Cassy’s life is upended when she is sent to live with her estranged mother, only to find herself pursued by a phantom wolf that mirrors the violent secrets of her father’s past. Cassy, a teenager accustomed to the quiet stability of her grandmother’s home, must navigate the chaotic environment of a squat occupied by her mother and a group of radical activists. As she participates in a theatrical production centered on wolves, the boundary between the performance and her reality begins to blur. The narrative follows her attempt to reconcile her mother’s instability with the emerging, terrifying truth regarding her father’s history as a militant bomber.

Readers frequently highlight the atmospheric tension that permeates the narrative as Cassy struggles to distinguish between her own fears and external threats. Discussion often centers on the effectiveness of the wolf metaphor, which serves as both a literal and symbolic representation of the danger posed by the father’s past. Critics often note the author’s ability to balance the gritty reality of the squat with the psychological unease of the protagonist’s experiences. The pacing is generally described as deliberate, allowing the mystery of the father’s identity to unfold alongside Cassy’s personal growth. Many readers find the exploration of how children inherit the consequences of their parents' actions to be the most compelling aspect of the work.