The Mike and Philomel Duology

In the spirit of Stranger Than Fiction, New York Times bestselling author Barry Lyga takes the listener on a wild and surreal ride through the heart of his own creation—perfect for fans of A. S. King, Andrew Smith, and Jeff Zentner.

What starts as a love story between two teens—whose crumbling relationship coincides with a crumbling reality—ends up as a journey toward their creator, Barry Lyga, in a love story about creation itself.

This is a love story.

Mike loves Philomel. Always.

Philomel loves Mike. Sometimes.

After doing something stupid that drives away the love of his life, Mike begins to notice that the world itself seems to be suffering the aftereffects of his bad decision. Reality as he knows it has … changed. And before he can fully understand the ramifications, he’s on an odyssey unlike any other, trying to figure out how to repair the universe and return his lost Philomel to his side. It’s not time travel. It’s not dimension-hopping. It’s something deeper and more fundamental, as simple and as complex as ink on paper. And much to Mike’s surprise, this isn’t even the whole story. It’s possible that the missing pieces of Mike’s life may end up being the most important part of his world—and beyond, the solution to fixing not only his love life, but the entire universe.