A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness - Review

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An ancient, wild monster shows up at 12:07 a.m., but it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting. He's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he's had every night since his mother started her cancer treatments. This particular monster, however, wants the most dangerous thing from Conor - the truth.

In the heartbreakingly beautiful A Monster Calls, Conor is forced to come to terms with his grief and anger at his mother's illness, family relationships, and the bullying he faces at school. He is forced to be honest with himself on very weighty issues and the truth is not an easy thing for him to say aloud, let alone accept. It's very easy to relate to Conor, at least on one level, because everyone has had similar thoughts or experiences in life. As the end of the story draws near, while sad, there is still a glimmer of hope. Although part of me wants to know more, I love the way Ness chooses to end the story.

I was incredibly impressed with the author's Chaos Walking: A Trilogy, which I still recommend regularly, so I've been keeping my eyes on his other works. I actually listened to the audiobook on playaway, so I missed out on the illustrations aside from what's on the cover which I do think captures the tone well. The audiobook, to my delight, is narrated by Jason Isaacs and he does an absolutely fantastic job of bringing the story to life. At the very end, the listener is also treated to an interview between Jason Isaacs and Patrick Ness. I must look into Siobhan Dowd.

As with the Chaos Walking trilogy, I will be recommending A Monster Calls to anyone and everyone. I plan on reading anything Ness cares to write!


I read this on August 20, 2014 and my review can also be found on Goodreads.