From the Bookshelf of Crazy Challenge Connection…

A Monster Calls

Patrick Ness,

Jim Kay (Illustrator)

Why we're reading this: Although it's officially a children's book, it is one of the most heart-rendering and powerful books I've…more
[close] Although it's officially a children's book, it is one of the most heart-rendering and powerful books I've ever read! And the artwork is amazing!

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What Members Thought

Jun 08, 2018 Krissy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: pgs-200-299, buddy-read, 5-motherfucking-stars, audible-library, audiobook, mother-daughter-buddy-read

Well... now I'm broken. ...more

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May 02, 2019 Carrie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mgr, single-parent, mother-son, death, monsters, grandmothers, trees

This was heartbreaking story. It took me rather long from start to finish because I could only read it in small parts, the ache in my heart would get so strong that each time it would make me have pause.

10 likes · Like · see review

Jun 04, 2011 Amanda A rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobook, overdrive, read-in-2012

4½ stars

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Feb 14, 2018 Rebecca rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: dtb-reads, young-adult, short-and-sweet, 2016-2021-reads

I downloaded an iPhone app today that randomly reminds you that you are going to die. Five times a day the reminder pops up. When I first heard of this app I laughed to myself in a most sardonic fashion, and thought "Can you imagine?! Who would want five reminders of that a day! Three maybe . . . but five?!" The interesting thing is . . . it actually works. Maybe I am in a strange, open-minded state lately, but randomly being reminded that "Hey! This is all going to end!", has so far made me act I downloaded an iPhone app today that randomly reminds you that you are going to die. Five times a day the reminder pops up. When I first heard of this app I laughed to myself in a most sardonic fashion, and thought "Can you imagine?! Who would want five reminders of that a day! Three maybe . . . but five?!" The interesting thing is . . . it actually works. Maybe I am in a strange, open-minded state lately, but randomly being reminded that "Hey! This is all going to end!", has so far made me actually feel more relaxed. More open to just enjoying the moment. More excited to engage in fun, self-care type activities I may previously have deemed "selfish" and "pointless", because actually, who cares? I am just going to die in the end anyway! Might as well enjoy it while it lasts!

It has been about 7.5 hours since I downloaded the app, yet somehow, I am changed.

Kind of like how I felt after I finished reading A Monster Calls. The discerning reader can see where this book is going. There isn't really much cloaking the ultimate conclusion of the main story line. The biggest guessing game that preoccupied me through-out my reading of this book was what the twisty, turny, "gotcha!" surprise of who/what the Monster was would wind up being. And when I got to the end I found myself exceptionally disappointed. "That's it?" I thought. Sad, to be sure . . . but trans-formative? Not so much. Why so many people absolutely loved the book completely escaped me.

Then about 15 minutes later, while hand washing my dishes that evening, it actually hit me. The gut-wrenching truth of who/what Conor's monster was. And then I cried. Those really good, cathartic tears of release. Which was exactly what I had hoped the experience of reading this book would do for me. I'm not the only one who sometimes picks books because she needs a good cry, right?

I rate this book 4-stars because I'm not sure the target age group of this book would fully comprehend the deeper meaning of the Monster, and the impact of the ending, without a more mature individual to discuss this with. But maybe I am underestimating younger people. I also try to reserve 5-star ratings for books I could envision myself reading again, and while A Monster Calls has certainly stuck with me since I finished it (a little over a month now), I do not foresee myself rereading it. Jim Kay's illustrations are gorgeous, and this book is definitely worth the time to read at least once. ...more

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Nov 17, 2022 Ketutar Jensen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy

Oh, dear... I was bawling my eyes out, and my sweet husband said "I don't think I want you to read that book..." Oh, yes, I might have not wanted to read it had I known what it was, but all I knew about it was the movie trailer, and that looked really interesting. This story was interesting, but it wasn't what the movie trailer made me think it was.

Trigger warning for bullying.

Anyway... my father died of cancer. It was the most painful, humiliating, debilitating, torturing death I can think of ...more

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Mar 31, 2019 TheReadingKnitter/ Kasey rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: library, kindle, 2019

Dang this book hit close to home. I totally understood where Conor was coming from just wanting it to all be over but also being scared of losing his mom. My favorite line in the whole book was this one...

You do not write your life with words, the monster said. You write it with actions. What you think is not important. It is only important what you do.

These are almost the same words my Momma had wrote and we found after she passed away almost 3 years ago. I remember being sad and knowing I wou ...more

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Aug 15, 2017 Khim rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: library, read-in-2017

Boek met een mooie boodschap. Waarheid en angst. De prenten zijn heel mooi in het boek en sluiten mooi aan in het verhaal. Conner wordt op school gepest doordat zijn moeder ernstig ziek is. Dan op een avond middernacht om 0.07 uur maakt hij kennis met het monster. Het monster laat hem de waarheid zien. Hij geeft Conner ook boodschappen. Het einde is al bekend. Triest, maar heb er niet om moeten huilen zoals velen wel hebben gedaan. Heb de Nederlandse versie gelezen, misschien ook maar eens de En ...more

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