THE TRANSITION

After Hunter, a white-presenting transgender boy in the Chicago area, survives a werewolf attack, he and his friends plot to kill the monster that infected him before he loses his humanity.

One night, Hunter runs out into the dark in search of his missing dog; a creature ambushes him, tearing into his arm and leg. His protective best friend, Korean American Gabe, comes to the rescue, fighting off the monster just as he stands up to the bullies who persecute Hunter at school. The bites heal at a supernatural speed, so Hunter doesn’t need medical treatment. But then his period returns in full force for the first time in two years, and his body starts reacting to contact with silver. As Hunter’s body begins to change, he and Gabe join forces with Hunter’s other close friend, Mars (who’s white and Filipino American), to figure out a way to kill the werewolf and cure Hunter before it’s too late. Hunter is a moody protagonist, weighed down by toxic gender norms and internalized transphobia that cause him to make self-destructive decisions. Along with the imminent threat of the werewolf, bisexual Hunter grapples with emerging romantic feelings for Gabe and Mars and transphobic harassment from his former best friend’s boyfriend. Overall, the conflict and resolution lose emotional impact due to the haphazard construction of the lore around the rules for werewolves, which undermines the characters’ choices.

A grim and brooding story weakened by inconsistent worldbuilding.