A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Genre: Middle Grade

Source: Publisher (Candlewick Press)

Series: No, Standalone 

Buy It: The Dolphin Bookshop (Shop Indie!

Challenge: Free Reads


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.


     A Monster Calls: Inspired by An Idea from Siobhan Dowd by Patrick Ness was unlike anything I ever read.  I finished it so quickly and really enjoyed every minute of it.  When I first saw the cover and title, the book just screams "horror" but, that's really not true.  I don't typically enjoy horror, so take it from me-this isn't your typical monster story.  It is really about a young boy named Conor, whose Mother is fighting a losing battle with breast cancer and how he copes with his situation.
     Patrick Ness was amazing at character development!  I was so attached to Conor and I felt all of his emotions.  My heart was constantly aching for him throughout the story.  Although I loved Conor, I don't think his age was acurately portrayed.  I pictured him to be about ten years old but, in reality he was thirteen.  Although it seems like a small age gap, it can make a big difference in a person's behavior. I also (obviously) felt for Conor's Mother, Father, and Grandmother.  I was attached to just about every character in the book (except Harry).  Patrick Ness' characters just suck you into the story.
     I absolutely loved all of the awesome illustrations in the book.  They were really cool but, were nice and spread out so they didn't interfere with the story or your reading experience.  I also loved the story concept and the "Four Truths."  I was pretty surprised by the fourth truth but, I can understand Conor's feelings.  I also really enjoyed the monster's character.  He was even funny at times!  
     I think it's so cool that Patrick finished writing Siobhan's idea.  A Monster Calls was no where near what I expected it to be and I was pleasantly suprised.  I absolutely adored the story and was totally engulfed in the book.  Read it!


Final Grade:

Mini-Review: Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

Genre: Middle Grade- Historical Fiction?

Source: Checked out from Library

Series: No, Standalone

Buy It: The Dolphin Bookshop (Shop Indie!),  The Book Depository

Challenge: Free Reads 

From Brian Selznick, the creator of the Caldecott Medal winner THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET, comes another breathtaking tour de force. 

Playing with the form he created in his trailblazing debut novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Brian Selznick once again sails into uncharted territory and takes readers on an awe-inspiring journey. 

Ben and Rose secretly wish their lives were different. Ben longs for the father he has never known. Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his mother's room and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children set out alone on desperate quests to find what they are missing. 

Set fifty years apart, these two independent stories -- Ben's told in words, Rose's in pictures -- weave back and forth with mesmerizing symmetry. How they unfold and ultimately intertwine will surprise you, challenge you, and leave you breathless with wonder. Rich, complex, affecting, and beautiful--with over 460 pages of original artwork--Wonderstruck is a stunning achievement from a uniquely gifted artist and visionary.

     Wonderstruck blew me away.  The story was beautiful, as were the delicately detailed illustrations.  I decided to do a mini-review only because of all the pictures.  
     The magic wasn't in the writing, it was in the story.  The writing was nothing special while the characters drew me in, held on, and never let go.  I'm still touched by all of the relationships between the characters and how the story played out.  I absolutely adored the ending and I hope that Brian Selznick writes a companion, or sequel, or something!  The pictures were absolutely gorgeous and they played out just like a movie.  They were perfected down to every last detail.  
     At first, I was hesitant about the idea of the two POVs to be 20 years apart.  Thankfully, I was very grateful for this interesting technique at the end.  The closing of the book made perfect sense and I loved it.
     I finished Wonderstruck in a few hours.  The pictures were beautiful and they made it a really quick read.  Wonderstruck leans more towards middle grade, so it's a very light read.  I really loved this book and it's a treasure on any shelf!  In fact, I wish I had my own copy so I could stare at all the pictures!  Wonderstruck was awesome!


Final Grade: