First published 2004
Ron wakes up different. A curse has remade his body, turning him part wolf and part human. His reflection shows him something that makes others stare and step away. But Ron refuses to let his strange new form define him. In the dangerous streets of Bordertown, where magic and reality blur together, he finds companions who see past his altered appearance. These friendships become his anchor as the city shifts around him, revealing new threats and opportunities. Ron must navigate a world that judges him by his wolfish features while holding onto the person he remains inside. His loyalty to his friends grows stronger even as the city tests their bonds. The real challenge is not his transformed body but staying true to himself when everything else keeps changing. Ron learns that acceptance comes not from hiding what he has become but from showing others who he chooses to be.
Genres: coming-of-age, fantasy, urban-fantasy
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Bordertown
226 pages · Paperback · Clarion Books
Content warnings: body-horror