Once upon a time there was the sky, and underneath the sky, a remote and arid land. Near a ghost town, in a house that is slowly falling apart, two adopted brothers live (or survive?) with an old man. Broke, in debt and glued to the TV, the Ganache brothers are waiting for the old man to kick the bucket. One night, sensing his own imminent demise, the boss orders them to round everyone up for a last meal. Indeed he wants to throw one hell of a party.
The Ganaches go off to look for friends (they can’t find any). Then for street people (who refuse to enter that house of despair). Far from being discouraged, the boss tells them to get dead people. The obedient brothers dig up skeletons from the cemetery.
The ceremony can finally begin. In attendance are six skeleton couples and the old man, who is dressed in a white tux for the occasion. 'The Banquet of the Dead' tells the tale of this weirdly funny soirée. At dawn, pacified, the dying old man will designate the heir to a large part of his fortune…
As is often the case with Christian Ganachaud, this novel’s plot was inspired by a Biblical parable. The ending, with all the power of the grotesque, will reconcile you with life.