The book opens with Magnus telling the reader they don’t want to die and end up like him, watching undead warriors fight. He introduces himself as a 16-year-old who’s been homeless in Boston for two years and says this is the story of “how my life went downhill after I got myself killed” (3).

On a winter morning, Magnus wakes when his friend Blitz kicks him and announces a middle-aged man and teenage girl are looking for him. Blitz disappears, and the man and girl come into view. The girl is Annabeth Chase, Magnus’s cousin whom he remembers from years ago. The man is Magnus’s Uncle Frederick (Annabeth’s father). Magnus hides and overhears Annabeth and Frederick discussing Magnus’s other uncle, Randolph.

Magnus hasn’t seen Randolph in 10 years. After a family fight, Magnus’s mother vowed to stay away from Randolph because she refused to “give him what he wants” (8). Magnus never found out what that was. Two years ago, wolves attacked Magnus and his mother in their home. After telling Magnus to run and not to get help from Randolph, she stayed behind and lost her life to the creatures.

Magnus honored his mother’s wishes and stayed away from his family all this time.