In a distant future, Olive Mensing is raised in the solitude of the forest by her parents, away from Society. For a time, she is happy and content, trusting in everything her parents tell her, and thinking she has the rest of her life ahead of her. But not long after her father's mysterious death, Olive and her mother are torn from their home and thrown into the very place Olive was raised to fear. There she will discover the brutal truths her parents had tried to keep from her - a Society divided by two classes (Shymers and Futures) based on how many days people have to live, and a government that locks people away for rebellious behaviors. Although everything seems backwards and hopeless in this new world, Olive makes a new friend and develops her first crush on a handsome boy. But even then, things aren't as easy as they should be. She finds herself in a whirlwind of hatred, sadness and lies that spins out of control, forcing her to choose between what her heart wants and what she knows is right.