Renaissance

Wisconsin Gothic #5

by E.H. Lupton

June, 1971. As the academic year draws to a close, Sam and Ulysses are looking forward to a quiet summer. But when Ulysses's grandmother is hospitalized, it becomes clear that relaxation is not in the cards. Unable to accept that her fall was an accident, Ulysses begins to investigate whether it may be related to a cult from their past whose mysterious and powerful leader seems to be popping up all over town.

Sam's doing his best to hold things together and be supportive, but it's hard when his new husband is barely listening and keeping him at arm's length every time family is concerned. And on top of everything else, the library has something urgent to tell Sam...

As they reunite with old friends and prepare to bid farewell to others, Sam and Ulysses will see their marriage tried, their lives threatened, and meet an old enemy they thought long dead.

Renaissance is the fifth book in the Wisconsin Gothic series. It would probably be best to start with book 1, Dionysus in Wisconsin.

Genres: Historical, Fantasy, Romance

415 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 13, 2026

About the author

E. H. Lupton (she/they) lives in Wisconsin. She is a writer, playwright, artist, runner, and experimental baker. Her debut novel, Dionysus in Wisconsin, was shortlisted for a Lambda Literary Award. She is the producer/co-host of the hit podcast, Ask a Medievalist. Visit her website at ehlupton.com.

Reviews

[Kathleen in Oslo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A worthy end for Ulysses and Sam.

Not "end," end. EH Lupton wouldn't do us that way! Just the end of their arc in this series. I'm excited to see where EH Lupton takes this story next, and I suspect/ hope that we'll still be seeing quite a bit more of Ulysses and Sam, as they're so central to all the magical and familial goings-on.

In my review of book 2 I called Ulysses and Sam "understated kings" because they are extremely fucking chill about everything. And that stoicness is on display here, where some major revelations are dropped -- about Ulysses's family, Sam's family, the interaction between the two, and the nature of Ulysses and Sam's bond -- and where Ulysses is charged with making a monumental choice and an excruciating sacrifice.

At times I felt that the moment called for more: a big, cathartic confrontation between Ulysses and his grandmother; a wrenching scene between Sam and his unwilling martyr of a husband. But EH Lupton is consistent with their characters and their emotional beats. The unsentimentality of Ulysses's family and their not-full-embrace of Sam feels cold, but it would feel even odder for Ulysses's grandmother to show introspection, regret, remorse, or open affection: she did what she felt was necessary, kept the secret, and stayed on the path she sent them all down all those years ago, regardless of effects it had on Ulysses and Sam and their relationship. Celeste and Laz are similarly undemonstrative, but show support and sympathy through their actions. And Sam gives Ulysses the gift of not trying to change his mind, knowing that his pleas and pain would simply add to Ulysses's agony.

It all feels right, but it also creates a certain distance -- the stakes not being reflected in the on-page responses. But then when I try to imagine these characters acting any other way, I can't. So there's the rub: I wish for a bit more chest-thumping and garment-rending, but I know that it would feel wrong if we got it. This is one of those times where I admire the author for knowing their characters so well and staying true to them, even though I long for a deleted scene or two to satisfy my taste for drama.

But all told, this is a satisfying, true, heartwarming ending for our foundational couple, while leaving many paths open for future adventures. What a wonderful, unique series this is. I can't wait to see where it goes next.

I got an ARC from the author, disclaimer disclaimer.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

These just get better.
Deeper magic, truer love.
Groovy sense of place.

[ancientreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sam's family and associated generational blackguards: the gifts that keep on giving. Luckily for him and Ulysses, they have not only Laz and Eli but also (this is the merest spoilerette) a whole lot of maenads on their side.

So. Ekaterina-Babushka, she of immense and cryptic powers, is also an elderly woman -- thus it's no surprise that she should fall and break her hip. Only, she seems to have had some magical assistance in taking that fall, besides which Laz has had a vision involving U and a great deal of blood, U's blood, that is not inside U's body. In passing we are granted the blissful knowledge that in his capacity as a librarian rather than a divinity, Sam is preparing an exhibit on the evolution of the title page, one of whose exhibits seems likely to be An Essay on the Art of Ingeniously Tormenting (1753). First I laughed, and then I remembered how fabulously ornamented title pages used to be, as befitted the "bracingly lengthy" titles printed on them. Fellow nerds, the queue forms to the left; as you wait for the library doors to open, keep an eye out for a nifty subversion of the fated mates trope.

There is no point in reading Renaissance without first reading the earlier Wisconsin Gothic installments -- E.H. Lupton makes the occasional stab at recapping previous events, but really four books' worth of goings-on can't be summarized or explained in unobtrusive asides, and I will confess I lost the thread from time to time. (This may have had something to do with the construction work in our basement.) (By great good fortune the workmen did not uncover any small mysterious boxes during their labors. IYKYK, and Y will K after you read this book.) Don't worry, reading the series isn't any hardship: good luck finding a smarter, funnier, sexier pair than Sam and Ulysses, though Laz and Eli do give them some competition.

I got my ARC direct from EHL for which thanks, because my honest opinion is that I love her books. BTW, they are always available wide, so you can get them from, for example, Smashwords, rather than contribute your pennies to A---n.

[Rowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

IT HAS ARRIVED! I love them so much. Sam is the world's most genteel wet cat, and Ulysses is SUCH a disaster and they're great.

[AJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The end of an era. man I love these books. Madison and mathematicians and theater. all my favorite things. brilliance. inteuiged to see what the series looks like without a focus on Sam and Ulysses. will always buy eh lupton books as soon as they come out, one of my favorite authors.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Ulysses?”
When he looked back, Eli said, carefully, “It’s pull the lever, not throw yourself in front of the trolley to save everyone.”
Ulysses exhaled. “It’s a thought experiment, Doc...” [loc. 3320]

Fifth in the 'Wisconsin Gothic' series which began with Dionysus in Wisconsin: in this instalment, Sam and Ulysses are planning a quiet summer, until Ekaterina (Ulysses' Russian grandmother) is hospitalised by a fall which she claims was due to a magical phenomenon. 

Sam, meanwhile, is sad that Ellen and Harry are moving to California -- and perturbed by the sense that there's something the library wants to tell him. While Ulysses is running himself ragged juggling hospital duty and mentoring a non-binary student, Sam wonders if last year's prophecy of 'something bad' might be coming true.  Is it coincidence that, Ekaterina incapacitated, an old enemy has resurfaced?

Oddly slow, despite the various menaces, though things speed up rapidly at the end. I'm intrigued by glimpses of Laz and Eli (the latter searching for premises in which he can set up his clinic for magic-users) and sad that, per the author, this is the last in the series to be focussed on Sam and Ulysses. I'll miss them -- but I am interested to see how things work out for Laz and Eli, and what becomes of Peregrine. And maybe one day we'll get more of Tim's story...

Coincidentally, I started reading this as I was finishing Silent Spring -- which is mentioned in the novel!

[Rhode PVD · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this is nominally a fantasy adventure set in a 1970 college town that feels very real in every respect save for magic being an academic subject and same sex marriage being no big deal, for it was mainly a lovely, soft rumination on family. The two adult brothers who have lived far apart for years now enjoying running into each other in every day life, and a young newly married man trying to figure out if he truly belongs to his husband’s family or not. An elderly matriarch who scares everyone by having a fall and a couple who are central to many lives, deciding to move on to another place. The love this book holds for siblings, spouses, friendships, bosses, student, and all the relationships between us, is so warming. I am entirely glad to have read it and to have it in my life, sumerian beer recipes and all. Knowing the author chose to create, and was able to create, something quietly warming of such quality at a time when the outside world is nothing but strife and stress, means a lot. Well done. Read these books in order though or you’ll never understand this one.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam and Ulysses are at it again.

3rd person, multi POV.

You know how there are slow burn romances. This felt like a slow burn action lol.
I don’t know how to explain it.
I’ve obviously read the other books so I know what’s at stake, but somehow everyone seems like they’re not in any particular hurry.
They feel both concerned and resigned. I don’t know. The vibe wasn’t anxious that’s for sure.
Maybe I’m reading too many angst filled books lately cause this felt wildly chill lol.

I’m always eager to read more! Who doesn’t love magic and gods on earth!

Thanks so much for giving me the opportunity to arc read this novel!

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so good - sort of a slow burn on the plot/action front, with the conflict all in the last 10ish%. It tied up some series loose ends nicely and tied in themes around mortality and choosing love (vs a more fated mates type thing due to the bond). This book also crystallized for me that I don’t always appreciate the stylistic choice to give the MCs lots of unfleshed out, interrupted thoughts, which Lupton seems to use a lot. Once or twice is fine, but it’s a frequent choice, whereas I want to see more of their inner workings on page.

[E.H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, a book that dares to ask the question: can we come together as a community, get really high, and defeat a terrible old man with the power of dance?

This is the last Sam/Ulysses solo book. I have many, many emotions about this. But the biggest one is that I hope you all enjoy it who read it.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Knowing this was the end of their arc, and knowing this is a romance still did not keep me from being genuinely afraid we might lose one or both of these 2 magical beings before the end of this scary and wonderful book. I will miss Sam and Ulysses; hoping we get glimpses of them in the other books still to come in the series.
The deceptively slow pace of this one built so much tension!

[Saskia Veldhuis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last book of this series concentrating on Ulysses and Sam. Their love is fortunately stronger than ever, just as well with too many demands on Ulysses's time and magic. There are some unexpected twists and a very satisfying ending. I look forward to what this author will do next.

[lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

dang that got wild

[Nrosenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great entry in the Wisconsin Gothic series and concludes Ulysses’s and Sam’s arc well!