Graphic novel about a boy who lives in a magical community. In his world, girls have the power to cast spells, and boys when they come of age, gain the ability to shapeshift into different animals. Aster’s not like the other boys though. He’s very interested in magic- listening in on the girls’ lessons, practicing forbidden words- and hasn’t yet been able to change into animal form. He keeps getting chastised for trying to learn the witch lore- told that only bad things happen to men who work women’s magic. But he can’t give it up. Feeling an outsider, sometimes he sneaks across the magical boundary into neighborhoods of ordinary (non-magical) people, where he meets a girl. She’s a basketball player who recently broke her leg. They start to become friends. Then some of the other shapeshifter boys start to disappear, and demon monsters threaten his home community. Alex feels that his growing grasp of magical ability could help save them- if he can be brave enough to use it in the face of disapproval. Very reminiscent to me of Snapdragon– stylistically and with some of the gender themes. Grabbed this one off my teen’s stack.
Borrowed from the public library.
