#StopSuperbugs Meets Young Adult Fiction in Bromley author Litty Williams’ debut novel
In near-future NewBrit, where only Winners succeed, 15-year-old Maz Tallis is a Loser from a poor family. All she wants is the expensive medicine that her half-brother, Kyle, so desperately needs.
Maz enters the Manticore Challenge, a competition offering the winner 1,000 Life Chances—credits that can be exchanged for life-saving treatments. For Maz, this could be her only shot at getting Kyle’s medication.
To improve her chances of winning, Maz comes up with a bold plan. But when Felix, a charismatic Winner, steals her idea, they become fierce rivals. To make matters worse, Kyle gets a superbug, making the need for treatment even more urgent.
As Maz uncovers a disturbing secret at the heart of the Manticore Challenge, she faces an agonising dilemma: save her brother or expose the threat. Battling self-doubt and a corrupt system, Maz must decide if she will risk everything to reveal the truth. And will she find a way to save the people she loves without losing herself?
Born in Merseyside, Litty Williams wrote her first novel at the age of twelve. She has worked in the UK, Italy, Hong Kong, and Russia. In her spare time, Litty enjoys writing, painting, volunteering, and attempting to win the affection of her standoffish cat, Lucy.
Litty explains: “I used to work at Wellcome Trust, a global health charity that runs the campaign #StopSuperbugs. We face a terrifying future if we can’t #StopSuperbugs, and this forms the backdrop for Maz’s story. At the same time I was (and still am) angry at how much pressure is put on school kids, and at how we treat refugees. Using my fear and anger, I created this story, where there’s jeopardy, excitement, and romance – with lots of dark humour and teen attitude (inspired by my own teen kids!)”
“A wonderfully inventive novel about courage and self-belief. Maz’s story is scarily prescient and deeply moving.” – Francesca May, author of Wild and Wicked Things
“In this Black Mirroresque YA fantasy, Litty Williams gives young readers an exciting and at times terrifying view into a possible near future where teenagers battle for life chances. A thoughtful, compelling and beautifully-written new addition to the genre.” – Nikki Sheehan
author of middle grade and adult fiction
RELEASE DATE: 28/02/2025 ISBN: 9781835741900 Price: £8.99
Find out more at https://www.bookguild.co.uk/bookshop/young-adult/people-s-choice/
