by Roger Thomas
First published 2013
William Popper considers himself an anarchist, but he lives comfortably in 1960s Chicago with his girlfriend Jane. Both University of Chicago graduates from good families, they talk about dropping out of society while enjoying its benefits. William believes that "being free with the permission of society is not being free at all." Their theoretical rebellion becomes real when William's car strikes and kills an elderly woman. The manslaughter charge forces William and Jane to confront the legal system they claim to reject. As the case proceeds, their idealistic plans crumble against practical realities. The couple discovers that escaping society proves harder than criticizing it. Their relationship strains under pressure as consequences multiply. Roger Thomas explores how quickly comfortable rebellion can turn into genuine crisis when the stakes become real.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, american-fiction, 20th-century, crime, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Chicago, University of Chicago
Period: 1960s
254 pages · Kindle Edition · Open Road Media
Content warnings: death, violence