18 - Vandover and the Brute by Frank Norris

In Vandover and the Brute, we follow the tragic journey of Vandover, a student whose life spirals out of control due to a devastating gambling addiction. As he loses his prized possessions and watches his friends thrive, Vandovers descent into despair leads to a shocking transformation marked by a bizarre form of lycanthropy. Reduced to a primal state, he roams his apartment on all-fours, stripped of his humanity. This haunting tale, published posthumously, marks Norris literary debut and delves deeply into themes of addiction and the human condition, all rendered in a strikingly naturalistic style. (Summary by Sprocket)