Five bees sting five people: Harj in Sri Lanka, Zack in North America, Diana in Canada, Samantha in New Zealand and Julien in Paris. In their worlds, bee stings are no longer commonplace; bees are nearly extinct and are treated with religious fervor. Those stung are forcibly taken to research facilities devoid of books, televisions, or any corporate identification.

Initially let go, they are then recalled by research leader Serge and flown to Haida Gwaii, a remote island off the Canadian coast. Instructed by Serge to tell each other stories, their tales start to hint at the bigger picture behind both their being stung and their subsequent capture. What they haven’t worked out is the connection between their captor Serge, the wonder drug Solon, and the strange jelly-like food they’re being given every day.

Generation A says much about our increasingly shared culture; told through the eyes of the five characters, the novel gains velocity as their stories come together, shedding light on the connections they share as human beings, outside of commercialised culture and other people’s vested interests. As a study of our times, Generation A is fascinating and frightening.