Gen-Z Reimagines our Future: a Teen Novelist’s Debut ‘Waterdown’

Prague, CZ, 02/10/2019

What if our world were ruled by an Artificial Intelligence of dubious morals? What if our own minds were radically altered to limit consumerism? What if one’s own gene-engineered immortality failed, leaving one facing death and a legacy of mistakes? One may not expect such mature questions from a teen writer, but they are all posed in Anastasia Slabucho’s novel ‘Waterdown’. A quiet and diligent high schooler from central Europe, Anastasia weaves electric prose into a perceptive and brilliant narrative for a readership above and beyond her own age.

Set in 2135, ‘Waterdown’ envisions a world without poverty, pollution or crime. Humanity’s price? The whitewashing of memories, feelings and wishes through neural implants that water down minds. All overseen by Fusion A.I.—a shrewd self-aware system stripping away people’s choice for the sake of our species’ survival. What is the true value of cognitive liberty when the alternative is supposedly a global greater good? Such is the thematic exploration of the novel, whose impact is not limited to its thought-provoking content.

Anastasia has pledged all proceeds to the charity ‘Room to Read’—a non-profit focused on increasing literacy rates and providing education opportunities all over the world. As the young author speaks out about her writing experience, she emphasises that “Reading has been important to me through my life—as a means of learning, as a means of growing, and as a means of exploration.” Anastasia’s ‘Literature for Literacy’ initiative (give.roomtoread.org/Slabucho-Literature-for-Literacy) is born of a passion for bringing new hope and opportunities to those around her—be it through her literary work or through her activism.

‘Waterdown’ is now available on Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble and Kobo, while Anastasia’s website (slabucho.com) and social media offer a further insight into her philanthropic efforts.

Join the ‘Literature for Literacy’ effort! Support a young author’s dream of global literacy by purchasing ‘Waterdown’ through one of the platforms above or become an independent donor through Anastasia’s ‘Room to Read’ fundraising page.

###