#2 A Monster Calls

I am struggling to find the words to describe the feelings that were rediscovered by reading this book. This novel is filled with wisdom beyond Patrick Ness’ years, and has changed my view on grief, a reoccurring emotion felt by many.

Opposite to ‘Call Me By Your Name’, I watched the film first. My brother and I were scrolling and scrolling through Amazon Prime to find the perfect film to fill our Monday night. As the film began to play, we were intrigued with what we had got ourselves into. At one point we were deliberating on whether to something else to watch as we couldn’t work out where it was going. But I’m thankful that we didn’t. As soon as we had dried our eyes and hugged each other, I rushed upstairs to buy the book so I could relive the cathartic effect of the story. Once I finished the book, I dried my eyes and whipped out my laptop to write this.

The story begins with Connor O’Malley, a 13-year-old boy who lives with his mother. But their lives are not easy, Connor’s mother suffers from late-stage cancer leaving him to take care of the two of them. In his cruel world, he is bullied at school for his problems at home. Every single night he has the same nightmare leaving him constantly exhausted as he wakes up with a scream at the same time, 12:07.

But one night at the time Connor had become too familiar with, a monster emerges from the Yew tree in a field at the back of his house, and appears at his window with the purpose of telling him three stories, then Connor will tell the fourth. Immediately readers are filled with the mystery; is the monster real or a dream or a figure of Connor’s imagination? Connor struggles with these questions too, as evidence is left in his bedroom after each visit.

When choosing to watch this film, I thought it was a children’s story focused around the relationship between a boy and his monster. I was so unbelievably wrong. It teaches one to embrace the loss of a loved one, that it is okay to be angry and want the pain of waiting to end. We have all lost someone one way or another; whether parent, grandparent or the family dog. This book is so extraordinarily clever in the way that it has brought all the things that come with terminal sickness and compiled it into a metaphoric life lesson. This review has not done my emotions justice but it’s the best I can do.

I will forever recommend this book. I may even beg people to watch it.

Hx