Howl effectively tells the story of a young man living with post traumatic stress disorder after an assault he doesn't fully remember, using the allegory of werewolves. Those looking for a novel that unwinds a rich history of werewolf lore will be disappointed, but Hutchinson's story is valuable for what it is. Virgil is struggling through many difficulties familiar to teenagers, he has moved in with family he hardly knows, has to attend a conservative small-town high school, deals with cyberbullying that extends into the real world, and suspects his long-distance boyfriend is ready to end things. Through these experiences Virgil learns that he has imperfect allies in his friends and family, and that life is more ambiguous than he first believed. This is a book without easy answers, but overflows with hope.