Medusa: Or, Men Entombed in Winter

A haunting literary thriller about youth, power, fatherhood, and the slow unraveling of a utopia.

"A gripping meditation on power and control... Get it!" — Kirkus Reviews
"Comfortably one of the best books I’ve read this year, and among the top books I’ve read in my adult life." — Saffron Asteria, host of the BOOKED podcast
"A nearly flawless novel... Farnworth has written a dynamite book." — The Book Review Directory
"A haunting mix of intellect, obsession, and the slow, beautiful unraveling of people who think they’re smarter than their own downfall." — Ellie Pulliam, for Literary Titan

Driven by a shared desire for control, a group of Dartmouth students, led by the enigmatic Meddy, forms the Students for Fundamental Change. Their pursuit leads them to Stillwell, Maine, where they establish a secluded community with unconventional rules, challenging traditional norms and attracting those desperate to belong. But their utopia starts to unravel from within and faces growing scrutiny from the outside world.

Peter Holloway, father to Meddy’s children, becomes entangled in her vision as their oldest son, Paul, falls under the influence of a devilish initiate who tempts him deeper into his mother’s unfinished dream. As Meddy's influence deepens and the commune begins to fracture, Peter is forced to confront the monster he helped create and protect his children from the world he once believed in.

Lyrical and unnerving, Medusa; Or, Men Entombed in Winter is a chilling meditation on idealism, obsession, and collapse, set against the stark beauty and brutal cold of rural Maine.