SOLENOPSIS – Ilaria Baldanzi

In the heart of the desert lies Solenopsis, a strictly organised colony under the rule of Queen Ece, where the working destiny of every Myrmicid is determined at birth by a symbol engraved on their body.
Nariman, however, is born with a different mark. An enigmatic spiral appears on her back, a sign that no one can interpret and which does not link her to any recognised role. Feared as an anomaly and accused of threatening the colony’s balance, she is exiled.
Alone in the vastness of the desert, Nariman embarks on a journey that will take her beyond the boundaries of the world she has always known, in search of the meaning of the symbol she bears. Will Nariman succeed in finding her own identity?

Ilaria Baldanzi is an Italian science fiction author and the creator of the trilogy, composed of Solenopsis, Kristallia and Neoterisma.
Born in Florence in 1990, she studied classical humanities at Liceo Ginnasio Dante before graduating with honors in Electrical and Automation Engineering from the University of Florence.
Her debut novel, Solenopsis (published in Italy in 2022), won the second prize at the 11th edition of the Sarzanae Literary Prize. The sequel, Kristallia, received an honorable mention at the 2024 Premio Argentario.
In 2026, she presented the final volume of the trilogy, Neoterisma, during the “Casa Sanremo Writers” interview and received a performance award at the “Bravissima” talent show, broadcast on Canale Italia.
Through her works, she explores the relationship between technology, humanity and the evolution of society.