What if we were born knowing how long we had to live?
In a distant future, Olive Mensing grows up in the serene solitude of an expansive forest, lovingly nurtured by her parents, who shield her from the complexities and dangers of Society. For many years, she enjoys a life filled with the tranquility of nature, trusting wholeheartedly in her parents' wisdom and believing she has all the time in the world ahead of her. However, her idyllic existence shatters when her father meets an untimely and mysterious death, plunging Olive and her mother into a harrowing fate.
Suddenly, they are ripped from the comforting embrace of their woodland home and thrust into the heart of a world Olive had been raised to fear and despise. It is here, amidst the harsh concrete and faceless crowds, that she uncovers the grim realities her parents had desperately tried to shield her from. Society is starkly divided into two rigid classes: the Shymers, who possess only a few days to live, and the Futures, who enjoy longer lifespans. This division creates an environment fraught with tension, where the governing authorities imprison those who dare to defy the established norms and rebel against their predetermined fates.
As Olive grapples with the disorienting new world around her, she finds solace in unexpected friendships. She meets a spirited companion who brings laughter and joy into her life, along with the rush of her first crush on a charming boy whose enigmatic smile kindles a flicker of hope in her heart. Yet, the path to happiness proves treacherous. Olive becomes entangled in a swirling vortex of hatred, despair, and deception, with each revelation pulling her deeper into turmoil. She faces an agonizing dilemma, caught between her burgeoning feelings and the moral compass that her parents instilled in her. As the chaos escalates, Olive must confront the confines of her heart and the painful truths of her new reality, ultimately having to make an excruciating choice between love and the principles she holds dear.
Shymers (paperback)
ALL SALES FINAL