A chillingly plausible novel about the collapse of Italian society and one man's struggle to retain his humanity amid the horror

"A bleak, lyrical tale that evokes Cormac McCarthy's The Road.... Gruesome, intense, and strange... a eurozone nightmare brought to life on the page."--James Lovegrove, Financial Times

It is 2025, and Italy is on the brink of collapse.

Borders are closed, banks withhold money, the postal service stalls. Armed gangs of drug-fuelled youths roam the countryside.

Leonardo was a famous writer and professor before a sex scandal ended his marriage and career. Heading north in search of her new husband, his ex-wife leaves their daughter and her son in his care. If he is to take them to safety, he will need to find a quality he has never possessed: courage.

Translated by: Silvester Mazzarella, Silvester Mazzarella