Trans author explores what it means to survive when the world ends in new young adult dystopian novel
– 2 min read
"Whilst growing up, I often felt like I would have preferred being the last person alive on Earth, rather than face my day-to-day life," explains Willow White, the trans author of You Can't Take my Name, which explores what it means to survive when the world ends.
"It was in this mindset that I disappeared into many worlds, with You Can't Take My Name being one of them. I went from imagining somewhere I could escape to... to wondering what that world would actually look like. It took me here, to this book; a world that was finally far more terrifying than my own."
In this desolate land stripped of life and hope, a 12-year-old boy has only his name - a fragile thread that ties him to his identity.
When a fateful encounter with an old man challenges his solitude, an unlikely bond begins to form, redefining what it means to live rather than merely exist. The boy faces a choice: risk companionship or cling to the survival rules his brother taught him years ago.
But the harsh reality of survival tears the boy’s world apart once again, plunging him into the merciless grip of The Centre - an organisation that strips him of his humanity. As the now-teenager endures unimaginable loss and pain, he grapples with questions of identity, love, and what it truly means to be human.
With everything on the line, a chance of escape sparks hope. Led by a mysterious figure who stirs feelings the teenager has no words for, together, they risk everything for a future that may not exist. Do they dare to defy despair with the fragile power of hope?
"I once heard a quote that’s included in the book: Postapocalyptic: ‘Where nature has become just as violent as humanity,’" Willow continues. "It really struck me, and from there, this world began to form in my head that I had to put to paper. Formerly writing novellas (…fanfictions) online, this wasn’t my first story, but it was the first I was ready to share with the world, and it certainly won’t be my last.”
Willow White is a young transgender author from Northampton, who has overcome many challenges, being bipolar, autistic, and having battled cancer. Now an advocate and educator, he works to create a more inclusive world.
