My Roommate from Hell

Dietrich (The Rules of Royalty) embraces the chaos and uncertainty of redefining oneself in a new setting and the joy of discovering community in this tropey paranormal rom-com. When freshman Owen arrives at Point University, he discovers that his roommate is Zarmenus, prince of the newly discovered Hell dimension, who is attending college as part of an inter-dimensional exchange program. Though Owen is reluctant to deal with an arrogant partier—and the drunken frat boys, fanatical demon hunters, and supernatural nuisances he attracts—the dean persuades Owen to give it a go, hoping to use the duo’s successful cohabitation as proof that humans and demons can coexist. Initial friction between Owen and Zarmenus settles into a tentative truce until media scrutiny prompts the roomies to cook up a fake-dating arrangement to distract from Zarmenus’s partying. But when their manufactured relationship starts feeling too real, they must figure out what they really want. As introverted Owen explores his queerness, both alone and in relation to Zarmenus’s open-book nature, he’s able to embrace his identity with more confidence, resulting in a gratifying—if somewhat predictable—tale about personal agency and forging one’s own path. Owen reads as white; Zarmenus has red skin. Ages 12–up. Agent: Moe Ferrara, Triada US. (Nov.)

Correction: The text of this review has been updated for clarity.