First published 2023
Leigh escaped her volatile father by wandering Rotterdam's waterfront as a child. The underwater world captivated her then, and marine biology became her calling. She travels worldwide studying ancient organisms, searching for clues about Earth's earliest life. When researchers discover a new trench in the Atlantic, Leigh joins the exploration team. She expects to find evidence of primordial life forms. Instead, she uncovers something that overturns basic assumptions about human origins. Her discovery leads her to the Mojave desert and a space agency with grand ambitions. The agency reveals that the Atlantic trench connects to similar phenomena worldwide. These sites form a pattern that exceeds human comprehension. Working with the agency means abandoning her dying mother and younger sister. Leigh faces a choice between family loyalty and a journey across the cosmos. MacInnes examines the natural world with the same awe typically reserved for space exploration, creating a story that tackles existence's biggest questions while revealing intimate human truths.
Genres: adventure, archaeology, contemporary, aliens, biology, academic
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: chosen-one, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Rotterdam, Atlantic, Mojave Desert
Period: 21st-century
ebook · Atlantic Books
Content warnings: death