: Being "Vexed" requires surviving a process that killed most of an entire generation, framing immunity as a survivor's guilt.

In Alexander Yates’s How We Became Wicked , the apocalypse arrives not with a bang, but with the buzzing of "Singers"—mosquito-like insects that carry a virus of pure malevolence. Through the eyes of three teenagers—Astrid, Hank, and Natalie—the novel deconstructs the traditional zombie narrative by introducing the "Wicked": infected individuals who retain their intelligence and manners while harboring a singular, obsessive desire to maim others. By placing this horror against a backdrop of crumbling societal structures, Yates argues that "wickedness" is not merely a biological infection but a potential inherent in all human choices.

Natalie’s storyline on Puffin Island provides a grounded, intimate look at these ethical dilemmas. Trapped in a lighthouse with a pregnant mother and a grandfather who has already turned Wicked, Natalie must decide how far she will go to protect a newborn. Her struggle highlights a key theme: the sacrifice of one’s own safety for the sake of another. The "Wicked" grandfather, despite his murderous intent, remains a tragic figure, illustrating the thin veil between the person he was and the monster he became.

The novel How We Became Wicked by Alexander Yates is a haunting dystopian exploration of humanity’s survival in the face of an insect-borne plague that turns the infected into politely murderous "wickeds".

The essay below examines the book's central themes of morality, isolation, and the blurred lines between safety and monstrosity.

: The "Wicked" are uniquely terrifying because they remain articulate and polite while committing atrocities.