Bitter Water Opera

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An electrifying debut novel explores art, solitude, family, and faith in a world devoid of it. In 1967, dancer Marta Becket and her husband discovered an abandoned theater in Death Valley Junction. Marta claimed it as her own, painting her ideal audience on its walls and performing until her death five decades later. In the present, Gia has ended a relationship and taken a leave from her university film studies job, sleeping excessively and avoiding her mother’s calls. While exploring a library archive, she finds a photo of Marta Becket and decides to write her a letter. Miraculously, Marta appears in Gia’s home, and Gia hopes she will help her navigate her despair. However, can Marta’s solitary life truly guide her? Through vivid vignettes, Gia grapples with the temptation to retreat into herself while seeking meaningful connections. Her journey involves confronting unsettling charcoal drawings in her garage, a corpse in a pond, and a crooked pear sapling, leading her to Marta’s theater, the Amargosa Opera House. There, in the desert, Gia discovers an answer. This astonishing novel delves into individual awakening and existential questions about faith, self-perception, and the purpose of art.