In the epic finale of the Social Animals trilogy, the weight of the human and animal world are both pressing in on Correy. Fleeing her guilt, and the law, she resolves to escape to the wild, seeking a place to belong where she will be safe from humans and they will be safe from her.
The wild, however, is unkind as well. She struggles just as much to be a wolf, grappling with hunger, grief, and loneliness.
Correy is finally forced to reckon with the contradictory parts of herself- the part of herself that is a friend, and the part that is a monster- and the contradictory parts of the world- the parts that make her a friend and the parts that make her a monster.
Werewolves are almost never depicted as women, despite the parallels that can be drawn to the human feminine experience. Women are expected to conform to idealized standards, such as being docile, kind, and peaceful; they are expected to confine themselves to the realm of the domestic, instead of being allowed to indulge in impulse and be their authentic selves. The inversion of the typical werewolf trope in the monster novel allows for exploration of femininity, gender roles, self-control, viciousness, protectiveness, and family.
Family is the final installment of Social Animals, a multi-part thriller series.