or, rather, about the disappointments of adulthood or what I like to call “life’s ultimate despair.” But really, this is a book about friendship . . . The story is captivating and I found myself rushing towards the book’s conclusion . . . What’s especially thrilling is this sense of dread pervading in the everyday, something hidden behind the natural."
—Chicago Review of Books
“Beautifully written, Dimitri has produced an enlightening and thrilling story that succeeds at every turn. His insightful observations of how our early memories and interpersonal relationships help shape our adult lives is remarkably poignant. The Book of Hidden Things is an absorbing story that defines how we look at home. It’s a story filled with twists and turns that will most certainly entertain, terrify, and captivate readers.”
—New York Journal of Books
“A combination of Natasha Pulley and Marisha Pessl. It is a story about the strength of friendship and faith in the unseen." —San Francisco Review of Books
“Stellar.”
—Den of Geek
“The Book of Hidden Things shows us that memories are stories that refuse to belong only to the past. Such stories can create places that are both wonderful and dangerous; whether we believe in them or not is up to us.”
—Aliya Whiteley, author of The Beauty
“What a glorious read! This sun-drenched fantasy is a feast for the senses, reflecting on the value of friendship and what it means to finally grow up. If you loved the Neil Gaiman’s Ocean at the End of the Lane, this book is for you.”
—Helen Marshall, author of Gifts for the One Who Comes After
“The Book of Hidden Things is both a mystery and a map. Follow the clues along the trail in Francesco Dimtri’s dazzling debut and you’ll be ushered into a hidden world of magic, not only within these pages, but also within your own life. Be prepared to be transformed.”
—Mark Chadbourn, author of Age of Misrule
“As soon as I read the first lines of The Book of Hidden Things, I felt at home. It is an immersive book, that draws you in and never lets you go. Gripping, ruthless in the way it describes the age of reason, dominated by a mysterious, magical Salento landscape very far from the chocolate box images we are used to. In a word, unmissable.”
—Licia Troisi, author of Nihal From The Land Of Wind
“Francesco Dimitri's first novel in English is a wonder and a revelation. Hidden within this gripping, frightening story about an arcane manuscript is a deep, clear-eyed, and compassionate meditation on friendship as it evolves over time. The Book of Hidden Things is fantasy at it's best: using magical tropes to illuminate real life.”
—Terri Windling, author of The Wood Wife
“What a joy to have this in English. Francesco Dimitri's fantastic fantasy novel has everything I like. A sensation of damp shadows moving just out of sight, and a slow, joyful, and mysterious unravelling of events. I can't recommend it too highly.”
—Joe R. Lansdale, author of The Thicket
