Bonded by love. Stalked by death. Amid the embers of nuclear ruin, can a pair of troubled strays trust humans in their fight to stay alive?

All young dogs Ony and Belka want is a safe patch to start a family. But a devastating explosion at the Chernobyl power plant turns their simple dream to ashes, and their home into a toxic exclusion zone.

While their bodies grow sick with radiation and the world around them crumbles, the pair must outrun old rivals, ruthless exterminators and a radioactive cloud in their desperate fight for survival.

Could it be that the very creatures who've cost them so much might also be their best chance of rescue? Or will humans prove to be one menace too many? Find out in this poignant tale of mankind's misadventure, as you experience one of history's true horrors through the eyes of man's best friend.

This inspirational coming of age story, like Watership Down and many other beloved YA animal stories, is a work of realistic animal fiction that takes teen and adult readers on an emotional journey. As the animal characters encounter new threats at every turn, they also discover that humanity's capacity for kindness and compassion is not completely lost. Will they be able to find a happy ending in a world that is falling apart?

With this book's adventure rooted in the true story of the 1986 nuclear disaster in Soviet-era Ukraine, Morgan utilises a tragic episode in Russian history to deliver a compelling environmental narrative as we witness the impact of ecological devastation and the power of resilience and hope through the eyes of dogs.

A touching work of animal realism and literary fiction, this book is also a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary history and eco-fiction.