The wall

A moving novel and a striking political and ideological fable from a child's perspective. 13-year-old Joshua lives with his mother and stepfather in Amarias, an isolated mountaintop town where all the houses are brand new. At the town's border, there's a towering barrier, guarded by heavily armed soldiers, which can only be crossed through a checkpoint. No one is allowed to enter, and those inside are not allowed to leave. Since childhood, Joshua has known that on the other side of that wall lies a violent and unforgiving territory, and that The Wall is the only thing capable of keeping his people safe. Since childhood, he's always been told that on the other side lies forbidden territory, a violent and dangerous place, from which a boy like him should stay away. One day, Joshua's ball falls on the other side of the Wall, and, ignoring everything he's ever heard, he chases it and eventually discovers a tunnel that leads him to a reality he never imagined he'd find. There, he falls into the hands of a bloodthirsty gang, but a young girl's kindness saves his life. However, this ultimately triggers an act of extreme cruelty and places Joshua in her debt... a debt he will do anything to repay.