A strikingly original and stylish debut
Hundreds of miles off the coast of California lies America Pacifica. In a world engulfed by a new ice age, this island is the only warm place left, its inhabitants those who fled the mainland before they froze or starved. Here lives eighteen-year-old Darcy. She has always been partly protected from the harshness of life on America Pacifica by her mother, Sarah. But one night, Sarah vanishes.
Determined to find out what has happened, Darcy embarks on a perilous journey that takes her to the dark heart of her homeland. And as she closes in on the truth about Sarah, she uncovers the real story of America Pacifica and begins to understand the challenges facing humanity in a forever-altered world.
'North has talent. She grants Darcy a sensibility more fluid and subtle than the genre has ever demanded' Colin Greenwood, Guardian
'A dark, page-turning debut . . . A vividly imagined world . . . Memorable' Publishers Weekly
'North's use of a reluctant heroine . . . is a winning formula . . . An enjoyable and intriguing read' Lisa-Marie Janes, Time Out
