Young or old you will enjoy this book. absolutely 5stars.

I have to admit that, when I decided to pick this book up to read, I didn't quite know what to expect from it - I'd just been told that it was a good read, and that I should try it. What the book ended up being was far from whatever I had expected, though, but this was definitely in a good way! My first impression of it was that it looked quite different from anything else I'd come across - physically. It's beautifully illustrated by Jim Kay, who definitely captured the book's essence in the images. In particular, the images that fill an entire two pages on their own are stunning - they're both really emotive, but at the same time, really atmospheric and gritty, which definitely captures the feel of the story. I know that we shouldn't judge a book by illustrations, but in this case, I think they are the cherry on top of the cake, and what perfects this unique story. As for the story, as I've already said, it absolutely wasn't what I expected from it. I had originally not known too much about the book, other than that I'd been told I should read it. I actually picked it up as my Halloween read for this year, but as those that have read it will know, it doesn't turn out to be that kind of book at all. Far from it, in fact. It starts off as I had expected it to, with a young boy, Conor, awaking from a nightmare, to find a real, live monster standing in his garden, speaking to him. The monster is enormous and grotesque, as you'd expect it to be, being a creature straight out of a nightmare. We soon realise though, that this is not going to be a 'conventional' relationship between monster and boy. We expect Conor to be terrified of the monster that dwarfs his house, but he's not, which is really interesting to me. I immediately wondered what could possibly have happened to this boy, to make him so unafraid of something that I would be terrified of. The first line just adds to this; "The monster showed up just after midnight. As they do." Although this isn't technically Conor speaking, I immediately picked up on the fact that he wasn't concerned about the monster's presence, so I was already asking questions, and because of this, I was immediately gripped. The monster's character was something that intrigued me, because although Conor sees him, no one else seems to, so we're not really sure if he's just a part of Conor, or if he's really there. Sometimes it seems as though he's just an imagination - something there for Conor to talk to - but then other times, like when he finds his room covered in pine needles, it seems that the monster is real. I loved the mystery of this. Another reason that the monster was so interesting was because I expected it to be a violent, cruel creature, but it turned out to be quite different to this. Even if the rest of the story hadn't been amazing, I would have wanted to read until the end, to find out what exactly the monster was, and why he was there. The first chapter was really the only one that matched my expectations of the book - after that it changed into something totally unexpected, but equally as welcomed. It wasn't frightening (in a 'horror' kind of way, anyway), mostly, I think, because of Conor's attitude towards the monster. He still didn't view it as a threat, because it 'wasn't as bad as the nightmare'. But in another sense it was frightening, but in much more of a 'real' way than you'd expect. I thought it was going to be the monster that would be the frightening thing, but it was Conor's own situation, and the inevitability of what it turned out he was facing, that was the scariest thing, and what made it worse is that it's a fear that each and every one of us faces. That's all I can say about that, though. However, this was not what made the book so special for me. What made it so special was how emotionally moving it turned out to be, by the end. I think the final 30 pages were the most emotional that I've read in quite a while - I cried all the way through this final part, which is something I hadn't thought I'd do at all, when I first picked the book up. I think the fact that it did move me to tears, perfectly illustrates just how incredible this book is, and how easily you can become emotionally attached to Conor, his story, and the characters around him. I also loved the style in which the story was told. It felt almost like a children's fairy tale to me (almost, but somehow not quite), especially when the monster begins to tell Conor the three stories of past people who have made him 'come walking'. These stories have morals to them, as a fairy tale does (albeit not quite straight forward morals), and the monster believes that these will help Conor learn what it is that he needs. It also tells him that by the end, Conor will tell his story - the story of his nightmare - and therefore his 'truth'. This isn't revealed until the very end, and is definitely a part of what makes the ending so emotional! I was drawn into the story immediately, and remained utterly gripped by it all the way through. I would definitely say that A Monster Calls is one of the books that everyone needs to pick up and read. I saw a quote from a review by the Independent Newspaper, which said that the book is "brave and beautiful", and this is something that I wholeheartedly agree with. It's definitely like no other book I've ever encountered, and I absolutely adored it!

This is a beautiful little novel, with a thought provoking and heart warming storyline. When I first went to read this book, I was expecting a sweet story about a friendly monster who arrives to help out a young boy. However, it was not what I got - and part of me is glad. It was refreshing to no longer have a monster or guardian who looks out for the child and protects them from the world, such as the BFG for example, or Budo the imaginary friend. I loved that the monster came walking to Connor, yet he did not come all of the time he was needed, and his stories were never exactly what Connor wanted/needed to hear. It meant that Connor learned to deal with difficulties in his own way, and that it was not just him being told the way. The stories that the monster told were not straightforward, and the lessons were not always clear. However, they helped Connor to discover the truth within his life, and encouraged him to  speak about how he truly feels about it. This, I feel, is essential for children, as it is important that their feelings and coping mechanisms are understood so that they have the help that they need. This book, I feel, really encapsulates how the younger generation deals with issues, and how they do not yet understand the cruelty of life, or how it is not selfish to sometimes yearn for the easiest way out of a situation - it's human. There were so many things that Connor deals with in this novel where he regrets the end result after he tries to cope, for example when he and the monster confront the boys who have been bullying him. He learns that all difficulties are learning curves, and sometimes the actions you apply to cope with your struggles are actually completely off the mark, and can make things worse! A Monster Calls will leave you with a warm fuzzy feeling,  which will warm your heart before breaking it! The issues that are tackled are raw and cut deep, yet they are handled with care. You WILL need tissues!!

I imagine it must be quite tricky to write a story based on another author's idea but Ness manages it seamlessly. Unfortunately, I've never read one of Siobhan Dowd's novels and so I can't compare this to hers but it definitely stands up well against Ness' Chaos Walking trilogy. In fact, A Monster Calls is the first book to win both the Carnegie Medal (an award that recognises an outstanding piece of writing for children or young adults) and the Kate Greenaway Medal (an award that recognises distinguished illustration in a children's book) in the 50 years since the illustration award was established. The quality of the writing is brilliant. Unlike Chaos Walking it isn't written in a stream of conciousness style but you are still able to learn a lot about Conor's character without obvious and direct descriptions. The other characters are brilliantly composed too as they feel very vivid at times or less easy to grasp when dealing with the mystery of the monster, both of which are appropriate in their place. The use of italics works well for the parts where the monster is speaking and the pacing is good. Ness jumps straight in with the story and doesn't waste time explaining every character, setting and back story - he just gets on with it. It's not hard to work out what is going to happen but then that is not the point of the story, plus you can never be sure just how real the monster is. The obvious thing to do would be to assume it is a figment of his imagination but then where do the other stories come from and how does Conor cause so much destruction? The story is supported by the superb illustrations by Jim Kay. The story would make sense without them but they add so much atmosphere to the text that together they are perfect. They are all black and white and shades of grey which helps to create the mood as well as allowing the reader to take time to discover the details contained within them. Now, as I said, this is a story about death but it is so much more than that. This is a story about how a boy has to face death and come to terms with it along with the blooming flower of hope that has to meet the harshness of reality. It's interesting that Ness uses two monsters in the novel. Perhaps each one is meant to symbolise the different aspects of death (the scary, unstoppable nightmare and the more friendly, comforting acceptance) both of which Conor must face and accept (although I'm not one of those people who tend to read too much into stories as I read them to escape into the world painted for me by the author and only usually consider any subtext if the author highlights it or if I'm asked to). However, whether this was Ness' intention or not, it is very clever. A lot of people are afraid of death and would certainly be comfortable with the comparison to a monster but they often forget that to some death can be a comfort and a release from a time of great pain. In a way it is a relief to read Ness' expression of some of these feelings. We all feel slightly invisible from time to time or guilty for something we shouldn't or frustrated with the course life has taken us on and all of these come through so well in Ness' writing and Kay's illustrations. It is not a book that will have you laughing and bouncing with excitement but it does bring strength by the end, in a kind of cathartic way (yes, I did cry a few times too!). Overall, this book is simply outstanding. It has to be one of the best and most powerful books I have ever read. It deals with a very delicate subject excellently and is well worth a read. It is a literary masterpiece.

When I received this book for a review I was nervous because, first I had never done a review and second I don't like monster stories AT ALL! Couldn't have been more wrong. As i started reading this book, I was enchanted by the storyline. It's beautiful, sad but encouraging. Very well written and recommend it to any person, any age, as these stories are inspiring and non-fictional. Hope you like it as much as I did :)