The Citizens of this future world drift contentedly, their every emotion regulated. There is no pain, no suffering, no evil. And no freedom. Just safety and drug-induced happiness. But a small group, known as the Outsiders, crave real emotion, real freedom, even suffering. To them, the power of ideas and language cannot die - it is essential to being human. And they have a plan to change society. For years, a group of 'special' young people have been raised to have the strength and knowledge to overthrow the system. Now, when a deadly virus strikes, four of these teenagers, Livia, Cassandra, Marcus and Tavius must act quickly to infiltrate the sinister headquarters of the Governators and corrupt the system. But their plan carries enormous risk. Can they discover the chilling secret behind this saccharine dystopia? Are they really only 'handfuls of dust and splinters of bone'?

 

There are 304 pages in this book. This book was published 2004 by Hachette Children's Group .

NICOLA MORGAN lives in Vancouver, Canada and has written several other children's books. She was awarded the Sheila Egoff children's book award in 1988.