Early Reviewers

An intimate, empathetic novel about two boys overcoming a deep, soul-wrenching depravity at the hands of their own teacher. Long after the crime is committed, they must contend with nightmares, disordered eating, and the permanent loss of their humanity.

Daegal Kirkland works hard to keep up with his peers despite his vision impairments and sensitive skin. He gets good grades, participates in his middle school’s book club, and has his brother, Lucien, to fall back on whenever things go awry.

On a day like any other, Daegal’s English teacher, Agatha Dunn, suddenly transforms him into an animalistic angel; scared and confused, he immediately runs to Lucien’s side, ultimately dragging them both into her trap.

Over the course of several months, Agatha attempts to strip both boys of everything that makes them human, torturing them through destructive diets and intermittent isolation, until Daegal manages to escape while her guard is down.

Irreversibly altered inside and out, both boys face a harrowing journey of recovery if they ever hope to find a new sense of normal.