Time is power. Love is a revolution.
By Caroline O’Donoghue
Set in a universe where time defines power and privilege, this dazzling and genre-defying fantasy romance begins the Skipshock duology by best-selling author Caroline O’Donoghue.
Margo is a troubled schoolgirl. After her father’s death, she travels to a new boarding school in a new city. Moon is a salesman. He earns his living by travelling through interconnected worlds on a network of barely used train lines.
They never should have met. Yet, when Margo suddenly appears one day on Moon’s train, their fates intertwine forever. To survive, Margo must learn to pass as a travelling salesman, too. However, that is far from easy.
Moving between worlds
As the train moves north, time accelerates. A day can pass in mere hours. Moving south slows time down, where a single day can last several weeks. Slow worlds are the richest ones, where youth lasts for decades.
Fast worlds, in contrast, are harsh and unforgiving. Death comes often. Salesmen die young of Skipshock, if they are not caught by the Southern Guard first.
As Margo moves between worlds, her bond with Moon deepens. She begins to feel her youth slipping away. The journey through the strange worlds of Skipshock forces her to question everything. Is Moon truly what he seems? And is Margo herself who she thinks she is?
Told through both naive Margo and desperate Moon, Skipshock reshapes how readers think about love, time and the fabric of the universe. The first book in a planned duology by the best-selling author of The Gifts series, this unforgettable tale is a must-read.
About the author
Caroline O’Donoghue is the New York Times best-selling author of the fantasy trilogy The Gifts. The series includes All Our Hidden Gifts, The Gifts That Bind Us and Every Gift a Curse, all illustrated by Stefanie Caponi. Her work has been published in more than twenty territories around the world.
She is also the author of the adult novel The Rachel Incident, named by NPR, Time and LitHub as one of the best books of the year. O’Donoghue has written for The London Times and The Guardian. She also hosts the award-winning podcast Sentimental Garbage.
