A finely crafted coming-of-age narrative voice propels this story of near-future dystopia in Labrador (Canada, yay!) That is much changed due to climate effects. In a small rural town a group of “deviations” are emerging amongst a highly reactionary conservative “moralistic” government that culls every kind of mutation that emerges in their borders. Typically, these things manifest as physical, and are easily spotted. But our protagonist has developed a kind of telepathy, as have others. While they enjoy “passing”, as such, they also know the comfort their invisibility affords can’t last forever.

The coming-of-age dystopia has been done to death, but I found the prose to be captivating. It starts tense and continues is over. It’s interesting seeing the fear of fallout essentially reaching absolutely everywhere in the world, and tethering that fear to larger themes around conservative values rooted in puritanical fascist moralism and progressiveness with stakes in science and evolution and nature. It makes this story work at a much more satisfying level, because it can never really be antiquated. Conservatives always react this way, and we’re seeing it currently around such small progressive changes in culture like abortion, trans rights, and “identity politics” and critical race theory. Already we see the alt right and cons embody the people of the town and government steeping their radicalism in western religious beliefs.

Beyond that, it’s just a really solid little story. It reads fast, ostensibly the narrator is older and telling the story so it isn’t hindered by having to craft too young a voice, and water down the diction. It’s completely character driven. It’s not bombastic for shock value as many telepathy stories tend to be. It’s just a really good classic science fiction construction delving into human experience with devices that are hallmarks of the genre.