#SpringHorror Review: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness & Siobhan Dowd

This is a sad little story :(


A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, Siobhan Dowd, Narrated by Jason Isaacs
Audiobook Horror Fiction
Released September 2011, 3+ Hours Unabridged
Amazon ♦ Goodreads
The monster showed up after midnight. As they do.

But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting. He’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming...

This monster, though, is something different. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth. 


My Thoughts:

I had this book on my Audible app for too long and decided to listen to it for#SpringHorror and though I wouldn't consider it a true horror novel, it felt more like a dark fable/fairytale rooted in modern times, it did have some horrific elements. A young boy dealing with a whole lot of awful, is visited by a monster who tells him stories and demands that after the third story is told the boy will have to share one of his own.

This one will punch you right in the heart and will probably make you cry. I don't think I will ever listen to it again because it is just too painful. The poor kids emotions are so raw and genuine and all over the place, the anger, the denial, the fear, all of it rang 100% true and that's all I'm saying because I don't want to spoil things for anyone who hasn't read it yet (though I may be the last!) and it's really to painful for me to revisit.

The narrator is most excellent too.

Book #4 for the Spring into Horror Readathon

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Comments

  1. I never took to this author in the books of his that I tried. I never read this one and I do like the creepy cover.

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  2. I haven't read it but I don't like overly emotional reads.

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  3. I was told this would stomp on my heart, and it did. It was excellent. The illustrations all though it were fabulous. And I cried. Very emotional but hopeful too:)

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    1. Aw, I didn't know about the illustrations as I listened to the audio. If I ever get brave enough, I'll have to see if my library has a copy I can take a peek at.

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  4. I've heard this is sad. I haven't read it yet, but I Want to

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  5. I have put this book off so long and now I don't know if I will ever pick it up. Did you ever watch the movie? I've avoided it like the plague as well. Glad you liked it but can totally see why you might not ever pick it up again!

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    1. Nope, I don't think I'll ever see the movie. I'll probably bawl through the whole thing and I'm not up for that.

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  6. Can't face a sad book at the moment, but will keep this one on my list as a possible future read.

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    1. Save it for when you're feeling to pleased with life ;)

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  7. I read this book in print shortly after it was released. I listened to the audio a year or two ago and thought that it got to me more the second time. The narrator did such a good job with this one. I will probably pull it out again at some point but I am weird like that :) Glad you enjoyed it!

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  8. Read and watched this. I cried buckets. :(

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    1. Understandable. I don't think I'll watch the movie now that I know how it all plays out.

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  9. I think I have this on my Kindle. Or maybe I saw the movie...I think I would remember crying though lol

    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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    1. I don't know about the movie but the book is very emotional I imagine the movie is too.

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  10. It is heart-wrenching, but if you need a good cry, its a great book to pick up. Loosens the strings and lets the pain bleed out.

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  11. I got this off of Netgalley as an ARC years ago on a whim, and it turned out to be one of the best books ever. As soon as it was released, I had to buy a hard copy and read it all over again.

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    1. You're a stronger woman than I! Once was enough for me :)

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  12. I remember seeing this cover quite a long time ago! Sometimes emotional stories are just so impactful, they stay with you forever. I wouldn't hesitate to read this one now. :)

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