"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, though. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.
It wants the truth."

"A Monster Calls" by Patrick Ness is pages upon pages of beautiful art and elegantly written words that tell an amazing story. Conor's mom is going through cancer treatments and he is in denial. Ever since his dad moved to America and started another family, it has always just been Conor and his mom. While Conor's mom is going through chemo, Conor must step up and take care of his mom. Since everyone knows Conor's mom is sick everyone at school treats him differently. The bullies harass him more than anyone else, the teachers never call on him in class, he doesn't have to turn assignments in and he doesn't have many friends. Conor is set on the fact that his mom will get better, but he is afraid to face the truth. A monster shows up one night and tells Conor stories to help Conor accept his reality.

Patrick Ness's writing creates a beautiful depiction of grief and would be the perfect read for any child, teenager or adult whose life is impacted by cancer or who has lost someone close to them. While this book is a middle-grade read, it could be life-changing even for adults. The story grasps your heart and teaches you how to live again after a bump in the road or the loss of a loved one.

The beautiful black and white drawings also help pull you into the story and make you feel like you are in Conor's shoes, experiencing what he is experiencing. This read was definitely an inspirational one, and was moving to the point of tears.

I have to admit, at first I was really having trouble diving into this book. However, I don't know if this was because my life was just really busy when I started this book or if the book just dragged at the beginning. Whether it did or not, this book was amazing and I recommend it to everyone!

My Rating: 4/5 Stars