Escape in the Winter
GENRE
DRAMA YOUNG ADULT ADVENTURE THRILLER
Core Theme
THE TRUE VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE, AND FREEDOM
TIME PERIOD
The Future
COMPARABLE TITLES
THE HUNGER GAMES, NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR, THE CALL OF THE WILD
CHARACTER LIST
• JACKSMAN “JAX” REID: 25. LEAD. ADVENTUROUS AND HEROIC.
• BLAIR CONNER: 14. BRAVE TEENAGER WITH EXTRAORDINARY POWERS AND ABILITIES.
• LIA: 25. JAX’S GIRLFRIEND. ENGAGING, HONORABLE, BEAUTIFUL.
Logline
Escape in the Winter is the future set in a dystopian world. Medical care is too expensive and caused the economy to collapse. Courts of law, rather than physicians, now decide medical treatments, often ordering liquidation if the cost to society is expected to be costly. The government takes over the healthcare and lives of its citizens, until one day, a group of young adults try to do the unthinkable: escape.
Target Audiences
Age: 35-54
Target Gender: Universal
Setting
The future: City/forest/new frontier
Based on a True Story
No
Publishing Details
Status: Yes: self-published
Year Published: 2019
Starting Description
The future has arrived! The world as we know it no longer exists. In this new dystopian society, sick patients are prohibited from using costly medical services, unless a judge in the court of law approves it. If the treatment Is expected to place a cost burden on society, patients are sentenced to
Ending Description
Jax, the leader, leads The Resistance back to fight the autocratic government. Blair, the young heroine, is by his side, when he enters state territory in the midst of war. The ruling officials are found after the renegades kill or capture the state's police and military power.
Group Specific
Information not completed
Hard Copy Available
No
ISBN
Information not completed
Mature Audience Themes
Information not completed
Plot - Other Elements
Coming of Age, Philosophical Questions, Twist, Happy Ending, Meaningful Message,Romance
Plot - Premise
Overcoming Monster/Villain
Main Character Details
Name: Jacksman Reid
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Adventurous, Decisive, Empathetic, Selfless, Faithful, Flexible, Honorable, Aspiring, Complex, Perseverance, Extraordinary Powers and Abilities, Heroic, Leader, Underdog, Visionary
Additional Character Details
Name: Blair Conner
Age: 14
Gender: Female
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Empathetic, Honorable, Leader, Obedient, Outspoken, Underdog, Aspiring, Heroic, Visionary, Adventurous, Faithful, Flexible, Modest, Extraordinary Powers and Abilities, Engaging, Educated
Additional Character Details
Name: Lia
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Engaging, Extraordinary Powers and Abilities, Gracious, Honorable, Beautiful, Blunt, Faithful, Perseverance, Romantic, Selfless, Complex, Empathetic
Additional Character Details
Name: Asher
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Role: Sidekick
Key Traits: Underdog, Visionary, Confident, Decisive, Educated, Honorable, Strong Moral Code, Blunt, Empathetic, Obedient
Brief
In a future dystopia, where the economy has collapsed due to the cost of medical care, courts of law decide medical treatments, often ordering death. Those with chronic health issues are deemed too great a cost to society to keep alive. A young man targeted for death leads his friends in a daring escape as they run for their lives.
What We Liked
- Inspiring underdog narrative;
- Themes that are both heartening and sobering;
- Multiple, diverse locations that are visually compelling - a new world for viewers to get
lost in;
- Fierce fight for survival on many levels, all of which are cinematic in scope - characters
surviving in the wilderness and getting to freedom;
- The climactic war -- plus the victory of the resistance -- paves the way for a satisfying
resolution, a positive ending that drives home its important themes.
Synopsis
In a future dystopia where state-appointed judges decide medical treatments, JAX is singled out
for potential “liquidation,” or death, along with anyone else who is unhealthy. No one person’s
healthcare costs can be larger than their worth within society. While at court, he sees BLAIR, a
young teenager who barely avoids death at the judge’s hand. They are placed in the same
government-mandated self-help group, along with Jax’s secret girlfriend, LIA. When Blair is
chosen for death by the state, Jax, his best friend ASHER, and Lia plan their escape. Along with
Blair’s sister WINNIE, and their group leader, DAWSON, the group goes on the run.
They trek through the mountains in winter, trying to stay ahead of the state and their evil tactics
to either capture or kill them. When Winnie gets sick, the group splits up so that Jax, Lia, and
Asher can go ahead to get help. Blair, Winnie, and Dawson stay behind with the puppy they’ve
brought along for protection. When they are nearly attacked by wolves, Blair realizes she has a
telepathic link with the wolves and they fall under her command. Jax, Lia, and Asher find LEROY,
who escaped the state decades earlier. He lets them stay with him, and they are reunited with
the others thanks to the puppy. They all spend weeks in Leroy’s house, healing and learning how
to fight.
Jax, Blair, Lia, and Asher are welcomed with open arms to the resistance by MAJOR, who sees
something special in them. The resistance plans to wage a war to free the groups’ friends and
neighbors from the state’s tyranny. Major explains they all have important, fated roles to play.
When Blair is kidnapped, Major leads the charge into the city and gets killed by the state, leaving
Jax in charge of the resistance. Dawson reveals himself to be a planted spy for the state, and Lia
kills him to save Jax’s life. Jax rescues Blair with the help of her wolves, and the resistance takes
the city. Jax and Blair wrest power from the chancellors and declare the state’s citizens finally
free.