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My name is Caitlin Feral, and I’m about to face my final Testing Day.
My younger brother and mom hope I return: that I survive the tests (which is not a given) and that I am still a dreg. They want me to stay here with them to keep what’s left of our family together. They want me to stay here, in the shadow of the Genetic Wars, with mutant animal attacks, protectors in faceless helms eager to catch us in the slightest infractions, and a menial work placement that’s waiting with my name on it if I fail the tests. But that’s not what I dream about.
In my dreams, I can lift a bus. I can fly.
I have to Manifest. If I do, my classmate Lilianne and teacher Mrs. Cranberry will stop their bullying, and I can leave the danger and the dirt and the lack of food and medication and move to Jupitar City to be adopted by a Supergenic family.
That’s the promise—if Testing Day doesn’t kill me first.
“I barely got out of there. They’re not afraid to kill us. They’re not afraid to kill you.”
That’s what my classmate Normand said after he returned from his testing, barely able to stand. But he’s soft; I’m not … right? The Treaty will protect me, and the Supergenics can only test within reasonable parameters to find their own kind, but the terror and pain in Normand’s eyes makes me sweat and my heart race.
What if the rules have changed?
And what if I am a mere DNA regular? What if I’m nothing like the Supergenic heroes I read about in the comic books they send us from Jupitar City? Today, I find out. And I do know one thing.
I would rather die trying than be stuck being me for the rest of my life.
DON'T BE DNA REGULAR. BE GENERATION MANIFESTATION. The action-packed, heart-pounding adventure of Gen M begins here!
Warnings: for fans of strong female protagonists, LGBTQ positivity, important neurodiverse characters, unexpected heroism, unexpected villainy and other unpredictabilities. Earlier version published as I Want Superpowers. Fans of Hunger Games, Divergent, 1984, Brendan Sanderson’s Steelheart or Marvel’s X-Men and X-Force will love Generation Manifestation!
“A richly realized dystopian world that reads like The Hunger Games meets X-Men.” — Ryan Porter, The Toronto Star
“A teenager must determine where her true alliances rest in Generation Manifestation, a dark dystopian novel directed by tough choices and earned wisdom … with heartrending twists.”—Foreword Clarion Review
“I LOVED THIS! … it's on my list of the best books I've ever read … You think you know what is going to happen, but you have no idea how many times my predictions were wrong.” —Elizabeth Sagan, MyBookFeatures
“One of the best things about this book was in the start I expected it to take the same beaten path. But it subverted my expectations. And I couldn't predict where the book was going next.” —Ananya B, Goodreads
“When I finished the last page, I had to close my eyes for a second and try to keep my mind together. I am not sure if it was an ending or a new beginning…This book is hands down my favorite so far this year. It was easy to read, very well written, and detailed.” —Books of Cat, Goodreads
“This book had the perfect mix of world building, character development and rich content that were tied beautifully with a unique form of writing. To be honest, it was like nothing I've read before … because it really was fresh and innovative.” —Dove, Goodreads
