Cursed Bread

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NATIONAL BESTSELLER WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION NOMINEE GRANTA BEST OF YOUNG BRITISH NOVELISTS 2023 From the Booker Prize-nominated author of The Water Cure comes a chilling new feminist fable based on a true unsolved mystery. Elodie, the baker's wife, is a plain woman overlooked by her husband and neighbors, yet she harbors a deep desire to be extraordinary. Her life changes when a charismatic couple, the ambassador and his sharp-toothed wife, Violet, arrive in town, captivating Eloydie. She becomes obsessed, stalking them through the streets, inviting herself into their home, and eavesdropping on their conversations, yearning to be part of their world. However, beneath the surface of daily life, unsettling events unfold: six horses are discovered dead in a field, widows see their deceased husbands returning, and a boy throws himself into a bonfire during the midsummer feast. A dark intoxication spreads through the town, and as Elodie realizes her role in the chaos, it becomes too late to intervene. Audacious and mesmerizing, this tale of obsession and transformation explores themes of hysteria, envy, and consuming desire, weaving a darkly gleaming narrative that reflects the complexities of memory and identity.