From a beguiling new voice in contemporary fiction comes an astonishing novel about a group of mysterious children with the power to change lives...
Ever since young Milly Bythaway can remember, she's had to hide who she really is – dumbing down an extraordinary genius in order to blend into the background. 14-year-old Tai Jones has been abandoned by his mother and forced to live as a homeless wanderer, but the appearance of a stray cat helps him realise he has a special gift: he can see thoughts and emotions of others in stunningly beautiful colours. A gift that is both wonderful and awful.
When the teenagers are brought together by a mysterious old scientist for their own safety, they are told of a common and forgotten past. One of hidden experiments, and a missing family that they yearn to find. But they soon hear of the disappearance of another child, the youngest, and are faced with an impossible dilemma. Saving themselves will require confronting their deepest fears and delving into the ugly truth of their past – only to uncover something hidden in the dark...
But if they can muster the strength to overcome adversity in inventive and ingenious ways, it will bring about the most extraordinary and unexpected change. In the end, the children must work together, unleashing the full force of their intellect and genius, in an epic battle of the world's greatest minds.
The Ingenious and the Colour of Life is J.Y. Sam's beautiful and heart-rending debut – a story that explores the fragility of human nature, with a dash of science, culture, and the natural world, engaging both mind and heart in an eclectic blend of genres.
Reviews:
"An impressive debut full of a rich tapestry of description and well-rounded, relatable characters. The thematic elements around nature, themes of good and bad and how love prevails make Ingenious stand out from the usual crop and really touch you in a deeper way. After three chapters I was hooked and in tears by the final page. Thank you so much for writing this book, I think everyone should read it. Now I just want to read the next one!!" Romane A, Goodreads Reviewer
"I love this book. It is beautifully written but with surprising and sometimes shocking twists and turns. JY Sam has described her characters roundly and sensitively, even those not-so-nice ones." Beth M, Goodreads Reviewer
"Never before have I read a debut novel with such poise, elan and finesse! Ms. Sam nails it!! ...the plot line drew me in, and hooked me with its ingenuity (pun intended)." Aniruddha M, Book Blogger aniblogshere
"The characters are developed beautifully and I found myself really caring about them; I even shed the odd tear or two." Kirsty R, Amazon Reviewer
"There was so much beautiful and lyrical prose... that painted such vivid imagery, and that helped to balance the scientific and medical jargon. One excerpt that I really loved and stood out to me was: 'The melody rolled and rumbled, like storm clouds brewing and gathering at speed - hurtling towards the inevitable.' ...This book really did have everything; joy, action, heartbreak and wit (there were so many humorous moments from Calista too!) and left on such a cliffhanger with still so many questions unanswered; I'm already itching for the sequel!" Kira, Book Blogger kirareadsandwrites
"The book is not only intriguing but it's written extremely well with fresh and creative ideas. One more thing I loved was how Ms. Sam made sure the book was inclusive, including characters from multiple ethnicities as...