Leonid Bershidsky's Animal Tested is set in a parallel universe that feels either a few years ahead of our own or slightly behind it. An authoritarian ruler is confronted with a winged threat that promises a profound transformation for both himself and his regime. Meanwhile, a young biochemist discovers something unexpected about her test subjects, forcing her to abandon science for protest politics. Elsewhere, a technocratic manager loses faith in mathematical models and turns to civil disobedience. Ultimately, these three storylines converge, signaling a global crisis and, perhaps, a sequel.