This is the third David Mitchell book I have read after Black Swan Green and Cloud Atlas . All three of these books stand alone but contain small references suggesting they are set in the same world. This book takes place between the mid 1980s and mid 2040s, with six linked narratives that circle around the life of Holly Sykes. Holly is 16 in 1986 when she runs away from home after an argument with her parents. What started as a fairly simple teenage rebellion turns deadly when she stumbles into a bizarre and hidden war. There are people in the world who do not die and Holly has come to their attention. This secret war will effect the lives of everyone in her family, including those not yet born. I've found my appreciation of Mitchell's writing has only deepened with each new book of his I read, which is probably why this one is, so far, my favorite.