First published 1999
Marauders destroy Janna's hometown, forcing her and her young partner to flee into the wilderness of a world once colonized by Earth and then abandoned. When offworlders return with advanced technology, they shatter the balance of her developing civilization. Janna must survive using only basic skills as she travels across the planet. She faces poverty, war, and famine while working whatever jobs she can find. For protection, she disguises herself as a boy, but over time Jan becomes her true identity rather than just a mask. She gains and loses a husband, a child, friends, and employment as she adapts to a rapidly changing world. Her journey becomes one of rebirth as she navigates not only physical survival but also questions of who she truly is in a society transformed by returning technology and social upheaval.
Genres: science-fiction, dystopia, survival, adventure
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Earth
Period: Future
385 pages · Paperback · Orbit
Content warnings: violence