Clarion, 2012
ISBN-13: 978-0547637242
Available: New hardcover, paperback, and Kindle edition
Deformed by disease, Evan’s only visitor and caretaker is his mother, until he is visited by a wormlike creature of the dark who informs Evan that he is transforming into a Wuftoom . Desperate to hang on to his humanity, Evan resists. Then he is visited by another creature, a Vitfly, who offers Evan a chance to possess another person for his remaining days as a human, if he will betray the Wuftoom, enemies of the Vitflys. Evan seizes the opportunity, but the Wuftoom force him to expose his host to goo that will transform him as well. Once transformed, Evan is forced to go into the sewers with the Wuftoom, but promises his mother that he will return. The Vitflys remind him of his promise and threaten his mother unless he follows through. As Evan grows used to being Wuftoom , he starts to feel guilty about betraying them, but his love for his mother outweighs his guilt. He rescues his mother but fails to trick the Vitflys , who almost completely destroy the Wuftoom. In saving Wuftoom friends and comrades, Evan truly finds his place among the Wuftoom.
The beginning of Wuftoom has similarities to Kafka’s The Metamorphosis. Evan starts out as a sympathetic character—how could I not feel sympathy for a deformed boy alone in the dark, metamorphosing into a grotesque, wormlike creature that lives in the sewers? Evan’s visitor seemed callous and unpleasant, and it was easy to see why Evan would make a deal with the equally disturbing Vitfly. Betrayal of a creepy creature like the Wuftoom seemed a small price to pay for Evan to have a few days of life in the sun, especially after he was forced to trick Jordan into becoming a Wuftoom .
But while Wuftoom society is grim, primitive, violent, and eats intelligent creatures (described in disturbing detail), as distinct personalities emerged, they became more sympathetic , and Evan became much less likable. Evan’s struggle as to whether to save his mother and hang onto his humanity or to accept his destiny as a Wuftoom, becomes much more than existential angst, though, when he emerges into his former bedroom and sees his terrified mother in front of him, while an injured Wuftoom mentor suffers behind him. As much as I disliked Evan at this point , it’s undeniable that he has set himself up in a horrifying, no-win situation. While he is able to let go of his mother and accept his transformation by the end of the book, her life is in ruins, and Evan’s actions have led to the almost complete destruction of the Wuftoom—not a hopeful ending.
Mary Thompson is gifted at shifting perspectives, both of characters and of readers. She does an excellent job of taking the recognizable (The Metamorphosis) and turning it in an unexpected direction. Her creativity in world-building and creature creation, and her ability to describe the disturbing and grotesque is impressive. Wuftoom is targeted to ages 12 and older, and I don’t recommend it for younger children. The book is genuinely scary, and Evan’s dilemma is beyond the understanding of most elementary aged children. Wuftoom is better targeted at a middle school audience, which might be able to handle the ambiguities of the story and deal with a largely unsympathetic protagonist more successfully. Wuftoom is certainly not for everyone, but it’s definitely an interesting choice for a middle school library.
Contains: Violence and gore