by Ali Smith
First published 2019
Somewhere in contemporary Britain, a detention center holds migrants awaiting deportation. Richard, a disillusioned film worker, encounters an extraordinary young girl named Brittany who seems to defy bureaucratic systems with her uncanny ability to move between spaces and challenge institutional thinking. As Richard's own professional and personal world crumbles, he becomes entangled with a mysterious network of compassionate individuals working to subvert immigration control. When Brittany appears at a critical moment, she becomes both a catalyst and a symbol of resistance against dehumanizing systems. Her presence forces Richard to confront his own complicity and potential for meaningful action in a world increasingly defined by borders—physical and psychological.
Genres: contemporary, 21st-century, activism
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Britain, Detention Center
Period: Contemporary
340 pages · Hardcover · Pantheon
Content warnings: racism