Based on true events that occurred in Bhopal, India, this is a fictional account by a 19-year-old boy named Animal, due to the fact that his body is deformed and he walks on all fours, due to a chemical disaster that occurred when he was an infant. The story is told through Animal's eyes, and while we don't get a full account of what happened "that night," we learn about it through the ongoing court battles against the "Kompani" in which Animal becomes involved.

Animal was raised in an orphanage by Ma Franci, a French nun who has lived in India for many years. She sees Animal as her own son, and when Ma Franci becomes mentally ill and cannot understand other people, Animal translates for her and cares for her. We also meet Zafar, the ringleader in the movement against the American company responsible for the disaster, and his girlfriend Nisha, who Animal desires with a passion. Much of the story revolves around Elli Barber, an American doctor who comes to India in order to help victims of the disaster. Zafar is convinced that she is working with the Kompani, and even though people want medical attention, they are convinced by Zafar to boycott her practice. Animal is forced to make a choice to either boycott Barber's practice or to help her convince everyone that she is there to help them, not the Kompani.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book when I picked it up. What I found was a sometimes sad, sometimes funny story of a young man who is trying to come of age, but who also faces unique obstacles. He has all the same hopes, dreams, and attitudes of any 19-year-old, but these are put forth in a unique perspective. Animal is mostly hopeful for himself and his future throughout the book, but it is heart-rending to realize that some things we take for granted, Animal may never experience. It's a different type of coming-of-age story, but with no less impact.