Ben Lovatt, a feral and misunderstood young man, attempts to navigate a society that views him with instinctive fear and revulsion. Having reached the end of his childhood, Ben leaves the confines of his family home to search for a place where he might belong. He faces constant rejection and exploitation as he moves through London, France, and South America, struggling to reconcile his primal nature with the demands of a world that refuses to understand him. The narrative follows his fragmented, often lonely existence as he encounters those who fear his physical difference and the rare few who offer him fleeting moments of humanity.

This work is often analyzed as a stark extension of the themes established in its predecessor, focusing on the inevitable collision between an anomalous individual and a rigid society. The narrative is frequently noted for its unflinching look at how the world treats those it deems monstrous or incomprehensible. Critics and readers alike often highlight the author's ability to maintain a sense of unease while shifting the focus from the domestic sphere to the broader, more indifferent global stage. The book serves as a somber reflection on the limits of compassion when faced with the truly alien, leaving the reader to contemplate the nature of humanity itself.