Set in a universe where time is a resource – coveted and exploited, the key to power and privilege – comes a dazzlingly inventive sci-fi fantasy romance by a bestselling Irish author.
"Skipshock isn’t just a book. It is, literally, a new world to dive into, and one so exquisitely conjured that you feel you live there for a while. A suspenseful, romantic, charming and really unique tale." – Matt Haig
Margo is on a train to a new boarding school when she slips into another dimension, passing from the height of Irish summer into the chill of an alien winter, from a 24-hour day to one that begins and ends in just six hours. From a stranger on the train – a travelling salesman by the name of Moon – she learns that New Davia is part of a world scarred by uprisings, travel bans and world sealings. Power is determined by time – who has it, who doesn’t, and who has the freedom to travel between time zones.
Can Margo find a way to get back home – or will she choose to stay in a world where her teenagehood is slipping away faster than ever before, but where she may have found the only person with whom she would choose to spend eternity?
"An original and very clever time-bending SF romance." - The Bookseller
"Skipshock is an addictive reading experience, drawing the reader in with its lyrical prose and keeping them gripped with its fascinating multi-layered power dynamics and electrifying romance. O’Donoghue demonstrates her talent for captivating readers with well-rounded, engaging characters and beautiful settings […] Skipshock succeeds in providing a stage for readers to explore real-world issues such as mental health, disenfranchisement, discrimination and corruption, presenting these themes in ethereal settings with intricate world-building […] Skipshock lays the foundations for what is sure to be a thrilling new series full of intrepid characters, twists, and betrayals." - CBI Inis Magazine
"Stealth romantasy may not be a recognised subgenre yet, but if it’s going to becomes one, the publication of Skipshockcould be its defining moment . . . An impressive fantasy debut that introduces readers to a genuinely fresh-feeling otherverse . . . Skipshockis a fun, fast-moving, ideas-packed fantasy first of all, which only reveals itself as a charming and surprisingly light-handed romantasy as it rattles along. Not just for Mills & Barsoom fans." - SFX Magazine
"In Skipshock she [Caroline O'Donoghue] has created a magical world with detailed architecture, geography, races and climate." - The Sunday Times
