This is what YA graphic novels can be when they're firing on all cylinders: gorgeous, brutal, and emotionally devastating in the way only the best teen literature manages. Ostertag earned that Printz Honor.

The monster metaphor—Mags's secret that literally has teeth and demands blood—works because it doesn't try to be subtle. It's about the parts of yourself you're convinced are too dangerous, too angry, too much for anyone to love. The queer romance with Nessa isn't just window dressing; it's central to the story of whether Mags can risk being fully known.

That said, this is heavy. The blood sacrifice isn't gore for shock value, but it's there on the page. Family trauma, caregiving burden, isolation—it's a lot. At 480 pages, it's also a commitment. But for teens who are ready to sit with difficult emotions and want something with real literary heft? This is exactly the kind of book that stays with you.