Things I Learned While I Was Dead
Kathryn Clark
Asha is dead, Calico can’t save her but is given the opportunity to be cryogenically frozen and brought back at such a time that modern medicine can save them both. However, when Calico is brought back to life 45 years in the future, the world is a very different place and far from the tech-driven place we currently inhabit. She finds herself in a test facility with other test subjects and no sign of Asha. Calico begins to learn how and why the others are in the test facility as well as more about the staff. The group join forces to escape the test facility but do they know who they can trust?
The story is narrated by Calico’s voice in prose and Asha’s voice in verse which I loved and gave a mysterious edge to the story, you were never quite sure whether Asha was alive or dead.
In this striking debut, Kathryn Clark raises poignant questions about the ethics of medical science, humans playing god, the consequences of our choices, and the place of consent in healthcare. A dystopian thriller, perfect for fans of Josh Silver, this is also a story about love – sibling love, friendship and families in all of their forms.
Published by Faber, 2025
