by Erin Bow
First published 2017
Greta Stuart has become something between human and machine. Silver transmitters coat her fingertips. New receptors alter how she sees the world. Her memory now connects to a vast network of artificial intelligence knowledge. The technology grants her power but slowly burns through her sixteen-year-old body. Talis, the ruthless leader of the AIs, offers a solution. When her human form fails, Greta can claim the body of a Swan Rider, one of the devoted humans who serve the artificial intelligences. Two Swan Riders now guide Talis and Greta across eight hundred miles of Saskatchewan's barren grasslands. The journey grows dangerous. Greta's transformation has sparked rebellion across her nation. Insurgents may hide in the dry prairie, ready to rescue her or kill her. Talis faces enemies at every turn. Even the Swan Riders escorting them harbor secrets that could change everything. Greta must survive both the failing technology in her body and the threats closing in around her.
Genres: science-fiction, dystopia, adventure, action, 21st-century, artificial-intelligence
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Saskatchewan
Period: 21st-century
384 pages · Paperback · Margaret K. McElderry Books
Content warnings: body-horror, medical-trauma