The Definitions A Novel
The Definitions by Matt Greene is a dystopian novel published by Henry Holt and Company on December 2, 2025. This 176-page book is written in English and explores the lives of individuals at a rehabilitation Center, where they grapple with the aftermath of a mysterious illness that has erased their memories and identities. As they navigate their new reality, the students engage in classes designed to help them relearn essential skills and roles, while also forming a social hierarchy and adopting names from old videos.
Readers will find a poignant narrative that delves into themes of friendship and identity. As the characters begin to recover fragments of their pasts, they confront the limitations of the Center’s teachings and seek alternative ways to define themselves. The Definitions presents a thought-provoking examination of language, connection, and resilience in the face of adversity, inviting readers to reflect on the essence of what it means to be human.
Official synopsis Publisher
An elegant, haunting dystopian novel about individuals relearning how to navigate the world after a mysterious illness strips them of their memories
Nestled in an idyllic locale beside the sea, the Center is a place of rehabilitation for those afflicted by a strange illness that has swept through the population, erasing their memories and any sense of identity. Students arrive at the Center nameless—none of them know who they are or how they got there.
Each day, they attend classes that will help them relearn the right ways to speak and live; they practice the roles they hope to assume once they graduate and return to society. In their free time, they negotiate a burgeoning social hierarchy and watch old videos together, stories of characters whose names they adopt: Maria, Chino, Ross, Chandler, Gunther . . . But as flashes of memories—of pets, lovers, errands, and beloved music—emerge, some students start to question the Center’s strict instruction and begin to explore different ways in which they might define themselves.
A stunning, intimately told story about what makes us who we are, The Definitions examines the limits of language, the power of connection, and how the human spirit can flourish even under the most oppressive conditions.
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