Awards or Honors:

• Finalist for the Young Adult Library Services Association's 2023 Morris Award

• New York Times Bestseller
  (Peachtree, n.d.)

Plot Summary
  Benji Woodside is a trans teen fleeing a cult responsible for creating the post-apocalyptic world he lives in. He is rescued by a teen LGBTQ+ center battling the mercenary "Angels" from the cult compound in which he was raised. All the while, Benji is slowly mutating into a Seraph, a monster infected by a controlled version of the deadly virus responsible for worldwide genocide. Benji lives a new life of light and dark. He cherishes being able to use his authentic pronouns and not being forced to dress like a girl, mourns the loss of his father, who tried to escape with him, and fears the monster he is becoming.
Characters like Nick, Aisha, Erin, and Faith extend friendship in a world Benji has not experienced in five years. The world ended two years ago, but Benji and his family retreated to the compound before the biological weapon was released worldwide by devout followers. Living in a queer space, Benji remembers the trauma experienced in a homophobic cult. Surprisingly, Benji misses his fiance, who accepted his trans identity but could not accept Benji's doubts surrounding their religion. Benji faces a transformation as an openly trans teen and a human being overtaken by a disease. 

Critical Evaluation
It is hard to read dystopian novels, especially with world-ending viruses, and not think of Covid-19 and the pandemic. In this apocalyptic world, the freedom that the teens of the Acheson LGBTQ+ Center experienced to live authentically shows one positive experience of the pandemic lockdown. LGBTQ+ individuals no longer forced to interact with relatives or social structures that were unsupportive of their identity had the freedom to transition to their true pronouns. The opposite extreme would be toxic relationships that were forced to live together in isolation, such as the kids being raised in New Nazareth.
The writing style of this apocalyptic setting is refreshing. Avoiding the usual scenario of a world set hundreds of years after a cataclysmic event, this society is struggling to survive a few years after an attack of biochemical warfare. The events are fresh enough for people to remember a time before, and the reader is not given every detail of the cult's philosophy. Benji knows what the cult believes, and there are explanations throughout the story, but not too many to weigh down the story. Personal details of the characters are also kept light and kept me engaged with the narrative.  

Creative Use for a Library Program
The end of the world is a scary topic. Make a light-hearted scavenger hunt with teams of teens to find tokens representing crucial supplies such as filtered water, medicine, food, and blankets. Winning team gets a small prize. Roundtable discussion of the dystopian genre follows the scavenger hunt. 

Book Talk
Benji is running from a cult that ruined the world and is the key to the next battle being waged. What side will he fight for? His mom and the "Angels" that raised him or his new friends fighting for freedom?

Reason for Inclusion
To provide a mirror for trans teens and a window for others to learn about the trans experience in an engaging narrative.

Potential Challenges and  Defense Preparation
Most books that are challenged  in a library have LGBTQ+ characters or themes. This book has LGBTQ+ main characters, sexual content, and violent imagery. The best defense is a strong policy for removal requests.  It is also helpful to have a distinct area for young adult materials so a patron can not cite that they are concerned that this title is being aimed at a younger audience.

References

About.  (n.d.). Andrew Joseph White. https://andrewjosephwhite.com/about
Andrew Joseph White. (2025, February 1). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Joseph_White  
Peachtree. (n.d.) Hell followed with us. https://www.peachtreebooks.com/book/hell-followed-with-us/
White, A. J. (2022). Hell followed with us. Peachtree Teen.