War is looming. Tension is building across Albion as new societal rules come into play. Alan had no idea what the Albioneers were capable of until families he had known all his life quickly left and never came back. All those who weren’t white, or the right kind of white, were now missing from his small corner of the world. Alan can feel it too when his dad whispers into the phone and the sudden absence of his favourite teacher is brushed aside by those in authority.
When his dad asks him to pack a bag so that he and his little brother, Sam, can be taken somewhere ‘safe’, Alan considers that perhaps the war has already started.
Dropped off in the dead of night, memories of his mum comfort Alan as they arrive in No Man’s Land. In an off-grid existence on a small section of land that doesn’t belong to either side, Alan soon learns that if they have any chance of seeing their dad again, this is where they need to stay, whether he likes it or not. With an ancient mobile phone as the only source of communication between them, Alan and his dad connect using a special code.
Poppy, Noah, Leon and others in their new community soon introduce the boys to the marvels of milking goats, tending rabbits and working the land and they begin to settle in. When there’s suddenly no reply from his dad, Alan and Sam escape to make the treacherous journey back home. Will they survive their trip back into Albion? Will they ever see their dad again? You will have to read the rest of this fantastic book to find out…
Joanna Nadin’s edge-of-the-seat thriller, along with Lucy Mulligan’s superb cover art, will hook you from you the first page, not letting go until you’ve reached the end and you can breathe easily once again! A truly thought-provoking story of acceptance, community and family loyalty that will have you rooting for Alan and Sam as they embark on their own adventure to find their way home.
