Ash Tuesday

Praise for Ariadne Blayde

“[Ash Tuesday] is a love letter to New Orleans while also being a tale of loss—which, when it comes down to it, is part of what we love about New Orleans, right? We are able to lose ourselves in the city’s stories, divorce from the parts of ourselves that no longer fit, become new selves and parade them down the street on Mardi Gras. This novel is a rich tapestry of stories; you’ll fall in love again with this special, haunted city.”
-Becca Ballenger

“In the eyes of the straight world, the characters in Ariadne Blayde’s Ash Tuesday are misfits, even freaks. Modern-day witches. Drunk wannabe writers. Tantric vampires. But in this extraordinary first novel, Blayde peels away the flashy exteriors to reveal the fragile workings within that make each character deeply human and endlessly fascinating. This is a novel to savor and a new writer to watch.”
-Michael Bourne, author of Blithedale Canyon

“Ariadne Blayde’s characters jump off the page, as vibrant and imperfect as the city they live in. Through the tales each guide tells on their tour, we find a piece of them that connects to New Orleans, and in turn we find pieces of ourselves. It’s a difficult task to capture the joys of festivity existing simultaneously alongside such deep mental, emotional, and spiritual pain, but Blayde does it with finesse, each chapter reading like another bittersweet line in a doomed love letter.”
-Linnea Gregg

“A darkly joyful ride, Ariadne Blayde’s Ash Tuesday is a wonderful debut from a bright new voice. Blayde’s prose is lyrical and addictive, brimming with heart and soul.”
-Louis Maistros, author of The Sound of Building Coffins

“[Ash Tuesday] explores the full range of human experience from the light-hearted to the gut-wrenching. Sometimes you will laugh out loud, and sometimes you will get teary-eyed….[the book] also offers a close-up, insider’s view of New Orleans that makes you feel much more connected to the city and its culture and history…. [Blayde] seamlessly weaves together folklore, history, and compelling characters.”
-Denise Baker

“A supremely engaging character-driven ensemble drama with the great city of New Orleans in a starring role. Blayde’s writing, sublimely textured dialogue, and character development feel like a warm hug…. These characters are all so real, you feel very much like you’ve already met them. Easy five stars!”
-Ian Hoch