Author(s): Margaret Mahy

Children & Young Adult

'Home. Holidays. Free,' thought Ellis. Well not quite free, with university on the horizon. But free from school. Free, although his best friend is dead. Free to think about the future. Free to transform his life. When Ellis meets up with Jackie and three mysterious sisters, he is drawn into a number of increasingly bizarre situations. They introduce him to The Land of Smiles, where appearances are deceptive and being different is the norm. Ellis is sucked relentlessly into a drama from which he cannot escape. It's a matter of life and death, but time is against him. The clock ticks on. In twenty-four hours, Ellis is changed forever.