The Handmaid's Tale meets Wilder Girls in this genre-defying novel
about a girl who escapes a terrifying cult only to discover that the
world Outside has succumbed to a viral apocalypse.
Agnes loves her home of Red Creek--its quiet, sunny mornings, its dusty
roads, and its God. There, she cares tirelessly for her younger siblings
and follows the town's strict laws. What she doesn't know is that Red
Creek is a cult, controlled by a madman who calls himself a prophet.
Then Agnes meets Danny, an Outsider boy, and begins to question what is
and isn't a sin. Her younger brother, Ezekiel, will die without the
insulin she barters for once a month, even though medicine is considered
outlawed. Is she a sinner for saving him? Is her sister, Beth, a sinner
for dreaming of the world beyond Red Creek?
As the Prophet grows more dangerous, Agnes realizes she must escape with
Ezekiel and leave everyone else, including Beth, behind. But it isn't
safe Outside, either: A viral pandemic is burning through the population
at a terrifying rate. As Agnes ventures forth, a mysterious connection
grows between her and the Virus. But in a world where faith, miracles,
and cruelty have long been indistinguishable, will Agnes be able to
choose between saving her family and saving the world?