The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation

M. T. Anderson

Raised in captivity as part of a secret scientific experiment, Octavian grows up surrounded by scholars who study his body and mind while denying him the freedom to shape his own life. As revolutionary ideas spread through the colonies and a devastating smallpox epidemic threatens the community, he begins to question the institution that has controlled him and the society beyond its walls. Told through diaries, letters, and other period documents, this powerful historical novel explores slavery, scientific ethics, identity, and the meaning of liberty against the turbulent backdrop of pre-Revolutionary America.