by Ali Smith
First published 2024
Two children return home to find their house ringed with wet red paint. The mark appears without explanation in a world that has turned against families like theirs. The state divides people into insiders and outsiders, and the children must navigate this dangerous territory. They search for meaning in the symbols that surround them while adults expect their generation to repair the damage left behind. The children look to the past for tools of survival and discover unexpected forms of resistance. A horse plays a mysterious role in their journey. As the world grows more toxic around them, the children learn how meaning gets made and destroyed. They find strength in language, in nature, and in their own adaptability when everything familiar becomes foreign.
Genres: dystopia, literary-fiction, contemporary, young-adult, family-drama
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, haunting, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, found-family, survival-against-odds, symbolic-journey
Period: Contemporary
277 pages · Paperback · Penguin