A Monster Calls: Inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd

by Patrick Ness and Siobhan Dowd

Jim Kay (Illustrator)

The #1 New York Times bestseller!

An unflinching, darkly funny, and deeply moving story of a boy, his seriously ill mother, and an unexpected monstrous visitor.

At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting – he’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments. The monster in his backyard is different. It’s ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth. From the final idea of award-winning author Siobhan Dowd – whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself – Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, loss, and monsters both real and imagined.

• ISBN10: 0763655597
• ISBN13: 9780763655594
• Publish Date: 15 September 2011 (first published 2 May 2011)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Candlewick Press,U.S.
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 224
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780763655594

Reviews

[nitzan_schwarz]

2015 tbr challenge + cleaning my shelves 2015

Originally published on my blog.

I know, I know. What the heck? How could you've given this book three stars!? Well, it's... complicated... I... I mean... I think...I think I missed something, with this whole book.

I love Patrick Ness. His Chaos Walking trilogy is one of my favorite series - and quite possibly the most gut-wrenching and painful series I've ever read. I know he can wreck havoc on someone's emotions, that he can totally tarnish and destroy your soul (and repair it with the same expertise). So, I had no trouble believing all those reviews saying how this book made them into a sobbing mess. I was even eagerly waiting for it to happen!

But then it didn't.

I know. I can't really wrap my head around it either, but the fact is... for most of the book, I felt nothing. Not toward Conor and his struggle, not toward the monster... I was just reading it, nothing else. Around the end, when his mother had The Talk with him, I finally felt a little wet in the eyes, and I was hopeful the ruthless sobbing will be coming next.

But it didn't. Thirty seconds later, my eyes were dry, and stayed that way. I honestly feel like I might've missed something. I mean, I should've felt something. Why didn't I?! The book was well written, and had the classic Ness imagery. And still... nothing!

Another thing that was hard for me is that this book is super short. It's only 205 pages, and that's while counting in all those wordless pages of illustrations. So, really, it's probably more around 160 pages, if that. It felt short, to me, too. Like, I didn't really have enough time to get to know everyone and everything. Maybe that's why I wasn't moved by the story.

Writing this review - giving the book this rating - was so hard. I really, really, really wanted to love it. But I don't regret getting this book. If anything, it's a gorgeous addition to my shelves - what with the stunning illustrations and the gorgeous second cover...

Originally published on my blog.

[A Darker Shade of Rosie]

✨ A Darker Shade of Rosie + Twitter ✨

→ DISLIKED: Honest to goodness, I did feel bad for Conor, being only a teenager and feeling invisible with a terminally ill mother. I did get a bit emotional at parts, but I just... didn't have a strong reaction to it like I do with other books.

→ LIKED: I found the dialogue between Conor and the 'monster' comical at most times, which saved me from putting down the book a lot. I did like their interactions, and the monster's stories, which did have major twists.

[Rinn]

A beautiful, moving story with some stunning illustrations. It is short and simple, but heart-wrenching. I felt the images really pulled it together to give it an ethereal feel.
I'm not going to review it properly, but I am going to say, read it.

[nannah]

Wow. I don't think any book has made me cry this hard (well, except for his Chaos Walking trilogy, that is). This book is poignant and beautiful. And REAL. Cancer has been in my life, and so this book struck a (really sad and deep) chord with me. Ness can really work his words, too. He has become my favorite author, hands down. This book is a masterpiece.