THE ROAD TO WINTER

A deadly virus has devastated the population of Australia, leaving pockets of humanity to survive as best as they can.

Fifteen-year-old Finn has been surviving on his own for two years. With only his dog, Rowdy, for company, the white boy seeks relief from the effort of survival by surfing on the ocean. But when brown-skinned Rose arrives, chased by a dangerous band of Wilders, Finn must choose between survival and risking everything to help the mysterious girl. The situation is complicated as Rose is a Siley, one of the enslaved asylum-seekers kept in offshore detention centers. Rose is desperate to reunite with her missing sister, but when she becomes ill, it falls to Finn to find Kas. Smith’s debut, opening a series, is a riveting story of survival that questions the prices of freedom and safety as well as the value of an individual life. While Rose and her sister are strong and fierce, their Afghani heritage marks them as worthless. Finn is similarly hobbled by difficulty speaking. But in a world turned upside down, maybe the least can become the greatest by relying on their wits, their kindness, and their integrity.

A breakout new series full of romance, danger, and a surprisingly engaging world.