A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

[chesilbeach]

Synopsis (from amazon.co.uk):

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. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth. Patrick Ness spins a tale from the final idea of Siobhan Dowd, whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself. Darkly mischievous and painfully funny, A Monster Calls is an extraordinarily moving novel of coming to terms with loss from two of our finest writers for young adults.

 

About the Author (from amazon.co.uk):

Patrick Ness is the author of the critically-acclaimed and bestselling Chaos Walking trilogy. He has won numerous awards including the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, the Booktrust Teenage Prize, the Costa Children's Book Award and the Carnegie Medal. He lives in Bromley, Kent. Siobhan Dowd was the widely-loved, prize-winning author of four books, two of which were published after her death from cancer, aged 47. In 2009, she became the first author ever posthumously awarded the Carnegie Medal.

 

The edition of the book I read was illustrated by Jim Kay, and the book has won the both the Carnegie Medal and its sister prize for illustration - the first time in the history of the award.

 

I'm often amazed at how powerful children's books can be, and this was one of the most powerful stories I've read. It's actually difficult to know what to say about this book, other than it's completely, and at times, overwhelmingly wonderful. Evocative illustrations, honest and affecting storytelling, and at times I had to put it down as I was sobbing and unable to see the pages through my tears. For anyone who has experienced anything like what Conor is going through, you will appreciate this story, and may well bring a sense of relief to know that you are not alone, and that what you are feeling is not wrong, but often what others are going through too.

[Michelle]

We've just read this one for the YA book group I go to, and it was universally loved. We agreed that the illustrations add to the whole experience, without taking anything away from your imagination. We also felt that everyone could get something from the story, regards of age, life experience etc. I've said elsewhere that I have never cried when reading book, but I did with this one. It's beautiful.

[chesilbeach]

We're reading another Patrick Ness book for our reading group this month, and if it goes well, I think I'll recommend this one for a future book choice. I think we have to wait for a while before the library will allow book groups to reserve it, but I'd love to share it with others too. I know this is one book that won't be destined for the charity shop, but will definitely be staying on my shelf.

[poppy]

I've just bought this for my Kindle and am looking forward to reading it soon.

[Nollaig]

This sounds fantastic, read up a bit on Siobhan Dowd who I hadn't heard of before, as well as reading up a bit about the book. Definitely one to be read a.s.a.p.

[Eleonora]

I read it a couple of months ago and I really cried my heart out. It's a great story about love and courage. Teenagers liked it too and not only because of the "distressing" illustrations.