In January 2314, Rowena Savalas - a curator of the vast archive of the twenty-first century's primitive internet - stumbles upon a story posted in the summer of 2024. She's quickly drawn into the mystery of the text: Is it autobiography, fantasy or fraud? What's the significance of the recurring number 381?
In the story, the protagonist Fairly walks the Horned Road - a quest undertaken by youngsters in her village when they come of age. She is followed by the "breathing man," a looming presence, dogging her heels every step of the way. Everything she was taught about her world is overturned.
Following Fairly's quest, Rowena comes to question her own choices, and a predictable life of curation becomes one of exploration, adventure and love. As both women's stories draw to a close, she realises it doesn't matter whether the story is true or not: as with the quest itself, it's the journey that matters.
| ISBN: | 9781837860753 |
| Publication date: | 18th January 2024 |
| Author: | Aliya Whiteley |
| Publisher: | Solaris |
| Format: | Hardback |
| Pagination: | 272 pages |
| Genres: |
Modern and Contemporary Fiction Science fiction: near-future Narrative theme: Coming of age Narrative theme: Identity / belonging Speculative Fiction |