The Child Garden

'Angela Carter meets Derek Jarman's Jubilee in a Max Ernst landscape. Excellent' Time Out

Winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award 1990 and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award 1990.

"One of the sturdiest monuments of 'Humanist' SF" - The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction

"Beyond incredible ... a must read, regardless of whether you like sf or not" - Goodreads Reviewer

In a semi-tropical London, Consensus governs. Society is informed by the viruses which people carry. Information and culture, law and politics are now biological functions. Non-conformism is unthinkable.

Milena, while resistant to viruses, is one of the most extraordinarily gifted women of her age. She is awakened to the power of music, and with the help of her genetically engineered friends, embarks on a journey to share her creative talents with the world.