Bridge | Lauren Beukes

Bridge: A Novel

Extended Synopsis

In Bridge, a grieving daughter's search for her mother becomes a dangerous journey across alternate realities. Twenty-four-year-old Bridge is paralyzed by choices and the infinite realities she could have lived. In the wake of her mother Jo's unexpected death, she is left to pick up the pieces of a fractured relationship. Jo was a maverick neuroscientist fixated on an artifact called the "dreamworm," which she believed could open doors to other worlds—an obsession that ultimately cost her everything.

While packing up her mother's house, Bridge uncovers the dreamworm hidden among Jo's belongings. To her shock, the artifact works exactly as she remembers from her childhood, allowing her to step into other realities and alternate versions of herself. Driven by the desperate hope of discovering what truly happened to her mother, Bridge embarks on a reality-bending odyssey across the multiverse. However, she soon learns she is not alone; ruthless seekers and hunters will kill to get their hands on the dreamworm. This highly original thriller explores the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, and the fundamental question of who we choose to be.

Author Biography

Lauren Beukes is an award-winning and critically acclaimed novelist known for her highly original and reality-bending narratives. As the author of the internationally recognized thriller The Shining Girls, Beukes has established herself as a major talent in speculative fiction, praised by literary peers and genre masters alike.

Reader Targeting

• Enthusiasts of multiverse and alternate reality science fiction.
• Readers who love high-stakes, fast-paced thrillers and suspense novels.
• Fans of character-driven stories exploring deep emotional themes like grief, identity, and mother-daughter relationships.

Accolades & Awards

• "A fantastic high-wire act of a novel . . . at once a cosmic narrative and a deeply intimate human story." — Catriona Ward
• "Ass-kicking, mind-bending entertainment." — Kirkus Reviews
• "A suspenseful, deeply immersive odyssey that will make you consider the alternate possibilities inside us all." — Katie Gutierrez
• "Spiders out into alternate universes yet manages to be very much about us and our fractured now." — Paul Tremblay
• "Lauren Beukes is a major, major talent." — George R. R. Martin

Bibliographic & Physical Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the dreamworm in the novel?
The dreamworm is a mysterious artifact discovered by Bridge's mother, a maverick neuroscientist, which functions as a gateway allowing individuals to step into alternate realities and other versions of themselves.

Is this book a science fiction novel or a thriller?
It brilliantly combines both genres. It is a high-stakes, suspenseful thriller built upon the speculative science fiction concept of exploring the multiverse.

How long is the book?
This hardcover edition runs 432 pages.

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