GoodRead - A Monster Calls

As you guys know, I was at an event hosted by the lovely people at Walker Books (not read it? Here's the link and there s no hints of Cassandra Clare in my write-up as I haven't read the latter Mortal Instruments books just yet so no spoilers for me!). While I was there, I saw a copy of A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. An illustrated edition of A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. I asked if I could take it as... well... I had to. EVERYONE LOVES THIS BOOK AND I HAVEN'T READ IT!!! Walker were very kind and said I could. And so, I started reading it once I got home Saturday evening.

From the original idea of Siobhan Dowd, A Monster Calls follows Conor who, one night, wakes up to find a monster staying outside his bedroom window. The monster isn't what Conor was expecting - he has seen worse in his nightmare - the nightmare. The nightmare he's been having since his mother started her treatment. But the monster wants something different. It says Conor called it and now, the monster won't leave till its told three tales to Conor. After that, Conor will tell the monster a fourth tale - and this tale is the worse of them all.

This fourth tale must be the truth.

So... this book. Is it worth it? Is it worth going out of your way to read? Is it worth hunting down the illustrated edition?

YES! YESYESYES!!!

This book... I'm not sure where to begin on my thoughts and feels on this book but this book is wonderful. Simply wonderful.

I get why people have said this book made them cry. It didn't with me - sorry, I don't cry when I read - but this book hit me in the feels. If I didn't have to go to sleep and had to read it in two sittings, I would have read this in one go and yes, I fear I would have cried a manly tear (I hear you guys sniggering... don't judge me!).

There's something beautiful about Patrick's writing. It's simple and yet, there's something about how he spun this tale that just fits. Maybe it's because of the idea from Siobhan Dowd, who sadly died before she could finish this (she had, according to the author's note, the characters, the premise and the beginning) but Patrick paid perfect respect and tribute to Siobhan and to the subject matter (yes, this book did hit a nerve with me).

The illustrations by Jim Kay are wonderful. They fit with the story in two ways: they aided the story and yet, moved the story forward. Both with very little detail and yet, with so much detail.

This book is faultless. Buy it. Just buy it - but buy the illustrated edition. Trust me when I say this.



PS - this is being turned into a movie. To the movie people making this movie, PLEASE DON'T SCREW IT UP!