A deeply polarized and ungovernable United States of America has separated into two nationsthe God Fearing States GFS and the United Progressive Regions UPR. Judith Braverman a teenager living in an Orthodox Jewish community in the GFS is not only a talented artist accomplished in the ancient craft of papercutting she also has the gift of seeing into peoples soulsand can tell instantly if someone is good or evil. Jeffrey Schwartz has no love for religion or conformity and yearns to escape to the freedom of the UPR. When hes accepted into an experimental pen pal program and paired with Dani Fine an openly queer girl in the UPR he hopes that he can finally find a way out. As danger mounts and their alarm grows Judith embeds a secret code in her papercuts so that she and Jeffrey can tell Dani whats happening to Jews in the GFS without raising suspicions from the government. When the three arrange a quick clandestine meeting Jeffrey is finally faced with the choice to flee or to stay and resist. And Judith is reeling from a pull toward Dani that is unlike anything she has ever felt before. Content note the book contains one brief memory of sexual assault of a male teen by another male teen. Book 1 of The Split Series. show more