The Changing Man

When Leon, a scholarship student at the prestigious Nithercott School, receives a text from his crush, he heads into the woods to find her. There, Leon instead encounters a mysterious orange mist and is never seen again. A month later, Ife, a new student of Nigerian descent who's attending Nithercott, learns of his disappearance through rumors from peers. Some suggest that it’s the handiwork of the violent Changing Man, the school’s harrowing urban legend who “preys on the lonely at heart.” Because of racist interactions with school administration and her anxiety attacks, Ife struggles adjusting to life at Nithercott, though she manages to befriend students Malika and Bijal. After Malika briefly goes missing and reappears with a seemingly different personality, Ife partners with Bijal and Leon’s younger brother Ben to investigate the strange happenings at the academy. In this mind-bending supernatural debut, Oyemakinde uses a dark academic setting to examine themes of loss, loneliness, friendship, and change. Ife’s developing bonds with Bijal and Ben help transform her from a withdrawn introvert into a fierce final girl as she navigates the narrative’s hair-raising horrors. Supporting characters are intersectionally diverse. Ages 14–up. (Sept.)

Correction: The text of this review has been updated for clarity.