Would anything change if women ruled the world? In a devastated country, those in charge rule by fear, inequality, and oppression. Rhia, a strong and independent sea captain, just wants to keep her head down and do her job, until she finds herself trapped in a re-education facility designed to help people fit into the rules of the New Way Forward. The warden claims to be guiding those in her care, but Rhia quickly sees the cracks in the system. As she is faced with torture and brainwashing, those cracks become gaping holes that threaten to pull her down into the depths of despair. Can Rhia resist the slow subversion of re-education and become the reluctant hero the new world needs?
RUN Ragged is the thrilling second story by the award-winning author of Women's Work. This brilliantly imagined novel is both a scathing satire and a profoundly poignant look at the price we are willing to pay for peace and what we are willing to ignore to keep our conscience clear.
"Aguila's well crafted dystopian world serves as an upside-down mirror of today's political issues. Suspenseful, disturbing, yet hard to put down, RUN Ragged... points a spotlight at the pitfalls of our world today." -Maren Higbee, author of Lana Fray and the Grand Plan
"...A harrowing examination of the swinging pendulum of gender oppression... poses (questions) that invite contemplation long after the book is over. A strong storyline, complex characters, and chilling exploration of the politics of power make this a gripping read." -Petula Parker, author of Kate's Escape from the Billable Hour
"Heat rippled above the deck, bending the light into waves and distorting the docks and cranes that jutted out from the distant shore. Rhia squinted through the glare and gently tugged on the wheel, guiding the Elizabeth Maru, her thirty-two-foot gillnetter, toward the regional trade. She wiped a drip of sweat from her temple with the shoulder of her faded T-shirt and leaned forward in the patched leather captain's chair. The old springs groaned. Her left knee bounced up and down, a subconscious tell of the nervousness that accompanied each of her biweekly trips to Piper Point. She was close now.
...
"I'm saying women and men should have worked together," William said. "I'm saying you can't rule this country and call it equality when half the people don't have a voice. And I'm saying you are just as guilty as the rest of them, because for the last thirteen months, people like you knew I was in here, and did nothing to stop it."
"I want to stop it! That's what I'm trying to figure out! I want to help you, but I don't know how."
William shook his head again. "No, you just want to get yourself out. You'll get out and you won't look back."
"That's not true."
"Everybody says that, but when you get out, you won't want to make waves and risk getting sent back here. You'll keep your head down and forget about us."
...
Captain Banks leaned on the rail of her guard tower, high above the dozens of inmates making their way back to their cells and boxes. She'd been there most of the afternoon, keeping watch over the women and men below. She'd seen Rhia seek out William, hours before. She'd watched as they moved from box to box together throughout the afternoon. She'd noticed how close they stood, how they smiled and talked as they worked, the way they touched each other. She'd noticed. And she didn't like it."
"Heat rippled above the deck, bending the light into waves and distorting the docks and cranes that jutted out from the distant shore. Rhia squinted through the glare and gently tugged on the wheel, guiding the Elizabeth Maru, her thirty-two-foot gillnetter, toward the regional trade. She wiped a drip of sweat from her temple with the shoulder of her faded T-shirt and leaned forward in the patched leather captain's chair. The old springs groaned. Her left knee bounced up and down, a subconscious tell of the nervousness that accompanied each of her biweekly trips to Piper Point. She was close now. ... "I'm saying women and men should have worked together," William said. "I'm saying you can't rule this country and call it equality when half the people don't have a voice. And I'm saying you are just as guilty as the rest of them, because for the last thirteen months, people like you knew I was in here, and did nothing to stop it." "I want to stop it! That's what I'm trying to figure out! I want to help you, but I don't know how." William shook his head again. "No, you just want to get yourself out. You'll get out and you won't look back." "That's not true." "Everybody says that, but when you get out, you won't want to make waves and risk getting sent back here. You'll keep your head down and forget about us." ... Captain Banks leaned on the rail of her guard tower, high above the dozens of inmates making their way back to their cells and boxes. She'd been there most of the afternoon, keeping watch over the women and men below. She'd seen Rhia seek out William, hours before. She'd watched as they moved from box to box together throughout the afternoon. She'd noticed how close they stood, how they smiled and talked as they worked, the way they touched each other. She'd noticed. And she didn't like it."
