The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1: The Pox Party

The novel is presented as a collection of diaries, letters, and other manuscripts that chronicle the experiences of Octavian, a young African American boy raised in colonial Boston as part of a mysterious science experiment by Enlightenment-era scholars. As Octavian grows from birth to age sixteen during the years leading up to and during the Revolutionary War, he grapples with questions of identity, freedom, and his uncertain parentage. The story explores the complex social and political landscape of pre-Revolutionary America through Octavian's unique and troubling perspective.