Interbalance of Good and Evil, Innocence and Monstrosity, Faith and Superstition

The prologue just blew me away. It was so vivid, so visceral, I felt every moment of the boy's joy and sheer pleasure in his inclusion by the other children; then every inch of his pain when he realized the monster inside was not under his control, and it was about to cost another's life. Then the grief and despair when he is forced to flee, knowing he was born a monster, lives a monster, and must die as a monster. Terribly heartwrenching.

Reading on, I know I want to read this entire novel. The juxtapostion of good and evil, of innocence and monstrosity, of faith and superstition is incredibly powerful and fascinating.