Sixteen-year-old Vivian Gandillon is a werewolf living in a secret community of shapeshifters in suburban Maryland. After her father’s death, the pack struggles with leadership transitions and violent tensions while hiding their nature from human neighbors. Vivian complicates her loyalty to the pack by falling in love with a human boy named Axel, whose fascination with the occult clashes with the dangerous reality of her biological identity. When a series of brutal killings threatens to expose her kind, Vivian must decide between the safety of the pack and her desire for a human life.
This book serves young adult readers interested in the tension between primal instincts and social belonging. It appeals to those seeking a depiction of lycanthropy that emphasizes biological hunger and sensory experience over romanticized fantasy. Readers finish the book with a perspective on how personal heritage dictates communal obligations. The story provides a look at the transition into adulthood through the lens of embracing one's physical nature and the difficult trade-offs required to maintain a secret identity in a modern setting.
Practical, clear-cut and escapist; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Escapist Adventurer. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1990
- Language
- EN
