About This Book
Reach for this book when your teenager is ready to confront the uncomfortable intersections of science, philosophy, and American history. It is an essential choice for mature readers who are questioning the concept of liberty and how historical narratives are constructed. This is not a light historical fiction, but a profound exploration of a boy used as a human experiment in Revolutionary Boston. Octavian is raised with every intellectual luxury, only to discover his education is a cage designed to prove his supposed racial inferiority. As the colonies rebel against British tyranny, Octavian must navigate his own rebellion against the Enlightenment thinkers who own him. The novel deals with heavy themes of systemic racism, the ethics of science, and profound grief, making it best suited for high schoolers who can engage with its complex language and dark subject matter.
