Monster of the Week

About Monster of the Week

Monster of the Week is a young adult novel by F.T. Lukens, published by Interlude Press. It is a sequel to The Rules and Regulations for Mediating Myths & Magic, continuing the story of Bridger Whitt, a high school senior who works as an assistant to Pavel Chudinov — a man whose job is to serve as an intermediary between the human world and the hidden world of cryptids, mythological creatures, and the generally supernatural.

As the novel begins, Bridger's life is looking good. He has a boyfriend he loves, a best friend he can rely on, and a college acceptance letter waiting for him. His job is unusual, but it gives his days a sense of purpose and frequent contact with pixies and the occasional unicorn. Senior year, by all appearances, should be his best year yet.

When the Myth World Goes Public

The crisis arrives in the form of a television show: a monster-hunting program whose host has been drawn to Bridger's town by a series of strange incidents from the previous fall — incidents connected to the myth world that was supposed to stay hidden. The show's investigation threatens to expose the entire hidden ecosystem of mythological creatures that Pavel has spent his career protecting, and Bridger finds himself in the middle of a game of cat and mouse with a host who is relentless and a camera crew that will not stop filming.

At the same time, Bridger's personal life is pulling apart at the seams. His estranged father shows up without warning. His uncertainty about the future — college, his relationship, what he actually wants his life to look like — surfaces all at once. Lukens weaves the external supernatural threat with the internal pressures of growing up and finding out that the future you assumed was settled is actually more open and terrifying than you thought.

Queer Characters in a Queer World

Like all of Lukens's work, Monster of the Week features queer characters whose identities are simply part of who they are. Bridger has a boyfriend. This is not treated as remarkable, scandalous, or a source of conflict — it is part of the fabric of the story, as natural as any other element of his life. Lukens writes LGBTQ+ characters in fantasy and urban fantasy settings where they belong, which is everywhere.

Why Monster of the Week Has Been Banned

The novel has been restricted in Katy Independent School District in Texas. Katy ISD has removed a significant number of books from its libraries, with a particular concentration on titles featuring LGBTQ+ characters and relationships. A novel in which the protagonist has a boyfriend is, in this context, sufficient grounds for removal.

The consistent targeting of books with LGBTQ+ characters in these district-level review processes sends a message to queer students in those schools about whose stories are considered appropriate. Lukens's books are cheerful, imaginative, and full of mythological creatures — the removal of them from school shelves is about identity, not content.