We Are the Beasts - by Gigi Griffis (Paperback)

About the Book

In eighteenth century France, sixteen-year-old Josâephine and her best friend Clara use a mysterious beast conveniently blamed for the villagers' crimes to protect young girls from abusive men in power.

Book Synopsis

Deaths and disappearances pile up as a mysterious beast stalks the French countryside and two girls seize an unlikely opportunity that just might save them all--or serve them up on a platter.

Step into this chilling, historical horror inspired by the unsolved mystery of the Beast of Gévaudan.

When a series of brutal, mysterious deaths start plaguing the countryside and whispers of a beast in the mountains reach the quiet French hamlet of Mende, most people believe it's a curse--God's punishment for their sins.

But to sixteen-year-old Joséphine and her best friend, Clara, the beast isn't a curse. It's an opportunity.

For years, the girls of Mende have been living in a nightmare--fathers who drink, brothers who punch, homes that feel like prisons--and this is a chance to get them out.

Using the creature's attacks as cover, Joséphine and Clara set out to fake their friends' deaths and hide them away until it's safe to run. But escape is harder than they thought. If they can't brave a harsh winter with little food... If the villagers discover what they're doing... If the beast finds them first...

Those fake deaths might just become real ones.

Review Quotes

Praise for We Are the Beasts

"Full of courage, heart, and danger, We Are the Beasts is a thoroughly engrossing read about the lengths young women must go to to survive when confronted by beasts of all kinds. I gasped, I smiled, I was enraged--this book is triumphant."--Kendare Blake, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Three Dark Crowns

"Like sharp teeth in the dark, We Are the Beasts takes hold of you and never lets go. A compelling, tense, and thoughtful exploration of what it means to be girls in a world of monsters."--Kiersten White, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein

"We Are the Beasts is a love letter to girlhood and a vicious anthem of survival turned up loud. Griffis has deftly woven rage and resistance into the historical French countryside while gifting us bold and tender sapphic heroines who slay the most terrifying of monsters. It's everything YA needs."--Jamison Shea, author of I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me

"With a raw and riveting main character to match the setting, this historical YA horror dives into threats that face young women in 18th century rural France. What is scarier, the beasts among us or the beasts outside us? I flew through the last half of this rollercoaster of a book, and the last act twist does not disappoint."--Wendy Heard, author of She's Too Pretty To Burn

"A haunting, beautifully written tale, infused with fears and truths that transcend time."--Eva V. Gibson, Edgar-nominated author of Frightmares

"With lush prose and a vivid historical setting, Griffis weaves a compulsive tale of monsters and men, and the blurry line between the two. Lovers of feminist horror will devour this one whole."--MK Pagano, author of Girls Who Burn

"A loveably brutal historical horror novel about a monster in the woods that's actually an earnest ode to the inherent claustrophobia of being a teenaged girl in a trenchcoat."--Sami Ellis, author of Dead Girls Walking

★ "A wild thing of a girl furiously protects her own against men worse than monsters in this savagely feminist YA horror tale."--Shelf Awareness, starred review

"Breathes new life and intrigue into the historical tale of the Beast of Gévaudan. Griffis has an eye for historical detail and a deft hand when it comes to plotting."--CrimeReads

"Immersive and rich. A dread-filled yet inspiring tale of the power that angry girls can wield."--Kirkus

"Full of sharp turns and fast-paced action with a ­fiery, feminist heart."--School Library Journal

"Merciless and triumphant, the end will offer a catharsis for anyone who has found humans to be far more vicious than nature."--The Bulletin

"Griffis reimagines the historical beast of Gévaudan attacks into a tale of female rage and empowerment after abuse...sweet moments of queer romance and affirming female friendships round out this heart-pounding and gruesome historical thriller."--PW

"With compelling twists and turns, this is a well-written story of control, overcoming trauma, and standing up for what's right."--Historical Novels Society

About the Author

Gigi Griffis writes edgy, feminist historical stories for adults and teens, including The Wicked Unseen and The Empress, a Netflix tie-in. She's a sucker for little-known histories, "unlikable" female characters, and all things Europe. After almost ten years of semi-nomadic life, she now lives in Portugal with an opinionated Yorkie mix named Luna and a fancy blender that cost more than her couch. Her main hobbies are righteous anger, swearing, and gazing lovingly at the dog or the blender.