Someone You Can Build a Nest In

The novel’s protagonist and narrator, Shesheshen is a shapeshifting monster whose internal world challenges conventional definitions of humanity and morality. She is a round and dynamic character, evolving from a solitary survivalist guided by instinct into a being capable of complex love and self-sacrifice. Her non-human perspective, which initially frames people as either threats or sources of sustenance and raw materials, provides the novel’s central narrative lens. This viewpoint is fundamental to the theme of Monstrosity as a Social Construct Rather Than an Innate Trait, as her logical, if gruesome, internal monologue contrasts sharply with the gratuitous cruelty and hypocrisy of the humans who hunt her. Her body, which is an amorphous collection of flesh that she must painstakingly structure with scavenged bones and other found objects, symbolizes The Psychological Costs of Masking and Identity Performance.

Shesheshen’s character is initially defined by her pragmatic and brutal worldview, which is shaped by her harsh upbringing. Her earliest memory is of the “nest” her father made of his own corpse, which is a foundational experience that conflates love, safety, and