A Monster Calls: A Novel (Movie Tie-in): Inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd
Patrick Ness's #1 New York Times bestseller in a movie tie-in version with a striking cover.
The monster in Conor’s backyard is not the one he’s been expecting — the one from the nightmare he’s had every night since his mother started her treatments. This monster is ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. It wants the truth. From the final idea of award-winning author Siobhan Dowd—whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself—Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, loss, and monsters both real and imagined. This paperback movie tie-in edition includes a book group discussion guide.
The monster in Conor’s backyard is not the one he’s been expecting — the one from the nightmare he’s had every night since his mother started her treatments. This monster is ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. It wants the truth. From the final idea of award-winning author Siobhan Dowd—whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself—Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, loss, and monsters both real and imagined. This paperback movie tie-in edition includes a book group discussion guide.
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Community Reviews
This book made me cry, made me feel SO many things.
I lost my mom to cancer when I was 19. I related to so many aspects of this book.. the desperation of wanting her healed, the desire for her to be free of pain..and the agony of letting go.
This was beautifully written.
I lost my mom to cancer when I was 19. I related to so many aspects of this book.. the desperation of wanting her healed, the desire for her to be free of pain..and the agony of letting go.
This was beautifully written.
I read this in one sitting. It's one of my favorite movies you've never heard of, and the book is just as impactful.
"Stories are wild creatures...When you let them loose, who knows what havoc they might wreak?"
"Stories are wild creatures...When you let them loose, who knows what havoc they might wreak?"
***UPDATE***
Ok the new trailer looks AMAZING. If you didn't already know, this book is becoming a movie.... With Liam neeson. I'm dying, I cannot wait.
I have decided I will be writing reviews for all the books I read this year, starting with this one because it was easily my favorite of the year so far.
Why did I like this book so much you may ask?
1. The illustrations. I know, that is a very superficial thing to say, but it's the truth. The artwork added so much to the story. All the pictures were very dark, which was accurate to the story, because it is a dark book. Pretty much every page had some type of illustration on it which was just something I REALLY appreciated.
2. The characters. Now, there are not that many characters in this book overall, so it was very easy to keep track of all of them and their progress through the story. Conor, the main character. I found him to be very relatable, in my opinion (even though i am in fact, a girl). He seriously faced real life struggles and the way he handled it was very real. I think the author seriously portrayed his feelings very realistically, especially when it came to the bullies, and that girl who spread around his "secret". Now, i said this book seemed very real and realistic, but it is false to a point. The monster. Now, we never really know if this monster is real or if the monster is the figment of his imagination to help him through this struggle. That said, i LOVED the monster. I seriously looked forward to the stories he had told and loved trying to figure out what they meant in regards to Conor. What was most interesting about the Monster though, was that he wasn't really a monster at all, in my opinion. Yes he was scary looking, but i seriously think this character was put into the story purely to portray "the truth", and that the monster in life is the truth and the Monster was put in the story to show Conor the truth and that was the scariest part of them all. His dad and Grandma, to me, were the most ANNOYING characters i've read about in a while. Typical story, the dad leaves for a younger woman, and son hates him for it (don't blame him), but to me that seemed very typical and overused. AND TO THOSE THAT HAVE READ IT WHEN HIS DAD DOES THE THING I JUST WANT TO SCREAM. SELFISH. And the Grandma, overall just seems very insensitive towards Conor and what he is going through (even though she's going though it too), Conor is young and needs support, and he wasn't getting it.
Overall LOVED the characters and the development :)
3. The Plot. Now, i don't want to go into the plot too much, because i went into this book completely blind and i want other people to do the same. That said, i LOVED the plot, and it's something that isn't taken in this sort of way. I JUST LOVE IT, GO READ IT.
4. The Ending. OBVIOUSLY i'm not going to spoil anyone, but i seriously think this ended on a note it needed to end on. There was this thing the Monster kept referencing, and i NEEDED to know what he meant. And we found out, and it was so powerful and moving and i loved it.
Guys, i love this book so much, it's beautiful in every way. It's a short book, it won't take you very long to read at all. I suggest everyone read this, because it is a very real book.
Ok the new trailer looks AMAZING. If you didn't already know, this book is becoming a movie.... With Liam neeson. I'm dying, I cannot wait.
I have decided I will be writing reviews for all the books I read this year, starting with this one because it was easily my favorite of the year so far.
Why did I like this book so much you may ask?
1. The illustrations. I know, that is a very superficial thing to say, but it's the truth. The artwork added so much to the story. All the pictures were very dark, which was accurate to the story, because it is a dark book. Pretty much every page had some type of illustration on it which was just something I REALLY appreciated.
2. The characters. Now, there are not that many characters in this book overall, so it was very easy to keep track of all of them and their progress through the story. Conor, the main character. I found him to be very relatable, in my opinion (even though i am in fact, a girl). He seriously faced real life struggles and the way he handled it was very real. I think the author seriously portrayed his feelings very realistically, especially when it came to the bullies, and that girl who spread around his "secret". Now, i said this book seemed very real and realistic, but it is false to a point. The monster. Now, we never really know if this monster is real or if the monster is the figment of his imagination to help him through this struggle. That said, i LOVED the monster. I seriously looked forward to the stories he had told and loved trying to figure out what they meant in regards to Conor. What was most interesting about the Monster though, was that he wasn't really a monster at all, in my opinion. Yes he was scary looking, but i seriously think this character was put into the story purely to portray "the truth", and that the monster in life is the truth and the Monster was put in the story to show Conor the truth and that was the scariest part of them all. His dad and Grandma, to me, were the most ANNOYING characters i've read about in a while. Typical story, the dad leaves for a younger woman, and son hates him for it (don't blame him), but to me that seemed very typical and overused. AND TO THOSE THAT HAVE READ IT WHEN HIS DAD DOES THE THING I JUST WANT TO SCREAM. SELFISH. And the Grandma, overall just seems very insensitive towards Conor and what he is going through (even though she's going though it too), Conor is young and needs support, and he wasn't getting it.
Overall LOVED the characters and the development :)
3. The Plot. Now, i don't want to go into the plot too much, because i went into this book completely blind and i want other people to do the same. That said, i LOVED the plot, and it's something that isn't taken in this sort of way. I JUST LOVE IT, GO READ IT.
4. The Ending. OBVIOUSLY i'm not going to spoil anyone, but i seriously think this ended on a note it needed to end on. There was this thing the Monster kept referencing, and i NEEDED to know what he meant. And we found out, and it was so powerful and moving and i loved it.
Guys, i love this book so much, it's beautiful in every way. It's a short book, it won't take you very long to read at all. I suggest everyone read this, because it is a very real book.
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