The world is running out of time as the American political system is trapped in an accelerating death-spiral into irrationality. The country becomes increasingly more polarized as rapidly rising seawater separates ‘wet’ states from ‘dry’ states. Parts of South Florida surrender to the sea as carcasses of once-chic beachfront hotels poke out from the ocean floor. ‘Guest’ agricultural workers from Mexico hand-pollinate fruit trees and vegetable crops in a desperate effort to maintain the country’s food supply. California’s once plentiful fruits are now as rare as caviar in post-Tsarist Russia.

Out of this chaos emerges Rebecca Tree, the rebellious granddaughter of America’s most powerful politician, Merewether Tree. A successful inventor and businesswoman, Rebecca’s life is marked by a string of tragedies, having lost both parents at the age of two and her twin sister Allison at the age of four.

When Rebecca's brother (the current president of the United States) dies, her grandfather blackmails her into entering the race for the White House. Rebecca begins uncovering family secrets while trying to restore rationality to an embittered country . . . if only she can avoid the team hell-bent on assassinating her.