Sign in with Facebook
Lyn's Reviews > A Monster Calls
A Monster Calls
by
by
TEAR JERKER ALERT!
TEAR JERKER ALERT!
OMG, I’m a 40-plus-year-old DUDE and I almost lost it a couple of times.
There is not always a happy ending. I know this, we all know this, in life as in fiction. Hell, I even welcome it sometimes and give a “meh” to too cheesy a Hollywood ending or even a thumbs down to a deus ex machina. As any reader of Cormac McCarthy knows, sometimes the best ending is not the one that leaves us all warm and fuzzy.
Patrick Ness’s 2011 short novel was based on a concept from Siobhan Dowd, who died of cancer in 2007 at the age of 47, way way too soon. In this young adult novel (but also for the rest of us) young Conor O’Malley is dealing with the terminal illness of his single mother. As if that is not bad enough, he’s getting picked on at school. Then a monster “comes walking” and things get interesting.
Ness keeps the syrup on the table but tells this somber fantasy straight and it works. The characterization is real and the dialogue is what you expect in real life. The drawing of the monster was also excellent, casting from ancient myth, legend and from psychological elements to create a fantastic but believable relationship between Conor and the monster who always shows up at the same time.
Highly recommended but keep the tissue paper in reach.
TEAR JERKER ALERT!
OMG, I’m a 40-plus-year-old DUDE and I almost lost it a couple of times.
There is not always a happy ending. I know this, we all know this, in life as in fiction. Hell, I even welcome it sometimes and give a “meh” to too cheesy a Hollywood ending or even a thumbs down to a deus ex machina. As any reader of Cormac McCarthy knows, sometimes the best ending is not the one that leaves us all warm and fuzzy.
Patrick Ness’s 2011 short novel was based on a concept from Siobhan Dowd, who died of cancer in 2007 at the age of 47, way way too soon. In this young adult novel (but also for the rest of us) young Conor O’Malley is dealing with the terminal illness of his single mother. As if that is not bad enough, he’s getting picked on at school. Then a monster “comes walking” and things get interesting.
Ness keeps the syrup on the table but tells this somber fantasy straight and it works. The characterization is real and the dialogue is what you expect in real life. The drawing of the monster was also excellent, casting from ancient myth, legend and from psychological elements to create a fantastic but believable relationship between Conor and the monster who always shows up at the same time.
Highly recommended but keep the tissue paper in reach.
Sign into Goodreads to see if any of your friends have read
A Monster Calls.
Sign In »
Reading Progress
January 9, 2017
–
Started Reading
January 9, 2017
– Shelved
January 12, 2017
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-20 of 20 (20 new)
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Lisa
(new)
-
rated it 5 stars
Jan 12, 2017 04:04AM
It is a beautiful story! We read this with 8th Graders as a class novel a couple of years ago, and the grown-ups involved were just as touched as the children. A great novel to discover the impact of storytelling and different layers of consciousness!
reply
|
flag
Great review. I just finished this one myself and loved it.
Lisa wrote: "It is a beautiful story! We read this with 8th Graders as a class novel a couple of years ago, and the grown-ups involved were just as touched as the children. A great novel to discover the impact ..."Great observation Lisa
Stephanie wrote: "Great review. I just finished this one myself and loved it."Thanks Stephanie
Massive tear jerker. Very powerful story. Great review!
I managed to borrow a copy from my local library the other day. No book up to this point has made me cry for a good 5 minutes like this before. Such a excellent book!
Thanks Lashaan and Captain Obvious!
I'm 47 and wow... more moving than "A Dog's Purpose". I *really* have to stop taking book recommendations from by Brother-In-Law.
In homage to your portrait: Strong men also cry ... strong men also cry. I did. Great book.
Nice, thanks for the observation, love that film
Ooh this is on my list, I might have to bump it up a little higher. Thanks for sharing!
Nice review, Lyn. I'm an even-older-than-you dude, and I also got emotional during the book and the movie. Loved both!
I need to see the film
Patrick Ness also did the screenplay, and while it departs in some ways from the book, it holds up well. Strong acting and visually cool.
You ever read the comic I Kill Giants?Your review reminds of of that, hard. It's the best comic I've ever read, look out for it if not. (and don't watch the movie I've heard)
I cried I didn't even try and hold back. It didn't really help that I had a friend who died of cancer a few months before I read this
the best endings are always the ones that leave you DEVASTATED and RUINED!
