September 9, 2024
In 1765, 16-year-olds Joséphine and Clara eke out a subsistence lifestyle herding sheep in the village of Mende in the Gévaudan region of France. Amid daily harsh realities of disease, starvation, and the threat of male violence, Mende has become the latest in Gévaudan to be attacked by a mysterious and insatiable beast that mainly targets young women and teen girls. As theories develop around the possible supernatural origins of the creature, Joséphine and Clara realize they can use the attacks to their advantage, staging brutal deaths to sneak their friends away from their abusive households. But as both the simulated and real death tolls mount, the growing infamy of the beast attracts glory-seeking soldiers, exponentially complicating Joséphine and Clara’s web of deception. Using a spirited first-person narration peppered with French expressions, Griffis (The Wicked Unseen) reimagines the historical beast of Gévaudan attacks into a tale of female rage and empowerment after abuse. While the exploration of patriarchy feels underdeveloped, sweet moments of queer romance and affirming female friendships round out this heart-pounding and gruesome historical thriller. Joséphine is white; Clara is French Ethiopian. Ages 12–up. Agent: Paige Terlip, Andrea Brown Literary.