Boy 216

The two novellas Boy 216 and That One Moment span unimaginable deeds and a colorfully imagined future. When Gilly's son commits an unthinkable act of violence in Boy 216, she finds solace in a national bestseller on how to cope with catastrophic loss. When offered a position as personal assistant to the book's author, who is also a grieving mother, she jumps at the chance. Ultimately, she discovers more than she ever wanted to know about the book and its author's dark heart. That One Moment chronicles a short, sharp trip into a future in which a manufactured chemical brings sanctioned addiction and a loss of individuality. Color-soaked and alluring images from a brilliant ad campaign infiltrate society with promises, but the residents of this manufactured world are left wanting more.