In this story of bowling balls, magic rocks, dunk tanks and horse manure (and not a single bullet) humans can be chemically coated for lifelong invulnerability. One such teen-Karl-desperately wants a spot at the elite St. Roche Academy to compete in a brutal sport known as Ruckus-and ideally some distance from his exhausting mother Cheryl. But Karl doesn't expect the challenges of new friendships and rivalries, or to fall in love. When a forbidden field trip to Rockslide Fun Park goes catastrophically wrong, Karl's carefully cultivated identity quickly unravels. His ensuing search for answers uncovers unsettling details about his mother's past and painful uncertainty about his own future.

This darkly satirical coming-of-age novel explores pseudo-science, child-rearing and the underlying human need for safety and comfort in an incessant quest for perfection.