A captivating, dystopian-esque story, The Definitions questions what truly makes one’s identity theirs. After a supposed virus ravages humanity and leaves people with no memory of themselves, victims of this virus are sent to the Center where they relearn things like ethics, language, and art. With no knowledge of who they were before arriving, the narrator waits for memories to return and to be released. But definitions aren’t adding up, and the ethical dilemma solutions seem skewed, and we learn there is something sinister going on. This is a quick read that you won’t want to put down until you find the real reason the patients are there.
The Definitions by Matt Greene, (List Price: $17.99, Henry Holt and Co., 9781250399342, December 2025)
Reviewed by Gabriela Warner, Epilogue: Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina