A Monster Calls is a 2011 low fantasy novel written by Patrick Ness, illustrated by Jim Kay, published by Walker Books, narrated by Jason Isaacs, and audio by Brilliance Audio. The story follows a boy named Conor who struggles to cope with his mother’s illness while being repeatedly visited by a monster who tells Conor three stories in preparation for hearing Conor tells his own story.

Plot: The story’s deep, rich, and unique diving into some pretty deep themes while being entertaining. It’s an original concept and by the end of the story you’ve felt that there has been a satisfying resolution and growth of character for Conor. By the end of the story you feel as if he’s matured a little. The Monster’s three stories are actually pretty interesting and thought provoking. It’s a sad story, a story about personal growth, but it does leave off on a hopeful ending. (4 out of 5)

Characters: Really liked the characters, especially the main protagonists Conor. Although he’s a little rough around the edges you feel sorry for this young man as he’s dealing with a lot of things. His mother is dying, his father has another family, anger at his grandmother, bullied at school, and suffering from strange nightmares. He’s a character a lot of people can identify with not only as a kid but a person dealing with the feelings of anger, guilt, and fear surrounding a ill loved one. Now, our second main character is the Monster, a giant yew tree monster (that looks like Groots ultimate level form) who visits Conor at night. The Monster is an interesting character as he represents many aspects of Connor’s character. The supporting characters work well enough to provide context to Connor’s world as well as his character. (4 out of 5)

Art Work: The illustrations are great and Jim Kay deserves a thumbs up. The pictures are cast in black and white feeding into the dark, isolating atmosphere. (5 out of 5)

Audio: Jason Isaacs is not only a fantastic film actor but he does it again with his narration. His performance coupled with writing just paints a vivid portrait, provides lively characters, and gives depth to the storytelling. (5 out of 5)

Writing: Patrick Ness is a talented writer and his skill is just artistic and meaningful. The writing itself is deep and highly descriptive. The focus is so realistic in its presentation as it does depict real life elements such as death of a loved one, pent-up anger, suffering from guilt, and accepting loss. It’s pretty serious and dark, but it does have its moments of levity and even a few moments of humor. But where Ness truly shines is how he carries us on this journey of self discovery and accepting loss. We all experience death but this book does a good job addressing how we deal with it. (5 out 5)

The Verdict: In the end, A Monster Calls is one of those books you finish reading and you feel like you have to tell someone else about. The writing has a deep, the story itself has a deeper meaning behind it, well written characters, great illustrations, and a fantastic reading by Jason Isaacs. A Monster Calls deserves 5 out of 5.