"A smart, surprising sci-fi thriller that redefines the boundary between good and evil. A modern-day Jekyll and Hyde."
Description
A teenage sociopath is “fixed” after he gets an implant that’s supposed to cure him in this thrilling coming-of-age tale from the author of Willful Machines.
A year ago, Rem Braithwaite watched his classmate Franklin Kettle commit a horrific crime.
Now, apart from the nightmares, life has gone back to normal for Rem. Franklin was caught, convicted, and put away in juvenile detention for what he did. The ordeal seems to be over.
Until Rem’s mother selects Franklin as a test subject for an experimental brain procedure intended to “cure” him of his cruel and violent impulses. Suddenly Rem’s memories of that day start coming back to the surface. His nightmares become worse than ever. Plus he has serious doubts about whether his mother’s procedure will even work. Can evil really just be turned off?
Then, as part of Franklin’s follow-up testing, he and Rem are brought face to face, and Rem discovers…Franklin does seem different. Despite everything, Rem finds himself becoming friends with Franklin. Maybe even something more than friends.
But when another of their classmates turns up dead, Rem’s world turns upside-down yet again. Franklin insists that he’s innocent, that he’s cured, but Rem doesn’t know what to believe. Is someone else responsible for this new murder, or is Franklin fated to stay a monster forever? And can Rem find out the answer to this question before the killer, whoever it is, comes after him too?
Reviews
“Tattoo Atlas is an intelligent, creepy thriller with deeper meditations on the nature of evil, accountability, and the pervasive effects of our culture of violence. The murder and mystery make this the kind of book you’ll stay up all night reading, but the larger ideas will keep you thinking about the story for a long time after you’ve finished. Don’t read this one alone.”
"A visceral exploration of the nature of evil, and a terrifying look at the complexity of humanity and love."
“A heart-wrenching, soul-probing thriller that asks deep questions about love and psychology... while keeping you up at night, terrified of that creak in the hallway.”