by Ken Kalfus
First published 2022
Ron Patterson works as a repairman in an unnamed coastal city, sharing cramped quarters with fellow American refugees. Civil conflict has driven young Americans across borders into an unwelcoming world. Ron befriends Marlise, a mysterious migrant who reminds him of someone from his past. Their connection offers him hope for stability until anti-migrant sentiment destroys their intimacy and his asylum. Nearly ten years later, Ron lives in Little America, an enclave in one of the last countries accepting American refugees. He adopts a stray dog, watches his neighbors, and finds repair work that lets him move through the city unnoticed. This fragile security crumbles when political divisions threaten Little America itself. Authorities pressure Ron to inform on militant gangs forming in the community. A strangely familiar woman appears, complicating his situation further. Ron faces dangerous choices as he navigates surveillance, tribal politics, and the question of what constitutes home when privilege reverses and the watched become the watchers.
Genres: science-fiction, dystopia, american-fiction, american, 21st-century, political-thriller
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: America, Little America
Period: 2 A.M., 10 Years Later
256 pages · Paperback · Milkweed Editions
Content warnings: anxiety, depression