A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd, with illustrations by Jim Kay

Candlewick Press, September 27, 2011

Summary from Goodreads:

This is an extraordinarily moving novel about coming to terms with loss. The monster showed up just 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 nightmare 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, though, 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 story 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 about coming to terms with loss from two of our finest writers for young adults.

Shortest. Review. Ever. There will be no spoilers, no descriptions of what's going on. I read this book in one day, in between my library visits to the English classes at the local high school. I finished it as I was waiting for my daughter to get home from school. I think it took about 2 hours, total.

A gorgeous and harrowing story, made even more so once you know how this story came to be. Patrick Ness is my new hero. And Jim Kay's illustrations are exquisite. This is a beautiful story, not scary in the way you might think. Stunning. Heart-breaking. Unique. You have to read this book.


Seriously, Patrick Ness is a genius. I already suspected as much, what with the Chaos Walking trilogy, but this book seals the deal for me. This one's going on my Top 11 of 2011.


(Oh, and I have to say that  I'm thoroughly enjoying this trend of YA-books-with-illustrations/photographs--A Monster Calls, Miss Peregrine, Every You, Every Me.)

Borrowed book from the library.
Enjoy your reading!
Christi