Monsters

by Raphaela Weissman

Every evening, Annie and Paul Mayfield and their son Thomas sit together in the seething silence of their Brooklyn apartment, still haunted by the memory of the attack on the Twin Towers a year earlier.

The nights are plagued by Thomas’s vivid nightmares, Annie’s unexplained sleepwalking, and Paul’s growing paranoia as he fears the implications of their disquiet.

At eight years old, Thomas is eerily serious, and oddly precocious. He also lives in fear— of his parents’ unexplained behavior, the monsters he imagines hiding everywhere, and the uncertain world he inhabits in his own room.

Monsters is a relentless portrait of a family on the brink of chaos, as they struggle to care for each other under the weight of fear.

240 pages, Paperback

Published March 15, 2018

Reviews

[Catherine Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very slow-burn but compelling read about a dysfunctional couple, Paul and Annie, bringing up their son in New York in the aftermath of 9/11. Did I say 'bringing up'? I actually mean 'dragging up'... the two are so self-absorbed that they really aren't present for him at all. The characterisation is very strong, and although the two are very unlikeable, they are interesting enough to maintain the reader's attention. Annie is a study in passive-aggression, and Paul is like a child acting the part of an adult. They are singularly unable to reassure their son, who suffers from anxiety and night terrors, instead they feed his fears, and it's almost as if they don't view him as a person in his own right, but as an accessory which reflects glory on them. The book is very funny in places, especially in the absurd teenage infatuations the pair of them develop for wholly inappropriate people. Raphaela Weissman is especially good at evoking place; New York is as much a character in this book as the principals themselves.

[Michelle Ryles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't like to remember that awful day back in September 2001 but at the same time, I don't think we should forget it either. Monsters refers to 9/11 but isn't about that day, rather about the effects of it on the people who have those flaming towers burned onto their retinas.

Thomas has nightmares about being in a plane crash and you don't need to be a psychologist to understand what event sowed the seeds for that nightmare. His parents are barely functioning, certainly not with each other, in fact Thomas thinks they turn into monsters when his back is turned. It is clear that Annie and Paul do love their son but their marriage is so fractured that it feels doomed to failure.

It's really interesting to see how the family interact with each other, especially in the wake of Annie's sleepwalking. Paul hasn't just fallen out of love with his wife, he has become afraid of what she might do whilst in a fugue state. Instead of helping Annie, Paul distances himself from her and daydreams about another woman filling her shoes. Annie feels this distance between herself and Paul and easily transfers her feelings on to other men. All the time, I was screaming: 'What about Thomas?' They are so selfish, thinking about themselves instead of helping their son, it got me so mad.

Monsters is a bit of a slow-burner; I thought nothing much was happening but then I would suddenly experience an outpouring of emotion as feelings of anger/despair/concern/frustration burst out of me. I think Monsters is a brilliant study of a fractured family who struggle to show any kind of emotion around each other, although I certainly felt a wealth of emotions whilst reading it.

An emotional piece of literary fiction, Monsters is such a compelling read that once started you will find hard to put down.

I read Monsters in instalments via The Pigeonhole and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

[nocheese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms Weissman has a wry, witty style, and a knack of thoroughly inhabiting her characters. Annie and Paul are rather silly people, but not entirely unlikeable; Thomas on the other hand is a joy.
I really liked the coda , which tied up all the loose ends in some unexpected ways. Annie and Paul got what they deserved.

[Alison Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the book but the ending was a huge disappointment and felt rushed. Such a shame as well written and intriguing to start with

[Lisa Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! The best novel I have read in I can't remember how long.

In the wake of September 11th, a Brooklyn family of three struggles with their distrust of each other and themselves. Nothing feels safe as the people closest to them can be the most hurtful or unnerving. Tensions mount in the too quiet household as Annie, Paul, and their son Thomas grapple with being themselves, and being together.

Monsters is as compelling as it is raw. It is an unflinching and insightful portrait of minute details of domestic life and intimate relationships. Monsters is an honest, and at times bleak, portrayal of what it can be to grow older together and become perhaps too familiar with each other. The characters are so vivid and real that you feel immediately immersed in their world and invested in their story. As bracing as Monsters is, it is equally, seemingly effortlessly, readable. Monsters is a truly gripping page turner about the ins and outs of everyday life in a strained marriage.

I can't recommend this novel highly enough. If you read just one book this year, or try one new author; make it Raphaela Weissman and her stunning debut novel Monsters!

[Sue Maynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book particularly emotive as I have been involved in trying to help people I love come out from under the torment of a disfunctional family relationship. The author Raphaela describes the slow destruction of a marriage and its impact on the son of the couple in such a clear and true manner. And although, to the world, the marriage resolves and continues, in fact , so does the impact. Can I say I enjoyed this book? Not from the emotional perspective - it hit home too much. But did I enjoy the skill of the author in conveying this story? Yes, very much. I recommend it both as a story and as a lesson on how deeply pain can remain.

[Deirdre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to The Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read this book. I looked forward to the release of each stave daily . It was so beautifully written I felt it was like watching a movie and I could almost see the characters and feel the atmosphere. Had the ending been better I would have given this book 5 stars . However , on balance I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend to friends . I would definitely read future books by this author.

[Becca Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book right up to the last stave (pigeon hole) I feel like it was very dramatic in places and then sort of petered out and nothing actually happened.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I stayed up til midnight (which is very late indeed for me!) to finish this last night! Very much enjoyed this subtle, compelling tale of paranoia and family gradually falling apart.