A Monster Calls

I've decided to use this blog to write about books which I've read recently. I've made a list of around 50 books and will update the blog each time I finish one. Most recently, I've finished reading one of my favorite books for the eighth? Ninth? I've lost count of how many times. I am talking about "A Monster Calls" by Patrick Ness. I adore this book so much and find myself in tears every time! It follows Connor, a young boy, who struggles through life as multiple things go wrong simultaneously. 

His mother is diagnosed with cancer and is struggling to stay alive. We watch as Connor struggles through the experience (with no external support system). His father has moved to America and has a new family there, he has a strained relationship with his strict grandmother, and he is constantly bullied in school. This all seems very sad (it is), but what sets the book apart is the fifth character. A monster.

 The monster is an enormous yew tree that visits Connor one night, at precisely 7 minutes past midnight. The monster tells Connor that he will visit every few nights to tell him a story. There will be three stories in total, and then Connor will tell the fourth story of his own. Each of the stories is remarkable, and they each change Connor in a certain way. What I found to be so groundbreaking about this book: is that it forces you to think as none of the stories are written the way you expect them to be. The villain is the hero, and the hero becomes the villain. It shows that not everything is the way it seems and that judgments cannot be made at the surface level. 

 The monster acts as a catalyst to help him better process the constant sense of impending doom and grief he feels. We see a dramatic shift in a character who forces his emotions down, going from being empty and isolated to finally letting himself experience the feelings he has buried for so long. 

 It is a beautifully written book, which is not done justice with this description. In case you haven't guessed already, I would recommend reading it.