 In June, 1983, in Dutchess County, New York, Sabastian Cole joins his mother, step-father, and sister for dinner. Hank, Sabastian s step-father, drops a bomb: he announces he s changing sexes. Sebastian s sister splits immediately for California, and his mother takes him back to England. Jump ahead eight months, Sebastian is back in New York, knocking on Hank s door. Hank (now Henrietta, although all the surgeries aren t complete) takes Sebastian in and is his rock over the next few months of high school. Sebastian s "adventures" are mostly self-destructive.