On the eve of her eightieth birthday, the Old'un receives the message every citizen dreads: her life is now officially surplus to requirements. But instead of accepting the State-issued lethal dose, she chooses to disappear.

Armed with little more than memory, stubborn hope, and the stories that have shaped her life, she begins a dangerous journey north along the Wall towards the border of Free Scotland. Along the way she encounters hidden communities, unlikely companions, acts of brutality, and moments of extraordinary kindness.

Part dystopian thriller, part pilgrimage, Surplus to Requirements is a story about resistance, compassion, ageing and faith, and about what remains when society decides some lives no longer matter. Rooted in northern landscapes, memory and spiritual imagination, it is at once a warning and a testament: to the stubborn resilience of ordinary people who refuse to surrender their humanity.

About the Author

Janet Lees is a Wild Goose author, blogger, member of the Lay Community of St Benedict, poet and retreat leader whose work is shaped by storytelling, spirituality, landscape and social justice. She has previously published a pilgrimage guide, and several other titles for Wild Goose. Surplus to Requirements is her debut novel.

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