A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness- Review

Firstly, I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover but for some reason, I LOVE this cover. I don't know what it is but there's just something about it. Anyway, the story is one that I really enjoyed too, which is what counts the most.

At the start of the book, I struggled to get into it. I think this was because I wasn't sure where the story was going, but once I was past a certain point, I was fine and started to enjoy it properly. The story was started by Siobhan Dowd, who very sadly had time as an enemy and asked Patrick Ness to complete the story for her. Personally, I think he did a great job.

The story's main character, Connor, is immediately likeable and although to begin with you don't know a lot about him, he becomes more interesting as a character because of this. During the story- and at the very beginning- Connor has a nightmare. It is a recurring nightmare which seems so real yet so unbelievable that he worries about it a lot. It talks to him, grabs him, it happens almost every night. It is just him and his mum at home and he doesn't tell anyone about the nightmare. The way that the book is written in the third person, I was originally annyoyed about. I thought 'the story would be even better if we saw everything through Connor's eyes.' But soon I realised that in third person, I get to make up Connor's character a bit more which I enjoyed quite a lot.

Soon, the book starts to get quite sad. This is because Connor's mum is ill and reading it is upsetting because it shows just how much illness affects the people around the ill person. Even without meaning to, or without being able to stop it. The monster in the nightmare doesn't leave and gets more physical- an all consuming worry that is a permanent resident in the brain of Connor O'Malley. Lots of things have to change for him. As a reader, I thought that this was the best part of the book; a bit into the story where you're not quite sure what's going to happen but are desperate to find out. That is, I find, usually the greatest part.

Overall, the story and ending of the book is one that you will remember. It might make you sad but the greatness of the story will outweigh the sadness. I don't want to say much more because I don't want to spoil what happens for you. Patrick Ness is a brilliant writer- that is all,
I'd recommend this book for people between the ages of 12- 16 but I know that my mum enjoyed this book too!
Let me know if you've read it!
You can buy it from Amazon here for £3.86 or from Waterstones here for £5.29.

Partick Ness has also written 'The knife of never letting go' which I started but never finished, for no particular reason. Tell me if you've read it and think I should read it again?