The War of Unification ended centuries ago, but inside the head of Charlotte Gordon, the battle rages daily. Charlotte left home at age 12 in a desperate bid to escape horrifying abuse at the hands of her mother and her mother's "gentlemen." She has spent the decades since fighting merely to survive. The instability of abiding between institutions and the street has left Charlotte with poor coping skills at best, and every time she tries to rise above her circumstances, she is invariably knocked to the ground by her own tortured mind. When a friend offers her the opportunity for a new brain and a new life, she enthusiastically accepts, and the world's first cybernetic brain is installed. Now, physiologically well, but emotionally stunted, Charlotte must discover her place in the world accompanied by Daisy, her robotic rat. At the same time, she will need to negotiate friendships and relationships both in the gritty streets of The Outer Rim and the pristine, marble halls of City Circle. Little does Charlotte or Daisy know that Charlotte's greatest challenge still lies ahead. This dystopian, lovingly written homage to Flowers for Algernon is suitable for ages 12 and up and is a fantastic read for readers who are looking for either sci-fi or literary fiction.