Around 200 million women are missing from current global populations, based on earlier estimates by Amartya Sen, Nobel prize winning economist-philosopher. Disenfranchised, trafficked, enslaved or worse, these missing women represent a hidden tragedy, all too often ignored.
A mysterious, wealthy benefactor calls teams of teenagers from around the world to her fairy-tale chateau to help with this very real problem. There they present ingenious plans to sustain women before they disappear. Guided by generous sponsors and Countess X, the real work soon begins.
Themes such as collaboration, a reappraisal of world mythologies, history and culture plus the joy of learning underpin the thrill of the quest to restore these women. As cheats are exposed and tensions accelerate, the pace quickens – changing the participants forever.