Propulsive, clear-eyed, and surprisingly tender, WONDERKIN is PEN/Faulkner finalist Colin Winnette’s profound portrait of love in our unpredictable future.

The world Charles Wright inhabits is our own . . . Almost. Repeated pandemics have thinned the population, and in their wake, humanoid machines known as models exist to create the illusion of a populated world. Originally built for service, these models have been integrated into the fabric of daily life, blur- ring the boundary between the mechanical and the personal and eliminating the need for human connection. As a father of two, Charles has done his best to prepare his twin sons for this rapidly changing world, but on the eve of their tenth birthday, he wants nothing more than to give them the gift of a day they’ll never forget. However, a sound in the night and the arrival of an unexpected stranger will force Charles to make a choice that could change everything he thought he knew about love, fear, and what it means to be human.

Colin Winnette’s indelible story lights the way forward, guiding readers through the strange new world already taking shape around us. A spellbinding tale written with humor and grace, WONDERKIN’s timely blend of uncertainty and hope makes it an essential modern classic.