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Lunatic Fringe

by Allison Moon (Goodreads Author)

3.55 of 5 stars 3.55 · rating details · 143 ratings · 37 reviews

New author Allison Moon indulges the feminine wild by giving the classic werewolf myth a lesbian twist. Lexie Clarion's first night at college, she falls in with a pack of radical feminist werewolf hunters. The next morning, she falls for a mysterious woman who may be among the hunted. As Lexie's new lover and the Pack battle for Lexie's allegiance, the waxing moon illumin...more

Paperback, 300 pages

Published September 29th 2011 by Lunatic Ink

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Dec 05, 2011 karen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: welcome-author

i know i said i was only going to read YA until my paper was due, but sometimes people sidle up to me at work and ask me to read their friend's book, and you just have to, you know??

i was going to give this thing 2 stars, when i was only three chapters in. the was so steeped in feminist dogma, i was getting a little twitchy with it. don't tell me this is going to be a lesbian werewolf book and then give me speeches about the horrors of the patriarchy, because then i'm just going to be looking fo...more

41 likes · like · see review

Apr 08, 2013 Tom rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, series, horror, mysteries-thrillers, lgbt-issues

Allison Moon's debut novel, "Lunatic Fringe," is one of the most difficult novels I've read as far as classification. "Fiction" was easy, as was "Series," since the second novel is due anon.

Where else? "YA-Paranormal" would work, except that there are most definitely some sex scenes--beautifully, explicitly rendered sex scenes that would probably warp a lot of 12-year-old readers' minds. Yep. Definitely not a YA-anything book. I finally settled on "Horror" and "Mystery/Thriller." Neither comes c...more Allison Moon's debut novel, "Lunatic Fringe," is one of the most difficult novels I've read as far as classification. "Fiction" was easy, as was "Series," since the second novel is due anon.

Where else? "YA-Paranormal" would work, except that there are most definitely some sex scenes--beautifully, explicitly rendered sex scenes that would probably warp a lot of 12-year-old readers' minds. Yep. Definitely not a YA-anything book. I finally settled on "Horror" and "Mystery/Thriller." Neither comes close to describing adequately what happens in "Lunatic Fringe," but I don't have a sui generis shelf, so they will have to do.

Lexie Clarion sets off for her Freshman year of college. Her mother ran off years ago, and it's just been Lexie and her father for years. The family doesn't have much money, but Lexie has won a scholarship to prestigious Milton College, a progressive college about 50 miles from home.

As Lexie moves into her dorm, she gets some help from Blythe and Mitch, two women who'd stopped to kiss against Lexie's dorm. The two girls carry most of Lexie's boxes upstairs. Blythe invites Lexie to a weekend brunch with "The Pack," a group of friends who share a house near campus.

When Lexie shows up for the brunch, she's a little surprised that there are no men there. Then various members of The Pack flirt, kiss, and cuddle with one another. Lexie isn't freaked-out by women kissing--she's never swung one way or the other as far as her sexual orientation--but she feels lost trying to follow the feminist nature of the conversations she encounters. Before the night's over, she's heard a lot, and she's even kissed a girl.

Before too long, Lexie finds herself involved with an older woman--a hell of a lot older, it turns out--and she has embraced her newfound sexuality most enthusiastically.

There's always talk of werewolves, though. There is a breed called the Rare wolf that is especially lethal. They can turn even when it's not full moon. Indeed, The Pack is devoted to eradicating them. What they do is lure a Rare wolf into a situation where he gets excited and starts to turn, then they subdue him, take him to a secret cave, force him to turn completely, then kill him. Lexie runs away from her first hunt; she couldn't stand to see the violence against an apparent human.

Lexie settles into a passionate relationship with Archer, a woman who lives in an isolated cabin deep in the woods. Lexie learns more and more about the forest, as well as a whole damn lot about sex. In time, she learns more about Archer's nature, as well as her own.

One weekend, three obnoxious frat-boys are killed during a camping trip. The carnage was definitely lycanthropic in nature, and Lexie is surprised when she discovers the killer's identity. It leads to a conflict between her lover and her friends in The Pack. Everyone involved has secrets. In the process, Lexie finds strength and wisdom within herself, and makes some difficult decisions.

I really liked this book. The story kept me hooked from early-on till the final page. What's weird, though, is that I wasn't necessarily in a rush to figure out the book's secrets. I was satisfied enough with the story at each stage, that I could enjoy the ride, knowing the answers would come.

Lexie does a lot of growing-up in her first semester, far more than simply losing her virginity. When she was moving to college, her goal was to be bold and say "YES" when presented with a new opportunity. It takes her some practice to get used to saying "yes," but she does. In the end, she learns that sometimes "no" is the more difficult answer, especially when her answer means she and others will be hurt.

Some of the reviews I read of "Lunatic Fringe" complained that the novel is basically a treatise on feminism. It isn't. Nearly all of the "feminism" arises as part of conversations Lexie has with members of The Pack. The Pack members are feminists, some of them ardently so, so it only makes sense that they would discuss the topic, especially with a newbie. The same thing would happen with sports fans, xenophiles, Young Republicans, or any other group. We talk about things that are important to us. Some friends and I have in-depth discussions about classic baseball that would bore the crap out of non-fans. Yes, there are some anti-phallocentrism rants in the book, but they occur organically in characters' dialogue, not as an unwelcome interruption to the story. (Tom Robbins used to do this a lot)

The story is well-told, and the werewolf/Rare wolf lore seeps through the whole book, rather than being something Lexie discovers only after some grisly murder. "Lunatic Fringe" isn't set up like a typical horror novel or movie. There's no "Holy crap! There are really werewolves!!!" moment. Lexie has been aware of the lore her whole life. Her connection to it...that part she has to learn.

I admit, some part of me picked this book, thinking "LESBIAN WEREWOLVES?? Awesome!" That was such a seemingly odd pairing, that I couldn't resist reading this book.

The beautiful surprise was that "Lunatic Fringe" turned out to be an intelligent, thoughtful, well-rendered book, regardless of its subject matter. (Although Lesbian Werewolves really ARE mighty badass)(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 15, 2012 Sarah Jane rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-2, fiction, hella-gay, read-in-2012, fantasy-y-y

LESBIAN WEREWOLVES. I don't think I need to say anything other than that.

4 likes · like · see review

Apr 22, 2013 Eva Folsom rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: brain-candy, glbtq

I just got book #2 in the mail and before I read it, I want to jot a quick review of #1. I read it when it first came out (2011?) so this review will be just a short bit. (Even before baby sleep deprivation, my memory wasn't the greatest.)

I'll jump right to the main point--Lesbian. Fucking. Werewolves! When I heard that, I had to buy the book and read it. And Moon totally delivers with great werewolves and great sex scenes.

Since the book is self-published, I was curious to see if there was anyth...more

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 03, 2012 Mandy rated it 1 of 5 stars

I wish there was a rating between 1 and 2 stars, because I really didn't actively hate this book, but I wouldn't say I liked it either.

A lot of the teen fiction I have read has these protagonists that aren't really that. They are there solely so things can happen TO them, there's nothing "pro" about it. Twilight is a good example. This book is another. Lexie doesn't seem to have any defining attributes. Other than she has braids and she carries a knife, I don't think there is a single instance...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 04, 2012 Alicia rated it 5 of 5 stars

I decided I wanted to read more books by not only women authors but also women from the LGBT community. I was a little wary of a "werewolf" book because, you know, Twilight. But I bought it on Amazon when I was a little drunk one day and next thing I knew it was at my house.

This book is SO much more than a werewolf book. It starts with a girl who struggles to find herself and the other kick-ass women she meets. I don't want to go into too much detail but the werewolf part of this book is almost...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 19, 2012 Elisa Ramblings added it

I’m not really familiar with lesbian novel, but I wanted to give to Allison Moon a try, for various reason, one of which is that she was named a Lambda Literary Foundation Emerging LGBT Writers Fellow and Lunatic Fringe is her first novel. I’m happy I give her this chance, since, while for sure there is a lesbian theme, a love story between Lexie and Archer, this is mostly a story that could appeal to many different readers.

I had the feeling there was a feminist message underneath, Lexie going t...more

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Jun 09, 2012 t'Sade rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: female-leads, lesbian, tenchi-effect

This is an intoxicating and wonderful story of a young girl going to college and finding herself falling for the beautiful women she finds there. Ms. Moon's prose is amazing, it flows like poetry and is very evocative as it runs across the page. It was a true pleasure to read and I would highly recommend it for anyone. The sexual overtones (and flat out sex) are very well done, adding a lovely spice to the plot.

The characters have lovely depth, at least for some of them.

There were a few things...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 10, 2012 Terry Baker rated it 4 of 5 stars

Lexie Clarion is a regular eighteen year old girl. Just like many other girls of her age, she is feeling nervous as she gets ready to go off to college. Lexie has no way of knowing that her life is about to change beyond anything she ever dreamed of.

When Lexie arrives at college, she is determined to make the most of everything and enjoy her life and the freedom of being away from home. She tries to put to the back of her mind the rise in attacks from local werewolves. She isn’t going to let th...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 25, 2011 Lidia rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am always pleasantly surprised when I come across a good book, those who fail to satisfy not only the passion for great stories but also to invite reflection and reasoning on timeless topics. First book for this writer, is a small compendium of knowledge most useful to young women, boys would not hurt to read it, in search of its identity.
The protagonist is just a very lonely girl, who hardly speaks and who is still suffering from the abandonment of the mother and that the door to be insecure...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Journey rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: queer-ladies

if you're going to write something that I've been waiting AGES for (like LESBIAN WEREWOLVES) it should be required to be good. this book is not.

there's a critique in one of the reviews that Lexie is a typical heroine who has things happen to her instead of making things happen - or having any sort of strong personality. that's 100% true. in addition, we're supposed to be AGAINST the scary radical lesbians killing rapists and murderers (there's an awful cheesy paragraph that says "it's as if they...more

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May 23, 2012 Patricia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbt

This was an interesting read that I had a really hard time rating. I found that my thoughts and feelings about this book were all over the place as I was reading it. But in short I can say this:

- The theme of feminism throughout the book was interesting, although it really got on my nerves at times. (view spoiler)...more

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 30, 2012 W. Tinkanesh rated it 4 of 5 stars

It is about lesbian werewolves. It is about Archer, a lone womon coming back to the small town of Milton, Oregon. It is about the Pack, a community of radical lesbians studying at Milton College. It is about 18-year-old Lexie who's never been that far away from her hometown of Wolf Creek: 60 miles.
After a quick foray into Women's Studies and feminism, Allison Moon properly introduces Lexie to the Pack and their mesmerizing words. Just before smashing Lexie's single room on campus with a majestic...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 15, 2012 Ash Miller rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: rock-my-lady-parts

Lunatic Fringe is a such a delightfully maddening story. In trying to describe it to those who have never heard of it I have discovered it helps to go beyond "lesbian werewolves"... as the story itself goes well beyond that, in my opinion. Lunatic Fringe is a tale that is penned in open and honest language that is easily related to by the reader (male, female, somewhere in between... I've asked them all post reading and we all agree on this one). Different folk will find different parts that spe...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 12, 2013 Levi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, feminism, queer, werewolves

This has the distinction of being the first e-book I've ever bought. (Yes, despite the fact that I've had a kindle for over a year---Project Gutenberg, miscellaneous free ebooks, fanfic, and internet articles for the win!) The moment I saw "lesbian separatist werewolf hunters," I knew I HAD to have it.

The characters and writing were clunky in places, but not too bad. The best part is Moon's particular version of werewolf mythology, though! Much as I like Bitten and Stolen (which are my other go-...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 29, 2011 S.J. Bell added it

Lunatic Fringe was significantly better than the last self-pub book I read, and better than a lot of books from big publishers, too. But it ran hot and cold. Author Allison Moon's craftsmanship is alternately talented and slapdash, so that at the end of the day, I felt that the book wasn't as enjoyable as it could have been. Possibly it's a matter of perspective. This book is aiming at a rather specific niche, and I may not be in tune enough with the target audience to "get" it. But Moon has pot...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Xdyj rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: l-f-ar-af-s, o, q, rtw, poc, fa

funny, with some nice gender studies 101

1 like · like · see review

Jan 07, 2013 Alex rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone

Recommended to Alex by: No one

It was a pretty good book. It starts off a bit slow but after a few pages it picks up rather fast. it's blunt so if you aren't into reading about people doing things or having character's describe COMPLETELY with no holding back on the detail, then you made need to find another book.

The relationships are well put together. This book has everythign you could possibly want in a book. It has suspense, romance, drama, death, blood, fights, women, men, dancing. everything.

I recommened this book to an...more

1 like · like · see review

May 30, 2013 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

It was refreshing to read a story with almost exclusively female characters. Especially as this book is more in my reading age, what with them being in college. This meant I was able to identify with the main character much more easily than in alot of other YA novels where they are still in high school. I enjoyed that they were feminists and it dealt with how that made them interact with others and vice versa.

The main let downs for me were first with Mitch and the use of pronouns around this ch...more

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Dec 03, 2012 Melinda rated it 3 of 5 stars

So it took me a while to get back into this story. Overall, I liked it because it was like a comedy to me. I've been in the women's studies classes and I've been a part of and listened to the discussion folks have. And sometimes young people are very either this or that about things and miss (or disregard) the messy inbetween. I think this novel illustrated that tendency and that was funny for me. There is a book two. I did know that there was a book two. I didn't think that I would want to read...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 06, 2012 Sally rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: intersex, lesbian

Allison Moon's Lunatic Fringe is a truly wonderful read, the kind of story that manages to simultaneously by clever, sexy, frightening, and engaging. It's one of those books where you're never quite sure what to expect, but are never disappointed by the surprises on the next page.

The story takes quite a while to really settle into the core storyline, but Allison establishes the world so carefully, and builds up the characters so beautifully, you don't begrudge the long introduction. I tend to ha...more Allison Moon's Lunatic Fringe is a truly wonderful read, the kind of story that manages to simultaneously by clever, sexy, frightening, and engaging. It's one of those books where you're never quite sure what to expect, but are never disappointed by the surprises on the next page.

The story takes quite a while to really settle into the core storyline, but Allison establishes the world so carefully, and builds up the characters so beautifully, you don't begrudge the long introduction. I tend to have a hard time with names (both in person and on the page), but these characters immediately stuck in my head. I found myself subconsciously dividing them into friends, allies, and adversaries (something I don't normally do unless I'm really engaged) and categorizing them according to likability. With a cast of characters as well-balanced as they are well-rounded, picking sides makes for a really fun read.

Before we get into the characters, though, we are exposed to a healthy dose of social politics. The early chapters have a very 'college' feel to them, with a lot of ideas tossed around, but it's done very well. Allison manages to make an otherwise polarizing subject exciting by intimately tying the issues of sexual identity and gender equality to the characters, giving the politics both a face and a personality. There is even a genderqueer member of the Pack who, as I'm sure will come as no surprise, easily crept into my heart alongside our stunning heroine, Lexie.

There's so much I want to say about this, so many key scenes and snippets of dialogue that I'm dying to share, but it really is the discoveries that make the story. Allison manages to merge the threads of social politics, lesbian romance, werewolf adventure, and college drama into a story that takes hold and never lets go. A story that's both fun and thoughtful at the same time is a rarity in and of itself, but one that's also beautifully written, with such a deft command of narrative and dialogue, is a gem that must be shared.(less)

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Jun 01, 2012 Katy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: those who might enjoy a lesbian feminist werewolf story

Recommended to Katy by: Allison Moon

Shelves: ebook

Book Info: Genre: Paranormal/Werewolf (Lesbian) Reading Level: Adult

Disclosure: I received a free eBook copy of this title from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: Werewolves are back. Lexie Clarion is nervous about college. She's plagued with beastly visions, local werewolf attacks are on the rise, and she really wants to kiss a girl. And classes haven't even started yet.

Things start looking up when she meets the Pack, a group of radical women who have their own methods for...more Book Info: Genre: Paranormal/Werewolf (Lesbian) Reading Level: Adult

Disclosure: I received a free eBook copy of this title from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: Werewolves are back. Lexie Clarion is nervous about college. She's plagued with beastly visions, local werewolf attacks are on the rise, and she really wants to kiss a girl. And classes haven't even started yet.

Things start looking up when she meets the Pack, a group of radical women who have their own methods for handling the werewolf menace. Fascinated by their politics, intimacy, and general bad-assery, Lexie's sure she wants to join them, until an accident brings a captivating stranger into her life: Archer, a rugged woman with heterochromatic eyes and a dark secret. The Pack will go to brutal lengths to win Lexie's favor, but they underestimate Archer's love. As Archer and the Pack battle for Lexie's allegiance, the waxing moon illuminates old hatreds, new enemies, and a secret from Lexie's childhood that will change her life forever. New author Allison Moon indulges the feminine wild by giving the classic werewolf myth a feminist lesbian twist.

My Thoughts: Reading this book made me long for those crazy, hazy days of college. I would have loved to have hooked up with a group like the Pack.

Talking technically, the book is quite well done – oh, there are some editing issues, as well as a huge section that is repeated, but overall it is well written. The characters are wonderful, each delineated carefully and given a unique voice. I really enjoyed the character interactions. The book has a lot of layers – a coming-of-age story, a story about growing up vs. growing old, gender inequality and gender dynamics – and it obviously took a great deal of skill to balance everything and avoid heavy-handedness, which the author did beautifully. For some reason I had expected this to be more light-hearted, which is definitely is not; but I was not disappointed in what I read. I highly recommend this for anyone who might find the topic of interest.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Feb 02, 2013 Tah Trickster rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: lycanthropic-library, autographed-copies

It was a refreshing take on lycanthropy, particularly in a time in which most werewolf-related books are piling up on the “teen paranormal romance” shelves, and laden with teenage angst.

As one might expect from the description, it is very much a feminist-friendly novel, though the speeches from the radically feminist “pack” do get exhausting at times—particularly to a reader who’s already a feminist. At several points in the early chapters, it feels a bit like you’re being beaten over the head w...more

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Oct 01, 2012 DDog rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: queer, werewolves, action, animals, fantasy, borrowed, feminist, romance, sex

I really wanted to love this book. Lesbian werewolves? Right on. Great concept. This is the kind of book I would have eaten right up as a baby dyke. Reading it as an adult queer guy, it's a little much for me; but I'm sure I'm not the intended audience as such. If you like supernatural romance, flowery prose, and coming of age stories with a twist of radical feminism, it's a great example.

1 like · like · see review

Feb 09, 2012 Kayla Eklund rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviews-completed, werewolves, lgbt

Lunatic Fringe was a decently good book. It started off really well, then towards the middle got kind of boring, but picked up again at the end. The end got a little confusing for about ten pages, trying to figure out who was a werewolf and who wasn't. I could have done without one of the more graphic sex scenes in the middle of the book, but the rest of the sex scenes were written very well. I didn't care for most of the women in The Pack, other than Jenna. She had an innocence about her that I...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 25, 2013 Nilchance rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is the first f/f book I've read, and the story is bouncing around feminist ideas in the first 100 pages, which is AWESOME... and then the story took a hard left turn into the country of WTF ARE YOU EVEN. Because:

1) nobody in the feminist community should be angry at men or say that they hate men, even if it's venting frustration, because violence doesn't solve anything; the Straw Feminist group turns out to be werewolf torturers and hunters;
2) it's stupid to care about animal testing becaus...more

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Jan 04, 2012 Kat rated it 4 of 5 stars

Uauauauaua!!! Love the lesbian werewolves and can't wait for the next book and the next. This book was sexy and engaging. Lexie's first year of college/first girl on girl love/first shape-shifting angst is perfect. Thank you Allison Moon.

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Jun 21, 2012 Jen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Mildly predictable in plot and at times adolescent in writing, but still engaging enough that I enjoyed reading it and wasn't just trying to finish it so I could move on to something new.

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Nov 23, 2011 Scott rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: adults

Recommended to Scott by: found online

Shelves: lesbian

Not bad. The plot is a little choppy in the beginning. A good story about Shifters and Pack Politics.

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Sep 17, 2011 Darius Whiteplume rated it 4 of 5 stars

Great paranormal romance. Very enjoyable. Looking forward to the sequel.

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Mostly Lesfic: Allison Moon Q&A	5	38	Aug 11, 2012 01:44pm
Mostly Lesfic: Lunatic Fringe nominated for a Goldie!	9	31	Aug 11, 2012 12:36pm
The Indie Exchang...: Lesbian Werewolf Novel giveaway!	19	41	Dec 02, 2011 10:18pm

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About Allison Moon

Allison Moon is a founding member of Camp Beaverton for Wayward Girls. She grew up exploring the woods of Ohio, and now she's exploring a different kind of wildlife in the California Bay Area. In 2011, she was named a Lambda Literary Foundation Emerging LGBT Writers Fellow. Lunatic Fringe is her first novel. Learn more at www.TalesofthePack.com

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