"A unique and splendid novel"

 

Charlie Husk is a cannibal, a member of a clan of flesh-eaters who live hidden away from the world. His job is to travel into civilization, abduct people (college students are favored prey), and bring them back to the clan. He's quite good at it; he's stealthy, ruthless, and smart, easily able to adapt to unexpected changes in circumstances. When he falls in love with a human girl, Charlie's whole life changes instantly, like a switch has been thrown. And, so, Charlie abandons his clan and his heritage, and determines to live among the people who used to be his prey. The author takes on a tricky challenge making a monster a sympathetic character and he's completely successful. Zeltserman keeps the story grounded in reality, giving Charlie practical problems to overcome (like finding a way to deal with the craving for human flesh, or learning new words, like social security number), and the story is at once tender, brutal, fantastic, and vibrantly real. A unique and splendid novel.--Booklist's starred review.