The first time I read a Patrick Ness book, I fell in love instantly. The knife of never letting go is one of my favorite reads for this year and I have become a huge fan of this amazing author whom I consider royalty. So when I heard that some book-loving friends are planning a friend’s reading of Patrick Ness’s latest book, a monster callsI decided to join.
The story of ‘A Monster Calls’ was originally the brainchild of British writer Siobhan Dowd, but due to her untimely death from breast cancer, Patrick Ness took it upon herself to continue and finish the book.
A Monster Calls tells the story of Conor, a 13-year-old boy who is constantly bullied at school and has nightmares every time he goes to sleep. His father left him and his mother when he was still very young. Worst of all, his mother is very ill and she doesn’t seem to get better. And then one night, a monstrous yew tree approaches him and forces him to tell the truth. What is this truth? Can Conor’s life get any better?
When I first read the title, I thought the book was just your typical horror story meant to scare and frighten. But scared he definitely wasn’t. First of all, the monstrous yew tree was not portrayed as frightening. Patrick Ness wants to convey to his readers that there are other things in life more terrifying than monsters. That real life is scarier than nightmares.
A Monster Calls is a story meant to make the reader think and evaluate his life. It is a reflection of dying and living, of waiting and letting go, of guilt and being honest. It is a strong encouragement to be honest at all times, especially with oneself. Above all, it is a deeply emotional story. Tears filled my eyes in several places, and my heart went out to Conor, how she tried to cope with her impending loss, and how he desperately hoped her mother would get better.
I especially liked the stories told by the monster to Conor. They are stories that faithfully reflect the complexity of human nature. That man is not an abstract being, neither wholly good nor wholly bad. That he is not defined by his thoughts but by his behaviour.
You don’t write your life with wordsthe monster said.
You write it with actions. What you think is not important. It is only important what you do.
A long time ago in college, I remember studying the different stages of grievance: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. I think that Connor was able to go through all these stages, and this is what makes A Monster Calls a good fiction, because it is able to represent reality.
A very powerful and deeply moving story. I highly recommend this to everyone.
5 stars.