literary gluttony

“Stories are the wildest things of all, the monster rumbled. Stories chase and bite and hunt.”

Nightmares are living, breathing things. But can they help you through tragedy?

A Monster Calls may be one of my favorite and least favorite books all at the same time. Conor O’Malley is losing his mother to a monster that cannot be fought. As she slips away a day at a time, Conor must go on living his life. But each night there is The Nightmare, the one that wakes him up in a cold sweat, the one he can’t finish. The one he doesn’t want to finish. And each night he’s visited by The Monster. But this isn’t your average Godzilla. This monster was called, he is here for a purpose.

Patrick Ness is a word magician. He creates a story of reality using fantasy. I had no idea how this story would end or the path it would take to get there. I was pleasantly surprised and also devastated. This book is a contradiction beautifully done. The illustrations alone are intricate and gorgeous. If you haven’t picked this one up, I highly suggest you do. But prepare for a ride!