Mongrels: A Novel

Stephen Graham Jones’ Mongrels is a unique twist on the timeless coming of age story. He strategically weaves elements of horror, fiction, and suspense together to create a book unlike anything I have ever read before. If you are not a fan of werewolves, or have no interest in the subject, do not let that hinder you from reading this novel. Jones’ ability as a storyteller will keep you reading until the very last page. He cultivates characters that are both extremely human and monstrous at the same time. The book follows a family of werewolves who struggle both with normal human problems as well as unconventional werewolf problems. Jones exposes the reader to an entirely new world: one in which werewolves exist. He does this in a very real way, almost making the reader believe in the possibility that there could be werewolves on this earth. He includes a rich amount of history and stories native to the werewolf species that I would have never been exposed to if I had not read this book. His ability to blend reality and sci-fi creates an entirely new perception for the reader. Throughout the duration of the novel the narrator, who comes from a family of werewolves, is awaiting and preparing for the day he may transform. His family members supply him with a plethora of tips, stories, and advice as to how he can protect himself and ultimately survive in a world where werewolves are largely acknowledged as fictional characters. I can honestly say that I was able to develop a connection and relation to each of the major characters in this novel. In my opinion, it is connection to a book and a book’s appeal to human emotion that are the greatest factors in determining a book’s worth. The novel invokes all sorts of emotion in the reader including suspense, disgust, sadness, and joy. Jones is able to keep the reader hooked through his appeal to human emotion in Mongrels. The idea of a family of werewolves sounds about as unconventional as any family can get. However, Jones is able to create a family of werewolves that deal with the many of the same problems any low-income family struggles with. The combination and balance of humanity and monstrous behavior in this novel is what makes it so unique and unlike anything I have read before. If you are a fan of stories, or storytelling, this novel is for you. Stephen is able to combine so many genres of literature into one novel, and the final product being as good as literature gets. By the time I was almost done with the book the pace of the plot began to change drastically and left me in a frenzy to finish the book as fast as I possibly could. The twist in this book contributes greatly to the suspense factor in the novel. Overall, I have no doubt in my mind that this book will satisfy readers of all taste. Whether it be horror, humor, fiction, or suspense that you are into, this book is for you!

I’m a late comer to the Stephen Graham Jones bandwagon, having gotten my first taste of his work with The Only Good Indians. I’m slowly expanding on his previous work, and Mongrels — well it's a gem of a Coming of Age horror novel. Jones puts so much heart and soul into his characters that I almost feel guilty for only rating it a four. This is the story of a criminal, a prisoner, a villager, a sheep, all rolled into one as the main character tells stories of his own life as a boy raised by his extended family of werewolves after his mother dies giving birth to him. His aunt, his uncle, his grandfather are all storytellers, all hustlers to some degree too because the werewolf life isn’t a pretty one…depending on which family member is telling the story. They scramble to live along the fringe of society, doing their best to blend in, except when they can’t. That doesn’t make them any less proud of their questionable roots, and the kid—well, his entire story is about seeing what his aunt and uncle go through while he wonders when it will hit him; if and when he will ever experience the change. There are times he wants to be the wild wolf that his Uncle Darren represents, times when he understands why his Aunt Libby has her reservations. It’s really about growing up and learning from the family that raises you. Funny at times, heartbreaking at others. It's a book I definitely recommend reading. My only real reservation is the nonlinear approach to the story. The boy is a storyteller. His stories comprise each chapter. He's as young as eight in some, as old as eighteen in others. But the stories bounce around, back and forth from age to age as the family moves from Texas to Georgia to Missouri to the Carolinas to Florida and back again, and it can get confusing. Therefore, the four. But it's a solid four, absolutely.

Mongrels is a fascinating coming of age story following the narrator through a non-sequential path from being a naive child living with werewolves to a mature older adolescent who relies on the stories from his childhood for survival. The narrator describes his experience of being part of a werewolf family by taking on various roles to help him cope and better understand the delicate divide between the world he sees at home and the world he tries to fit into at school and among his peers. The character development is amazing, relying solely on the internal characteristics of these characters, allowing the reader to envision their own Darren or Libby. The reader is able to become the narrator, following this non-traditional family and their adventures across the southern part of the United States while fighting for secrecy and survival against wolf hunters and the Lone Ranger. While horrific at some points, this novel tells a coming of age tale, explaining how acceptance can take hold by either becoming like your family, or simply understanding who your family is and acknowledging the differences that are present. Jones does a phenomenal job of incorporating a coming of age story while adding bits of violence and uncommon horror, allowing this tale of werewolves to become realistic and believable. This novel explains the science behind werewolves in an innovative way, allowing for the reader to suspend their disbelief, accepting the existence of werewolves. While using changing scenery, Jones is able to ground his characters in their ever-changing automobiles, making the connection between the narrator and his aunt and uncle the narrator’s home. Because the family dynamic is unbreakable, the narrator is never without that feeling of home, despite the constant struggle of changing schools and fighting for every meal. We see how this young werewolf interacts with humans his age in different areas, revealing how much of an outsider the narrator truly is without his family. Overall, Mongrels represents the struggle many young adolescents face with coming into themselves and accepting their ties to their family while still being able to establish themselves as an individual. The theme of storytelling reveals this struggle for the narrator while also giving him advice and lessons to learn for any future problems he could run into. While struggling to find the balance between being like Darren and enjoying things generally not accepted by the werewolf community (like enjoying school). The narrator perfectly exemplifies this normal struggle while portraying it in a supernatural manner, allowing the reader an outside perception into these normal human struggles. This novel beautifully combines these natural human struggles with the supernatural to create an alternate universe full of fear, secrecy, and the primal need for survival by any means possible. A true coming of age story, Jones has made the horrific werewolf into a creature that is feared and relatable for the everyday reader. Despite the age of the narrator, this novel has something that connects with readers of any age, making this an ageless tale of finding and accepting yourself.

This is the story of a werewolf family that bounces back and forth chronologically and also between 3rd and 1st person narratives, the latter voiced by the youngest member who is hoping he has enough warewolf blood in him that he will eventually "change" like his grandfather, aunt, and uncle, who are raising him since his mom died while giving birth to him. The family is lean and scrappy, a fun and off-kilter bunch, having to make due on very little, and never stays in one place very long due to one issue or another, often as a result of werewolf activities. It's really the story of an unconventional family of very low means and transient lifestyle, at or barely above poverty, merely working for survival and with no real value in material things or stability. There are some interesting takes on werewolf lore here, like how the changed werewolf state has them walking on all fours, how the change works and is fueled, how the "movie version" of a wolf man walking on two legs occurs, etc. I also appreciated how the 3rd person sections always described the boy, who I'm pretty sure remains unnamed throughout the book, as a different "character," e.g. "the vampire" (for Halloween), "the reporter" (for a school project), "the criminal," etc.—clever. A little more lighthearted, and a lot less intense, than "The Only Good Indians," and overall, it's a pretty good family story with some werewolf tropes and action to scratch the Halloween season itch.

First experience with the author, and this book has been in my brain a lot. Easy to read in spurts, as is a collective of interwoven short stories with the same characters across a number of years. Really enjoyable read. Off to find more from him!

Stephen Graham Jones takes the idea of werewolves and strips away anything flashy or familiar. What is left is something rough, funny, and unexpectedly heartfelt. The story is told through the eyes of a kid growing up with his aunt and uncle, drifting from place to place and learning what it might mean to become a monster one day. Not in a cool or cinematic way, but in a very ordinary and uncomfortable one. The humor is what really surprised me. The book is quirky in a way that feels natural, not forced. A lot of the comedy comes from the characters themselves, especially the way they talk about werewolf rules like half remembered folklore mixed with bad advice. Those moments feel like listening to family members argue about stories they have told for years, and they are genuinely funny. That humor keeps the book grounded even when things turn dark. These characters are not tragic creatures lurking in the woods. They are broke, tired, stubborn, and often arguing with each other. The laughs never take away from the tension. If anything, they make the harder moments hit more because the people feel real. The story is loose and episodic, and at times it feels like it is wandering. For me, that worked. It matches the instability of the characters lives and the uncertainty of growing up without any clear path forward. The ending does not tie everything up neatly, but it feels honest. Mongrels will not be for everyone. It is unconventional, slow in places, and intentionally rough around the edges. But if you are willing to go along with it, the book rewards you with something funny, strange, and quietly emotional.

It’s always nice when a book keeps you up a little later than usual, slouched in your reading chair or propped against your bed’s headboard. For me it was the book MONGRELS by Stephen Graham Jones, and my giant, honey-colored reading chair. Other than his short story THE NIGHT CYCLIST, this is my first read from Jones, and it was more than adequate in convincing me to pursue other books written by the man, as my backside and my reading chair continue their melding relationship. But less about me and my chair and onto the review. Because that’s what reviewers do. (You’ll have to read the book to get that one, I think). MONGRELS is written simply and episodically, presenting the moments of a growing boy (ranging from pre-teen to late teens throughout the course of the book) whose aunt, uncle, and grandfather are all werewolves–something he longs to be but is not sure will ever happen. And therein lies the connecting link to an otherwise disorganized format: Will the boy ever turn? The chapters go back and forth in time and narrative, all with entertaining stories teaching us the way, the rules, and the lore regarding the man-wolf hybrids. Jones’ dissection of the werewolf is thorough and well illustrated, answering questions we’d never think to ask but love the answers anyway. Is it safe for werewolves to wear nylons? Can they eat French fries? The lessons may not seem important, but it’s that extra flavor in the book that makes it stand out, keeping you interested, captivated, and wondering. Jones’ prose is clean and simple yet sometimes poetic and often hits hard, right where it needs to. My copy of MONGRELS is filled with bright pink lines where I highlighted bits of prose that made me smile in delight at the ingenious use of words. Because that’s what writers do. They take note. Exhibits A, B, and C: “I pushed the gas pedal of the LeSabre hard, stabbed us deeper into the night.” “Both his hands were in his pants pockets. It made his shoulders more innocent. That’s just another way of saying still guilty, though.” “I swallowed, was sure it was a tidal wave everyone heard.” For the coming-of-age fans, the road trip fans, the lycans and the anarchists, with a special place in the heart of those who appreciate Near Dark (yes, the vampire film). If Stephen Graham Jones’ other books are as good as MONGRELS then I’ve found myself another author to add to my list of favorites.

A TOP SHELF review, originally published in the June 10, 2016 edition of The Monitor. I think it’s safe to say that “Mongrels” is one of Stephen Graham Jones’ most personal novels yet, even though it’s ostensibly about a family of werewolves. Along with spending many of his formative years as the only Native American kid in a small West Texas town, Jones crisscrossed the country in his youth in many a broken-down truck. To this day the acclaimed author and professor seems to feel the stamp of the open road on his soul, as indelible a mark as the ostracization suffered be all marginalized families. “Mongrels” opens with an unnamed young narrator living with his grandfather, an acerbic old man who tells tall tales about being a werewolf, much to the chagrin of the boy’s Aunt Libby and Uncle Darren (who imply to him that they are simply outsiders in their rural community). But at a moment of crisis, the boy discovers the truth: all of his living relatives are werewolves. Soon he finds himself living on the road with Libby and Darren, their peculiar needs and customs keeping them from staying more than a few months at any one place. As his understanding of the nature of werewolves deepens, the boy at first embraces what may be his destiny with feral glee. With the passing of time, however, the gravitational pull of the rest of society complicates his relationship with his aunt and uncle. The multiple conflicts with neighbors, law enforcement and social institutions are heightened by the fact that the narrator may not have actually inherited the family curse. Adjusting to that possibility, imagining himself nonetheless part of circle of loved ones with whom he doesn’t share an essential quality, makes the boy a rich, compelling and wholly empathetic character. Jones has explained in interviews that “Mongrels” got its start as a cycle of short stories that he stitched together with a series of third-person vignettes (each of which refers to the protagonist by a role he plays or pretends to play: “nephew,” “biologist,” etc.). Like the lives of its characters themselves, this disjointed, episodic structure may baffle or frustrate some readers, but to my mind it’s a brilliant stroke of luck. The last thing I wanted was a novel version of “Teen Wolf.” Jones has given us something vastly richer and more rewarding. The plight of the family can be read as a metaphor for that of any immigrant or minority clan whose lifestyle and traditions are at odds with a community that views them with deep distrust. The protagonist’s internal war — the existential question of whether to embrace his heritage or abandon it to pursue a more mainstream life in the larger social sphere — is one that will resonate with all daughters and sons of fringe folk.

Stephen Graham Jones knocks it out of the park yet again with another amazingly well written and compelling book! It truly brought some childhood memories back to life with the idea of wanting to be a werewolf! This book itself stands out like a full moon on the dark sky comparable to other werewolf literature, If you’re looking for a fun unique and engaging tale of werewolves (especially one that adds a cool and different take on werewolf lore) this is definitely the book for you! Another amazing aspect is that unlike a lot of werewolf literature it takes out the whole romantic side of the beast and fills it with something so much more meaningful and thrilling! 5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Absolutely one of the best Werewolf books I’ve read in a long time

Llegó sin problemas y antes del tiempo eatimado (al día siguiente de comprarlo).

A new take on an old legend. Enjoyable and different.

Stephen Graham Jones has a way of not leading readers by the hand and Mongrel was a fantastic example of this. Often we’re dumped into scenes or dialogue without any prep or backstory relying on Jones to flesh things out for us later, and when the puzzle pieces all come together, it makes for such a satisfying read. This was werewolves like I’ve never seen them before. Excellent, runaway read. Loved it.

Fresh and original take on the life of wolves.