Hell Followed with Us (2022)

Hell Followed with Us — the debut novel by American author Andrew Joseph White, published on June 7, 2022 by Peachtree Teen. It is a dark post-apocalyptic story with elements of horror, fantasy, and dystopia, told from the perspective of sixteen-year-old transgender boy Benji.

Plot:

The world has been destroyed by a biological weapon deployed by a fundamentalist cult that worships angels. Benji escapes from this cult, which raised him and infected him with a virus that gradually turns him into a terrifying monster — a Seraph, capable of completing the apocalypse. He finds refuge with a group of queer teenage survivors, but must hide his infection. The group's leader, Nick, offers Benji protection in exchange for using his monstrous power to fight the cult. However, Nick has his own secrets and hidden motives. The novel explores themes of identity, self-acceptance, faith, community, and rebellion against oppression. It is a fierce, bloody, and at the same time deeply personal story about how the monster inside can become a weapon against tyranny.

Author:

Andrew Joseph White is a queer transgender autistic writer from Virginia who writes about trans teenagers with claws and fangs fighting back. His subsequent works include The Spirit Bares Its Teeth (2023), Compound Fracture (2024), and the upcoming adult novel You Weren’t Meant to Be Human.

Adaptation:

In 2024, it was announced that Lilly Wachowski (co-creator of "The Matrix") and her company Anarchists United, together with Powerhouse Animation Studios (known for "Castlevania"), are developing a feature-length animated film based on the novel. Production details are currently undisclosed.

Awards and Recognition:

• Finalist for the William C. Morris Debut Award 2022.
• The book entered the New York Times Young Adult bestseller list in August 2022.
• Included in Paste Magazine's list of the best YA books of 2022.
• Received positive reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and other publications.

Where to read/buy:

• Author's official website: andrewjosephwhite.com/hell-followed-with-us
• Ukrainian edition: «Пекло слідувало за нами» from BookChef publishing. BookChef
• English edition: available on Amazon, Book Depository, and in local bookstores.
• Other translations: French (Nous sommes l'apocalypse), Italian (Dopo Di Noi Venne l'Inferno), Brazilian Portuguese (O Inferno Que Nos Persegue), Spanish (Nos Ha Alcanzado El Infierno), Czech (Za námi šlo Záhrobí), German (Hell Followed With Us: Das Monster In Uns).