 First edition | |
| Author | Sylvain Reynard |
|---|---|
| Genre | Romance |
| Publisher | Omnific Publishing |
Publication date | 2009 |
| Pages | 506 |
| ISBN | 9780425265963 |
| OCLC | 9781936305629 |
| Followed by | Gabriel's Rapture |
Gabriel's Inferno is aneroticromance novel by an anonymous Canadian author under thepen name Sylvain Reynard.[1][2] The story was first published in novel format in 2011 by Omnific Publishing, with further publishing rights to the series being purchased byBerkley Books.[3] The work was first published on 4 September 2012, along with the second book in the series,Gabriel's Rapture.[4]
The series has been compared toFifty Shades of Grey because both originated asTwilightfan fiction, with theInternational Business Times reporting thatGabriel's Inferno differs in that it bears "few similarities to the story that inspired it".[5] The novel was originally published online as aTwilight fan fiction entitledThe University of Edward Masen (Edward Masen beingEdward Cullen's human name) under the pen name of Sebastien Robichaud.[6]Gabriel's Inferno and its sequels appeared onThe New York Times Best Seller list. A film adaptation was released on the streaming servicePassionflix. The film was cut into three parts; the first part of the film was released on 29 May 2020.[7][8]
Gabriel Owen Emerson is a brilliant and enigmatic professor of Dante studies at theUniversity of Toronto. His cold, aloof exterior masks dark secrets he successfully hides, though he has never overcome them. A lovely, intelligent graduate student in his seminar triggers a dim memory – one he cannot place, but which is the key to the happiness he long thought was impossible.
Julianne Mitchell, a compassionate, kind young woman, is still struggling to overcome a childhood of neglect and abuse. When she enrolls at the University of Toronto, she knows she will see someone from her past – a man she met once, in an encounter she has never forgotten. Gabriel cannot recall what Julia knows: that they have a shared history rooted in an important moment of their lives.
The story unfolds around the electrifying connection between Gabriel and Julia and their increasingly passionate affair. Gabriel sees her unconditional love as his path to salvation even as he acknowledges his selfishness in doing so. Julia struggles with her own self-worth as she grows to trust Gabriel's feelings for her. Determined to capture the happiness that eluded them when they parted years ago, they must defy their own painful pasts as well as obstacles which now conspire to keep them apart.
When initially writing the novel, Reynard tried to "explore the themes of redemption and love with respect to two flawed people."[9] The author also chose not to focus on the "mechanics of sex," viewing it as potentially detracting from the "mysterious and sometimes transcendent aspects of it."[9] Reynard drew inspiration for the novel from the relationship betweenDante andBeatrice Portinari.[10]
Reynard has stated that the series was written as fanfiction as "an opportunity to try my hand at fiction writing."[11]
Fan reaction to the series has been positive, with some readers stagingInferno-inspired tours ofToronto.[4] When Reynard chose to release the series for publication, some readers expressed disapproval over fanfiction being published for profit akin to the backlashFifty Shades of Greyalso received.[11] As of October 2012, the book and its sequel were numbers 12 and 17 onThe New York Times paperback trade fiction list.[4]
The second book in the series,Gabriel's Rapture, was released alongsideGabriel's Inferno on 4 September 2012.[12] A third entry in the series,Gabriel's Redemption, was released on 3 December 2013. It also leads to a supernatural spin-off series centering a character introduced inGabriel's Redemption, who is later revealed as a vampire known as The Prince, and his lover, Raven Wood, beginning with the novelThe Raven. The author revealed on his Facebook page in November 2017 that he was currently writing the fourth novel in this series. The fourth novel,Gabriel's Promise, was released on January 7, 2020.[13]
In November 2019, it was announced that filming for aGabriel's Inferno movie had commenced inSyracuse, New York, withMelanie Zanetti andGiulio Berruti playing Julia and Gabriel and directed and produced byTosca Musk.[14] Filming for the sequelGabriel's Rapture began in January until February 2020 but production had to be paused due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[15]
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