"McAuley gives us a vision ..." - Matthew Cheney

"...one of Paul J. McAuley's greatest works in fantasy and science fiction, demonstrating his great gifts in storytelling and writing" - Goodreads Reviewer

Alex Sharkey is trying to make his mark as a biohacker - a designer of rare psychoactive viruses - and stay one step ahead of the law. After meeting a scary, super-smart little girl called Milena his troubles really start. Together they quicken the intelligence in a Doll - a being genetically-engineered for slave labour - accidentally creating a new species and turning it into the first of the fairies.

Milena isn't sure if she's mad or if she's the only sane person left in the world; she only knows that she wants to escape to her own private Fairyland and live forever. But some of the Folk, as dangerous as any in legend, have other ideas about her destiny...