Monsters. Nightmares, the kind you don’t know if they are real or not. Perhaps a title like ‘A Monster Calls’ will lead you to imagine fear, ripping skin, terror, horror and dark stories…but it’s not that way. Oh, yes, there is a Monster. This Monster - do you know your celtic/druidic lore? – is a yew tree come to life in Conor’s dreams, or rather nightmares. Is the Monster real? Real things happen that he talks to Conor about…but always the Monster asks, “What is your fear, Conor?” Conor’s life is in upheaval. Denial of his mother’s serious illness, denial of a father who isn’t choosing to be a present father for Conor, denial of emotions have seemed to bring this ‘Monster’ – an old yew tree he can see from his house – to very, scary life. And, yet, Conor isn’t afraid of the Monster, but the Monster knows what Conor fears. That’s why the Monster has ‘walked’ again.
Patrick Ness is the author of the Chaos Walking Chronicles. This story comes from an idea that Siobhan Down brought forth before her life was taken by cancer. A tale that is enhanced by the mythology, realism and human courage. It may sound ‘ho hum’, but it isn’t. And, for those families who have children, teens dealing with loss of a parent through illness, ‘A Monster Calls’ could be a cathartic read. It is well-written, well told and superbly illustrated by Jim Kay.
