First published 2001
Johnny Baker's mother breaks the law before his birth. She has her fertilized egg modified with genes that will make her son a visual artist. Born in 2038, Johnny grows up in a world where genetic profiles determine futures and space travel is routine. Global warming has changed the climate. A gender war divides the planet. Housing communities operate under strict control. At nineteen, Johnny stands ready to launch his art career. Then someone murders him. Ten years pass. Johnny's paintings gain fame after his death. An art curator organizes a major exhibition of his work. This book presents Johnny's biography, assembled from his journals and emails plus interviews with friends and family. Despite technological advances, Johnny searches for the same things people have always wanted: love, approval, recognition, and knowledge. His story explores humanity's drive to shape destiny and create lasting art.
Genres: fiction, science-fiction, dystopia, art, family-life, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, murder-mystery, search-for-identity
Setting: Earth
Period: 2038
244 pages · Hardcover · Algonquin Books
Content warnings: murder