I wanted to read A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness because I saw that it was being made into a movie. I had tried to read it once before but didn't get that far with it. I knew I loved Patrick Ness' handwriting because I had read The Knife of Never Letting Go, so the other day I picked it up from my library, sat down and dedicated my time to it. Going into it, I knew nothing except that there was a monster in the form of a tree.
This book is about a boy named Conor who is struggling in life. His mother is very ill and everyone treats him differently because of it. This is a story of a boy realizing what his truth is, and not to be afraid of it. In the front of Conor's house, sitting upon a hill is a yew tree. One night he wakes from a recurring nightmare to find his name whispered through the winds. A monster, formed from the yew tree, visits him every night at 12:07, but why? The monster tells him three stories in return for a fourth, Conor's. Through out the book, Conor struggles with bullying, nightmares and self realization. In the end, he tells you his truth while letting go of his mother.
Synopsis:
The monster showed up after midnight. As they do.
But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting. He’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming…
This monster is something different, though. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.
It wants the truth.
This book surprised me. I was expecting a creepy/ horror novel but it was quite the opposite. As it being very short, I didn't expect it to have a lot of substance. From the beginning, I was intrigued to see where the story led. You don't often read about monsters made out of trees. From the beginning you question why Conor isn't afraid of the monster and what his real fear is. There were a lot of great messages that really hit home. Conor really goes through the stages of how to deal with his mother's illness. At one point you have all your hope in the story having a happy ending and then that get's taken away. Patrick Ness did an AMAZING job portraying emotions. The ending made me want to cry my eyes out! If someone is dealing with not being able to let someone go, then this book is great for them! Conor's nightmare was very real. I find it a nightmare that many can have when dealing with grief or going through the stages of losing someone. My heart literally ached when reading it! Truly a beautiful book!
The illustrations were awesome! They had that creepy grunge feel to them that set the mood for the book. The monster was beautifully drawn and in one picture you can see the tendrils of the monsters roots webbing into the ceiling. That was my favorite picture.
Do I think this could be a great movie?
ABSOLUTELY! I think the movie has great potential. If done right, the audience will be able to see what grief is like and that it is okay to be angry. I would like more creepy aspects in the movie.
In the end if you don't want to read about cancer, don't read this book! If you love Patrick Ness and don't mind crying, then I highly recommend this book! I read it in two days, and have no regrets.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/370361.Patrick_Ness
XOXO Elizabeth
