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The Monster Variations
This fast-paced read will keep readers on the edge of their seats!
Someone is killing boys in a small town. The murder weapon is a truck, and the only protection is a curfew enacted to keep kids off the streets. But it’s summer—and that alone is worth the risk of staying out late for James, Willie, and Reggie.
Willie, who lost his arm in the first hit-and-run attack, finds it hard to keep up with his two best friends as they leave childhood behind. All of them are changing, hounded by their parents, hunted by the killer, and haunted by the “monster,” a dead thing that guards the dangerous gateway between youth and manhood. But that’s not all: shadowing the boys everywhere is Mel Herman, the mysterious and brilliant bully whose dark secrets may hold the key to their survival. As the summer burns away, these forces collide, and it will take compassion, brains, and guts for the boys to overcome their demons—and not become monsters themselves.
In this chilling and poignant debut novel, Daniel Kraus deftly explores the choices boys grapple with and the revelations that occur as they become men.
From the Hardcover edition.
Someone is killing boys in a small town. The murder weapon is a truck, and the only protection is a curfew enacted to keep kids off the streets. But it’s summer—and that alone is worth the risk of staying out late for James, Willie, and Reggie.
Willie, who lost his arm in the first hit-and-run attack, finds it hard to keep up with his two best friends as they leave childhood behind. All of them are changing, hounded by their parents, hunted by the killer, and haunted by the “monster,” a dead thing that guards the dangerous gateway between youth and manhood. But that’s not all: shadowing the boys everywhere is Mel Herman, the mysterious and brilliant bully whose dark secrets may hold the key to their survival. As the summer burns away, these forces collide, and it will take compassion, brains, and guts for the boys to overcome their demons—and not become monsters themselves.
In this chilling and poignant debut novel, Daniel Kraus deftly explores the choices boys grapple with and the revelations that occur as they become men.
From the Hardcover edition.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
Daniel Kraus
64 books2,169 followers“Kraus brings the rigor of a scientist and the sensibility of a poet.” – The New York Times
DANIEL KRAUS is a New York Times bestselling writer of novels, TV, and film. His novel Angel Down was the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winner, a New York Times Top 10 Book of 2025 ,and a national bestseller. His novel Whalefall received a front-cover review in the New York Times Book Review, won the Alex Award, was an L.A. Times Book Prize Finalist, and was a Best Book of 2023 from NPR, the New York Times, Amazon, Chicago Tribune, and more.
With Guillermo del Toro, he co-authored The Shape of Water, based on the same idea the two created for the Oscar-winning film. Also with del Toro, Kraus co-authored Trollhunters, which was adapted into the Emmy-winning Netflix series. He cowrote The Living Dead and Pay the Piper with legendary filmmaker George A. Romero. Kraus’s The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch was named one of Entertainment Weekly‘s Top 10 Books of the Year. Kraus has won the Bram Stoker Award, Scribe Award, two Odyssey Awards (for both Rotters and Scowler), and has appeared multiple times as Library Guild selections, and more.
Kraus’s work has been translated into over 25 languages. He lives with his partner in Chicago. Visit him at danielkraus.com.
DANIEL KRAUS is a New York Times bestselling writer of novels, TV, and film. His novel Angel Down was the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winner, a New York Times Top 10 Book of 2025 ,and a national bestseller. His novel Whalefall received a front-cover review in the New York Times Book Review, won the Alex Award, was an L.A. Times Book Prize Finalist, and was a Best Book of 2023 from NPR, the New York Times, Amazon, Chicago Tribune, and more.
With Guillermo del Toro, he co-authored The Shape of Water, based on the same idea the two created for the Oscar-winning film. Also with del Toro, Kraus co-authored Trollhunters, which was adapted into the Emmy-winning Netflix series. He cowrote The Living Dead and Pay the Piper with legendary filmmaker George A. Romero. Kraus’s The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch was named one of Entertainment Weekly‘s Top 10 Books of the Year. Kraus has won the Bram Stoker Award, Scribe Award, two Odyssey Awards (for both Rotters and Scowler), and has appeared multiple times as Library Guild selections, and more.
Kraus’s work has been translated into over 25 languages. He lives with his partner in Chicago. Visit him at danielkraus.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
April 18, 2011
Whoever wrote the synopsis that appears on the jacket flap of this book should be ashamed of him or herself. By making it appear as if The Monster Variations is a horror thriller, the unknown blurbster has done both the potential reader and the book's brilliant author, Daniel Kraus, a great disservice. The Monster Variations is a visceral tale of twelve-year-old boys on the cusp of manhood. The story is riveting, the imagery remarkable ("his heart scraped itself across the sharp blades of his ribs" ) and the prose luminous.
James Wahl is desperately eager to leave his hometown, his parents, and his childhood behind. Making his getaway to college, James stops at a hole-in-the-wall town for gas and comes face to face with the past he can't outrun. Reggie Fielder was once one of James' best friends and during their twelfth summer they shared adventures and horrors that profoundly changed the young men they would become.
One week into that long ago summer vacation a boy named Greg Johnson is killed in a hit and run. The grown-ups are in an uproar, convinced that a deliberate killer is targeting the town's boys and a curfew is soon declared. This is all particularly troubling for best friends James, Reggie and Willie. Clearly an 8 pm curfew will curtail their summer plans and it won't really protect them. They know this for a fact because Willie was the mad driver's first victim and the hit-and-run that cost him his left arm occurred much earlier in the evening than 8. The boys decide that no curfew is going to mess up their long, glorious summer and when the need arises they won't hesitate to ignore it.
As the weeks go by and the killer is not caught, the boys plan a series of meaningful outings that will test their courage and their friendship. With each passing summer day, it becomes clear that growing up means changing and sometimes even growing apart, but the people who share your transition from childhood to adolescence are the ones who leave the biggest marks on your soul.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Do yourself a favor: skip the jacket flap and sink your teeth directly into this wonderful book.
James Wahl is desperately eager to leave his hometown, his parents, and his childhood behind. Making his getaway to college, James stops at a hole-in-the-wall town for gas and comes face to face with the past he can't outrun. Reggie Fielder was once one of James' best friends and during their twelfth summer they shared adventures and horrors that profoundly changed the young men they would become.
One week into that long ago summer vacation a boy named Greg Johnson is killed in a hit and run. The grown-ups are in an uproar, convinced that a deliberate killer is targeting the town's boys and a curfew is soon declared. This is all particularly troubling for best friends James, Reggie and Willie. Clearly an 8 pm curfew will curtail their summer plans and it won't really protect them. They know this for a fact because Willie was the mad driver's first victim and the hit-and-run that cost him his left arm occurred much earlier in the evening than 8. The boys decide that no curfew is going to mess up their long, glorious summer and when the need arises they won't hesitate to ignore it.
As the weeks go by and the killer is not caught, the boys plan a series of meaningful outings that will test their courage and their friendship. With each passing summer day, it becomes clear that growing up means changing and sometimes even growing apart, but the people who share your transition from childhood to adolescence are the ones who leave the biggest marks on your soul.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Do yourself a favor: skip the jacket flap and sink your teeth directly into this wonderful book.
October 7, 2016
If I where to recommend this book to anyone, I would tell them to forgo the description written on the flap of the book and dive in. Seriously. The book description makes it sound like Christine with middle school boys. Though there is a killer car, the point of the story doesn't revolve around it. The story is actually about life and how to deal with death, guilt, parents, the future, and not about killer cars.
The story is about James, Willie, and Reggie and how they are drifting towards adulthood as well as drifting apart. The thing I enjoyed most out of this book is the fact that Daniel Kraus doesn't shy away about showing how awful and mean children are. I feel like most of the time when I pick up a middle grade book I read about how innocent and kind children are. I don't know about you, but I was a fucking bitch as a kid and so was everyone else. We would say awful things, do horrible things to each other, and get into as much trouble as possible, and I think The Monster Variations showed that.
The story is about James, Willie, and Reggie and how they are drifting towards adulthood as well as drifting apart. The thing I enjoyed most out of this book is the fact that Daniel Kraus doesn't shy away about showing how awful and mean children are. I feel like most of the time when I pick up a middle grade book I read about how innocent and kind children are. I don't know about you, but I was a fucking bitch as a kid and so was everyone else. We would say awful things, do horrible things to each other, and get into as much trouble as possible, and I think The Monster Variations showed that.
March 6, 2012
Let's be totally fair here: I've never been a twelve-year-old boy. I know, it's a sad fact that means I'm missing out on some experiences, but I chose the other route, the one that involved experiencing a year as a twelve-year-old girl (and by "chose" I mean "lacked the Y chromosome"). I suspect my lack of time as a boy means I'm not the target audience for this book, although in spite of the marketing, I'm not sure middle-grade kids are, either. It read to me like a nostalgia book, the sort of thing you pick up to remember what it was like to be that age, to hover precariously between the comforts of childhood and the alluring realm of teenagers. The Monster Variations holds the sort of truths about growing up that can't be recognized until you've already been through it and can look back with a new perspective.
Even more misleading is the labelling of thriller. I've always seen this book categorized under horror and thriller, and even the back copy promises "a thriller's edge" and tells me "beneath the terror and the thrills, there is truth in this haunting tale." In plain words, if you pick this book up with the aim of reading a thriller, you will be disappointed. It's not about three boys trying to escape death by psycho killer with a truck. In fact, the truck and the danger it represents disappears from the pages almost entirely for 150 of the 245 pages. This is above all else a coming of age tale, the story of a pivotal summer in the lives of three boys.
I found a lot of important scenes in The Monster Variations I was told about, rather than shown. One of the three boys would be puzzling out the apprehension and confusion that surrounds growing up, and would then reflect on an important conversation, or exchange, or experience, shortening the summary in their hindsight. I wanted to see rather than hear what was going on, to meet Willie's parents before the accident so I could make the comparison myself, to be there when fistfights broke out rather than hear about it afterwards. Occasionally, too, "maybe" would jump a few chapters and become solid fact, and while the amount of time the narration spends in the boys' heads might excuse this, it was jarring to go suddenly from "I think I may have just seen my father's car" to "yes, of course he was definitely there that night."
This being said, the tone of the book did have the promised feel of truth to it. I could easily believe in these boys and their world, in their struggles and triumphs. They felt like twelve-year-olds, and will ring familiar to anyone who's been that age.
Even more misleading is the labelling of thriller. I've always seen this book categorized under horror and thriller, and even the back copy promises "a thriller's edge" and tells me "beneath the terror and the thrills, there is truth in this haunting tale." In plain words, if you pick this book up with the aim of reading a thriller, you will be disappointed. It's not about three boys trying to escape death by psycho killer with a truck. In fact, the truck and the danger it represents disappears from the pages almost entirely for 150 of the 245 pages. This is above all else a coming of age tale, the story of a pivotal summer in the lives of three boys.
I found a lot of important scenes in The Monster Variations I was told about, rather than shown. One of the three boys would be puzzling out the apprehension and confusion that surrounds growing up, and would then reflect on an important conversation, or exchange, or experience, shortening the summary in their hindsight. I wanted to see rather than hear what was going on, to meet Willie's parents before the accident so I could make the comparison myself, to be there when fistfights broke out rather than hear about it afterwards. Occasionally, too, "maybe" would jump a few chapters and become solid fact, and while the amount of time the narration spends in the boys' heads might excuse this, it was jarring to go suddenly from "I think I may have just seen my father's car" to "yes, of course he was definitely there that night."
This being said, the tone of the book did have the promised feel of truth to it. I could easily believe in these boys and their world, in their struggles and triumphs. They felt like twelve-year-olds, and will ring familiar to anyone who's been that age.
June 26, 2024
Not going to lie, I went into this fully expecting a thriller or horror novel. This book was astounding, but it was neither one of those things. What you will find here is beautiful writing and a coming of age story unlike anything you've read so far.
If you pick this up expecting some big bad monster, you won't find it. Instead, Kraus highlights the monster inside man. Aggression, addiction, infidelity, all of these things, and more are the monsters that are lurking within his characters.
Children, especially pre-teen and teens, can be absolutely awful. Oftentimes, when you grab a coming of age type story, we don't see a lot of focus on those negative behaviors and traits. I greatly appreciate the way Kraus wrote his young characters. They felt like real kids, growing up and growing apart.
Aside from the coming of age aspects, there is also a bit of a mystery who-dun-it going on, which I personally enjoyed. It definitely helped give more depth into what happened with these kids and why.
Overall, this book kept me interested and invested, eager to see exactly what happened to these young men and how it shaped them. I am honestly still shocked that this was his debut. While I am sad it wasn't well received initially, I am glad he has decided to re-release it. I truly hope it finds its audience because, man...what a book!
I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
If you pick this up expecting some big bad monster, you won't find it. Instead, Kraus highlights the monster inside man. Aggression, addiction, infidelity, all of these things, and more are the monsters that are lurking within his characters.
Children, especially pre-teen and teens, can be absolutely awful. Oftentimes, when you grab a coming of age type story, we don't see a lot of focus on those negative behaviors and traits. I greatly appreciate the way Kraus wrote his young characters. They felt like real kids, growing up and growing apart.
Aside from the coming of age aspects, there is also a bit of a mystery who-dun-it going on, which I personally enjoyed. It definitely helped give more depth into what happened with these kids and why.
Overall, this book kept me interested and invested, eager to see exactly what happened to these young men and how it shaped them. I am honestly still shocked that this was his debut. While I am sad it wasn't well received initially, I am glad he has decided to re-release it. I truly hope it finds its audience because, man...what a book!
I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2024
There are monsters inside us all at times. Either as children being mean to each other or as adults... well, we know what adults are capable of. This is an excellent coming of age story with a monstrous tale. Great character development and a great ending to a thrilling story.
June 29, 2021
Purtroppo non posso dare più di 3 stelle.
Ammetto di essere partita con delle aspettative abbastanza alte.. Dopo Stagioni diverse: con il racconto Stand by me - Ricordo di un'estate e il capolavoro di McCammon, Robert R. Il ventre del lago, avrei dovuto sapere che questo libro non sarebbe stato all'altezza.
Sicuramente il format è pressoché uguale: sullo sfondo di un evento scioccante - in questo caso un furgone killer - la vita e le scorribande di 3 ragazzini durante le vacanze estive. Il tema mi ha attirato non poco, ma il modo con cui è stato scritto mi ha lasciato abbastanza confusa. Più volte sono dovuta tornare indietro a rileggere perché non capivo cosa stava succedendo.
Tutto sommato non mi è dispiaciuto. Ma non mi verrebbe da consigliarlo...
Ammetto di essere partita con delle aspettative abbastanza alte.. Dopo Stagioni diverse: con il racconto Stand by me - Ricordo di un'estate e il capolavoro di McCammon, Robert R. Il ventre del lago, avrei dovuto sapere che questo libro non sarebbe stato all'altezza.
Sicuramente il format è pressoché uguale: sullo sfondo di un evento scioccante - in questo caso un furgone killer - la vita e le scorribande di 3 ragazzini durante le vacanze estive. Il tema mi ha attirato non poco, ma il modo con cui è stato scritto mi ha lasciato abbastanza confusa. Più volte sono dovuta tornare indietro a rileggere perché non capivo cosa stava succedendo.
Tutto sommato non mi è dispiaciuto. Ma non mi verrebbe da consigliarlo...
July 12, 2009
Reviewed by Breia "The Brain" Brickey for TeensReadToo.com
The story begins in the present with James, who on his way out of town runs into Reggie. The story then switches to the year when they were twelve.
Most of what you read will be from this year, when one of their friends is hit by someone in a silver truck, causing him to lose his arm. About two months later, another boy is hit and killed by what everyone suspects is the same truck. This leads the parents and the town to enact a curfew.
Seen through the eyes of 12-year-old boys, this story was very riveting. I enjoyed watching the story unfold. The story is not a hard read but it may not be something you want younger kids to read. I would say that they should be 12 and up.
THE MONSTER VARIATIONS was a fast and enjoyable read that reminds me a little of the movie Stand By Me.
The story begins in the present with James, who on his way out of town runs into Reggie. The story then switches to the year when they were twelve.
Most of what you read will be from this year, when one of their friends is hit by someone in a silver truck, causing him to lose his arm. About two months later, another boy is hit and killed by what everyone suspects is the same truck. This leads the parents and the town to enact a curfew.
Seen through the eyes of 12-year-old boys, this story was very riveting. I enjoyed watching the story unfold. The story is not a hard read but it may not be something you want younger kids to read. I would say that they should be 12 and up.
THE MONSTER VARIATIONS was a fast and enjoyable read that reminds me a little of the movie Stand By Me.
June 9, 2018
Oh my word. This was such a riveting and harrowing book! This was so much more than what it says it is on the flap. This isn't a thriller about a killer on the loose. This is a coming of age tale about three boys in a town filled with self-righteous, terrified people. It is about the fear ad shame and thrill that comes from growing up. And oh my goodness. I adored every word. This book is gorgeous and dark and difficult but it was amazing. Daniel Kraus has done it again.
June 22, 2024
Cemetery Dance's re-issue of Daniel Kraus' debut novel, 'The Monster Variations,' with an eye-opening new introduction, cannot but be an occasion to celebrate. It's already been said enough times that the book is neither a thriller nor a horror novel. There's no point waiting for the shocking twist, the disturbing revelation, or some killer discovery. The new introduction implies that it's not a young adult novel either; I second this wholeheartedly. It's no doubt a terrific coming-of-age novel, but I found the wisdom and the insight in these pages originating in a viewpoint totally unique, an exceptional take on both preteen masculinity and young adulthood.
The book has been compared to Stephen King's novella of "The Body," its film adaptation "Stand By Me," but also to his novel "Hearts of Atlantis"; perhaps even a comparison to some of Dan Simmons novels would be not be far off the mark. Still, I personally think that Kraus' novel has very little to do with the perspective found in these other books: sure, it too is the story of young boys spending an eventful summer in their hometown - however, none of their experiences are typical of cheerful or nostalgic coming-of-age stories (there are no girls or even anything more than feeble hints of romantic relationships), nor have such stories ever been told with an eye so firmly kept on where the boys will end up as adults. In fact, most of the novel plays out as a convoluted psychological explanation of the varied specificities of adulthood: it starts with one of the characters leaving home for university, continues with another character found working in a garage, preparing for marriage and children, and ends with their shared memories of disaster, fatality, and death. In the middle of it all, there stands the life of a rather creepy and atypical bully, who spends a lot of time drawing mysterious pictures. Many times I thought that guy was in the spectrum, but when you get to know him better, you realize how family issues can affect a child in the most unpredictable of ways. This bully was my favorite character.
The bare skeleton of the plotline, the framework in which all these different stories are told, can be gathered, somewhat accurately, by reading the synopsis. But that's just background noise. It's like describing the ballpark without saying anything about the game. What I did not expect is the number of epiphanies the author had in store for his characters. By the end of the book, it was easy to relate to the thoughts compounded non-stop around father-son relationships, mother-son dependencies, and the acknowledgment that, though everyone is, in a sense, a product of their family, there are moments where personality clashes reveal novelty, distance, and variation. Essentially, these stories are indeed variations; variations of that monstrous preteen boy in every man's imagination, who's discovering that parents, friends, and most figures of authority may ultimately have to be the flotsam and jetsam of his life, if he is to survive and live.
The book has been compared to Stephen King's novella of "The Body," its film adaptation "Stand By Me," but also to his novel "Hearts of Atlantis"; perhaps even a comparison to some of Dan Simmons novels would be not be far off the mark. Still, I personally think that Kraus' novel has very little to do with the perspective found in these other books: sure, it too is the story of young boys spending an eventful summer in their hometown - however, none of their experiences are typical of cheerful or nostalgic coming-of-age stories (there are no girls or even anything more than feeble hints of romantic relationships), nor have such stories ever been told with an eye so firmly kept on where the boys will end up as adults. In fact, most of the novel plays out as a convoluted psychological explanation of the varied specificities of adulthood: it starts with one of the characters leaving home for university, continues with another character found working in a garage, preparing for marriage and children, and ends with their shared memories of disaster, fatality, and death. In the middle of it all, there stands the life of a rather creepy and atypical bully, who spends a lot of time drawing mysterious pictures. Many times I thought that guy was in the spectrum, but when you get to know him better, you realize how family issues can affect a child in the most unpredictable of ways. This bully was my favorite character.
The bare skeleton of the plotline, the framework in which all these different stories are told, can be gathered, somewhat accurately, by reading the synopsis. But that's just background noise. It's like describing the ballpark without saying anything about the game. What I did not expect is the number of epiphanies the author had in store for his characters. By the end of the book, it was easy to relate to the thoughts compounded non-stop around father-son relationships, mother-son dependencies, and the acknowledgment that, though everyone is, in a sense, a product of their family, there are moments where personality clashes reveal novelty, distance, and variation. Essentially, these stories are indeed variations; variations of that monstrous preteen boy in every man's imagination, who's discovering that parents, friends, and most figures of authority may ultimately have to be the flotsam and jetsam of his life, if he is to survive and live.
July 22, 2024
If you like the Losers Club from It, the camaraderie, the imaginative adventures, the occasional idiocy, the ride-or-die, then this book might scratch that itch. It's not really horror, or a thriller, or a mystery; while there are elements of all three genres, The Monster Variations is really about three twelve-year-old boys, their friendship, and how everything in their lives changes irrevocably one summer.
June 11, 2024
The Monster Variations by New York Times bestselling author Daniel Kraus is a gripping coming-of-age tale of friendship, fear and navigating life as a young boy. While we see glimpses of familiar stories, this book is a truly unique story in its bones.
Someone is killing boys in a small town. The murder weapon is a truck, and the only protection is a curfew enacted to keep kids off the streets. But it’s summer—and that alone is worth the risk of staying out late for James, Willie, and Reggie.
Willie, who lost his arm in the first hit-and-run attack, finds it hard to keep up with his two best friends as they leave childhood behind. All of them are changing, hounded by their parents, hunted by the killer, and haunted by the “monster,” a dead thing that guards the dangerous gateway between youth and manhood. But that’s not all: shadowing the boys everywhere is Mel Herman, the mysterious and brilliant bully whose dark secrets may hold the key to their survival. As the summer burns away, these forces collide, and it will take compassion, brains, and guts for the boys to overcome their demons—and not become monsters themselves.
Daniel Kraus expertly captures the essences of adolescence while keeping things atmospheric and dark. As the boys in this book confront their fears and unravel secrets we are drawn into a masterfully crafted world that is both haunting and captivating.
As we turn the pages of The Monster Variations we see that each character has unique struggles and strengths that make them super relatable, especially to someone who was once a twelve-year-old boy. Add into the mix that Willie is now physical disabled, the characters feel authentic and well crafted. As the story progresses they face challenges together, deepening their bond as friends which gives us a sense of camaraderie that is truly both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
While on the surface this story seems to be a story similar to Christine from Stephen King, it is a unique story that is more about the bond of friendship and growing up. There are definite moments of suspense and an eerie presences that sometimes had us wondering how it was a young adult novel. In the end, Kraus builds a story with an atmospheric setting that is fast-paced, riveting, harrowing and an overall enjoyable read.
After reading The Monster Variations, the first published novel by Daniel Kraus, it is no surprise the bestselling author has gone on to publish many novels. This debut was wonderfully crafted and is a compelling blend of coming-of-age horror and heart-wrenching revelations. This is a dark, eerie and truly amazing novel that we highly recommend.
Bonus with the 15th Anniversary edition is an amazing introduction by the author.
Someone is killing boys in a small town. The murder weapon is a truck, and the only protection is a curfew enacted to keep kids off the streets. But it’s summer—and that alone is worth the risk of staying out late for James, Willie, and Reggie.
Willie, who lost his arm in the first hit-and-run attack, finds it hard to keep up with his two best friends as they leave childhood behind. All of them are changing, hounded by their parents, hunted by the killer, and haunted by the “monster,” a dead thing that guards the dangerous gateway between youth and manhood. But that’s not all: shadowing the boys everywhere is Mel Herman, the mysterious and brilliant bully whose dark secrets may hold the key to their survival. As the summer burns away, these forces collide, and it will take compassion, brains, and guts for the boys to overcome their demons—and not become monsters themselves.
Daniel Kraus expertly captures the essences of adolescence while keeping things atmospheric and dark. As the boys in this book confront their fears and unravel secrets we are drawn into a masterfully crafted world that is both haunting and captivating.
As we turn the pages of The Monster Variations we see that each character has unique struggles and strengths that make them super relatable, especially to someone who was once a twelve-year-old boy. Add into the mix that Willie is now physical disabled, the characters feel authentic and well crafted. As the story progresses they face challenges together, deepening their bond as friends which gives us a sense of camaraderie that is truly both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
While on the surface this story seems to be a story similar to Christine from Stephen King, it is a unique story that is more about the bond of friendship and growing up. There are definite moments of suspense and an eerie presences that sometimes had us wondering how it was a young adult novel. In the end, Kraus builds a story with an atmospheric setting that is fast-paced, riveting, harrowing and an overall enjoyable read.
After reading The Monster Variations, the first published novel by Daniel Kraus, it is no surprise the bestselling author has gone on to publish many novels. This debut was wonderfully crafted and is a compelling blend of coming-of-age horror and heart-wrenching revelations. This is a dark, eerie and truly amazing novel that we highly recommend.
Bonus with the 15th Anniversary edition is an amazing introduction by the author.
July 24, 2024
I kinda struggled getting through this book, it is labeled as a horror but maybe more a coming to age.
I felt like maybe I would have related more if I was a 12 year old boy.
For me the story was good and had so much potential, however I didn't like the jumping around with no explanation. One minute we're in James mind the next in someone else's.
How does will lose a whole limb and is happy a few weeks later. 👀
I felt like maybe I would have related more if I was a 12 year old boy.
For me the story was good and had so much potential, however I didn't like the jumping around with no explanation. One minute we're in James mind the next in someone else's.
How does will lose a whole limb and is happy a few weeks later. 👀
June 26, 2024
A spellbinding coming of age story centered around a grueling Summer season and the spirit of boyhood. This story is eloquently written, atmospheric, and full of vivid imagery painted with luscious prose.
With depictions of real life horror mixed with the allure of rite of passage from preteen to teenagers, this story explores the connection between friends navigating their relationship with each other go other as well as their places in the world.
High praise for this author, yet another novel by them that was hard to put down. Check this one out!
With depictions of real life horror mixed with the allure of rite of passage from preteen to teenagers, this story explores the connection between friends navigating their relationship with each other go other as well as their places in the world.
High praise for this author, yet another novel by them that was hard to put down. Check this one out!
December 28, 2017
What started out as comments quickly grew into something larger. This is a ambiguous ramble. Continue scrolling if need be.
I accidentally bought this not realizing the MC were 12 so I shoved this unread into my "to be donated" bin. It kept glaring at me to read it. I thought alright. Just one chapter. Well holy &%^$. That one chapter turned into a wee hours of the morning reading session. I would have finished the book in one sitting if my eyes could have stayed open (the reader was willing but the flesh was weak).
I've never had a book keep me interested in a 12 year old MC until now. I have not connected to middle school characters like this since I was in middle school. Just not interested. Well...
I worried. I hoped. I rolled my eyes. I laughed. I wanted to punch people in the face. I wanted to hug people. And I don't know how Daniel Kraus did it. He just did.
The best I can describe it is a masterful writing style that quietly/gently pushes and pulls. Not in your face or unnoticed. It's hard to put into words. I have so much to say but am unable to write/say it properly. There are so many feelings. All I can do is suggest to read the book and experience them yourself.
I will definitely be reading other books form this author.
Ramble over.
I accidentally bought this not realizing the MC were 12 so I shoved this unread into my "to be donated" bin. It kept glaring at me to read it. I thought alright. Just one chapter. Well holy &%^$. That one chapter turned into a wee hours of the morning reading session. I would have finished the book in one sitting if my eyes could have stayed open (the reader was willing but the flesh was weak).
I've never had a book keep me interested in a 12 year old MC until now. I have not connected to middle school characters like this since I was in middle school. Just not interested. Well...
I worried. I hoped. I rolled my eyes. I laughed. I wanted to punch people in the face. I wanted to hug people. And I don't know how Daniel Kraus did it. He just did.
The best I can describe it is a masterful writing style that quietly/gently pushes and pulls. Not in your face or unnoticed. It's hard to put into words. I have so much to say but am unable to write/say it properly. There are so many feelings. All I can do is suggest to read the book and experience them yourself.
I will definitely be reading other books form this author.
Ramble over.
March 31, 2013
Excellent coming of age novel, that follows three 12-year-old boys, best friends, during one eventful summer. The three come from different backgrounds: James is an overachiever, with parents constantly pushing him to succeed, to keep his eye "on the donut, not the hole." Reggie is the largest and the least book-smart of the three, the son of a single mother who works as a waitress in a diner and doesn't give him much attention. And Willie, the smallest and clumsiest, has just lost his left arm in a hit and run accident, the first of two (another boy is killed) which mar the summer and lead to a curfew being enacted. As the three go about their summer activities and push their boundaries, things start to happen and they begin to grow apart, even as their awareness of the adult world begins to sharpen. Add in the peripherally-related story of the local bully, a boy who is artistically-gifted, yet misunderstood, and you've got all the makings of a truly incisive, memorable novel about the challenges and dangers involved in growing up. Highly recommended.
September 18, 2013
I'd expected this to be a much more supernatural scary sort of story--more in the Christine vein. But it's not--it's a town terrified after two boys get hit by what might be the same car, one boy killed and the other losing his arm. It's boys sneaking out after the town-enacted curfew to steal the remains of a monster that another boy has found. It's 12-year-old boys having the kind of mundane adventures that 12-year-old boys have.
I've said before that Kraus reminds me of Stephen King, and as much as this particular title wasn't chock-full of creepy thrills (it's barely creepy at all; you spend the whole book waiting for the other shoe to drop), it still has a King-esque vibe to it--only thinking more "The Body" than The Shining.
I've said before that Kraus reminds me of Stephen King, and as much as this particular title wasn't chock-full of creepy thrills (it's barely creepy at all; you spend the whole book waiting for the other shoe to drop), it still has a King-esque vibe to it--only thinking more "The Body" than The Shining.
July 28, 2024
It was no shock to find out that this author sees Stephen King as one of his influences. Kraus manages to take all the trappings of "the Losers club", or the preteens from "Stand By Me", and wrap them in the wonderfully Rockwellian town of their youth. But unlike Rockwell's paintings, this town also has a dark side. What at first feels a lot like Robert R. McCammon's "Boy's Life", quickly delves into young kids trying to navigate a very adult world, and the various monsters therein.
*****Potential Spoilers Below*****
I spent most of this book wondering if it had a supernatural element. As a fan of films like "The Hearse", "The Car", "Duel", "Christine". "Highway to Hell" and "Maximum Overdrive", I found the allusion to a vehicle, potentially possessed by a demon or some other supernatural force, quite appealing.
As the novel went on it kept me guessing as to whether or not that would be the case. Eventually you learn that the monster variations suggested in the title are very much those of the real world. They materialize as parents neglecting their latchkey children, blood brothers turning on their own, bullies being themselves bullied, but it doesn't stop there. Replete with cheating husbands, maniacal and sometimes selfish elderly, condescending parents, thieving teenagers, and one very uncontrollable drunk in particular, the novel introduces a multitude of real-life human monsters. One by one, children of the town are threatened. One losing a limb and another his life, until eventually the true monster is revealed.
Told elegantly in beautiful simplicity, the author manages to weave in and out of past and present flawlessly. He takes the reader outside of their adult minds, into the naive formative ones, of a pack of prepubescent wanderlusters. A treehouse full of memories, the exploration of cavernous school hallways at night, and even a farmhouse oddity, can only distract the kids temporarily; the heavy weight of a killer in town still entraps their every-waking thought.
The book reads like a coming-of-age summer from "The Wonder Years", except that there is always the foreboding threat of killer truck on the loose. Curfews are meant to be broken. Woods and graveyards are met with careless abandon, and there is no doubt that, if need be, the weak will be left behind to fend for themselves.
The reader is left with no choice but to look over their own shoulder, and stick to the well lit roads on the safe path to home. Once they cross over the tracks into the seedy motel, and dilapidated factory, part of town, they may just have an encounter with an errant silver truck on a mission to maim, or worse yet kill. It has revenge pulsing through its pistons and blood on its tires, and it's only a matter of time before it strikes again.
In the end, lessons are learned, and people move on, but for some, the junkyard fight still isn't over.
*****Potential Spoilers Below*****
I spent most of this book wondering if it had a supernatural element. As a fan of films like "The Hearse", "The Car", "Duel", "Christine". "Highway to Hell" and "Maximum Overdrive", I found the allusion to a vehicle, potentially possessed by a demon or some other supernatural force, quite appealing.
As the novel went on it kept me guessing as to whether or not that would be the case. Eventually you learn that the monster variations suggested in the title are very much those of the real world. They materialize as parents neglecting their latchkey children, blood brothers turning on their own, bullies being themselves bullied, but it doesn't stop there. Replete with cheating husbands, maniacal and sometimes selfish elderly, condescending parents, thieving teenagers, and one very uncontrollable drunk in particular, the novel introduces a multitude of real-life human monsters. One by one, children of the town are threatened. One losing a limb and another his life, until eventually the true monster is revealed.
Told elegantly in beautiful simplicity, the author manages to weave in and out of past and present flawlessly. He takes the reader outside of their adult minds, into the naive formative ones, of a pack of prepubescent wanderlusters. A treehouse full of memories, the exploration of cavernous school hallways at night, and even a farmhouse oddity, can only distract the kids temporarily; the heavy weight of a killer in town still entraps their every-waking thought.
The book reads like a coming-of-age summer from "The Wonder Years", except that there is always the foreboding threat of killer truck on the loose. Curfews are meant to be broken. Woods and graveyards are met with careless abandon, and there is no doubt that, if need be, the weak will be left behind to fend for themselves.
The reader is left with no choice but to look over their own shoulder, and stick to the well lit roads on the safe path to home. Once they cross over the tracks into the seedy motel, and dilapidated factory, part of town, they may just have an encounter with an errant silver truck on a mission to maim, or worse yet kill. It has revenge pulsing through its pistons and blood on its tires, and it's only a matter of time before it strikes again.
In the end, lessons are learned, and people move on, but for some, the junkyard fight still isn't over.
July 7, 2024
Overall, this was a rather impressive story if only falling flat on its genre qualities. The main gist of the book focuses on the relationship that develops between the three boys, who are shown at various stages trying to deal with the forces at play around them. The present-day struggle to establish a bond that was severed back when they were kids several years ago through the course of the summer that they all encounter the series of savage child hit-and-runs that run rampant through the town continues quite nicely, giving this a solid overall setup that starts this rather nicely.
This creates an intriguing dynamic between them as Willie is a survivor of the incidents but left with disfiguring physical wounds that leave him feeling like a third wheel to the other two who are not bothered by the physical limitations he has. As James and Reggie try to downplay what's going on around them, they just want to have fun as kids. Their desire, especially Reggie's, to utilize the summer for everything they could muster is handled quite well here and helps to draw the reader in.
This is all matched nicely by the smooth, vibrant storytelling here, moving the story along at a rather intriguing pace full of intriguing setpieces and conversations. From the kids planning their nocturnal rendezvous in the comfort of their house over the indignation of having a curfew in place during the summer season, their exploits when dealing with the strange pick-up truck killer that haunts their nights, or the attempt to uncover the connection between the bully that torments their existence and a savage monster said to be at the heart of their ruined summer. These are handled incredibly well, with vibrant passages and a knack for handling things the way a teenager would which helps the book tremendously.
Where this one might have a slight issue is with the natural exploits of falling into the genre hole, relying far more on the relationship between the kids and how they drift apart than what evil force is out maliciously hunting them down. The killer pick-up truck is only a brief figurehead in the first stages of the book, complete with only one real incident described more as aftermath than anything else so it never remains as much of a focus in the story as it should be. The few brief bits about the curfew or the aftereffects of an earlier encounter aren’t nearly enough of a factor to keep this one in line with the genre until it starts to get to the final half where it has a bit more impact.
This creates an intriguing dynamic between them as Willie is a survivor of the incidents but left with disfiguring physical wounds that leave him feeling like a third wheel to the other two who are not bothered by the physical limitations he has. As James and Reggie try to downplay what's going on around them, they just want to have fun as kids. Their desire, especially Reggie's, to utilize the summer for everything they could muster is handled quite well here and helps to draw the reader in.
This is all matched nicely by the smooth, vibrant storytelling here, moving the story along at a rather intriguing pace full of intriguing setpieces and conversations. From the kids planning their nocturnal rendezvous in the comfort of their house over the indignation of having a curfew in place during the summer season, their exploits when dealing with the strange pick-up truck killer that haunts their nights, or the attempt to uncover the connection between the bully that torments their existence and a savage monster said to be at the heart of their ruined summer. These are handled incredibly well, with vibrant passages and a knack for handling things the way a teenager would which helps the book tremendously.
Where this one might have a slight issue is with the natural exploits of falling into the genre hole, relying far more on the relationship between the kids and how they drift apart than what evil force is out maliciously hunting them down. The killer pick-up truck is only a brief figurehead in the first stages of the book, complete with only one real incident described more as aftermath than anything else so it never remains as much of a focus in the story as it should be. The few brief bits about the curfew or the aftereffects of an earlier encounter aren’t nearly enough of a factor to keep this one in line with the genre until it starts to get to the final half where it has a bit more impact.
February 13, 2025
Listen, I suck at doing a synopsis, so look up there at the book's description. It's better than what I could do.
So, my intro to Daniel Kraus' work was Whalefall because I heard so much about it. Unfortunately, Whalefall really wasn't my jam. It was kind of meh. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it like everyone else seemingly did. I know this really seems like a jerk move, me saying I didn't like an author's book that I'm not even reviewing, but stick with me because this is important. Even though I was not hot on Whalefall, I really liked Kraus' writing. That seems weird that I was a fan of the writing but not really the book, but I'm sure readers know what I mean.
ANYWAY, I knew I was definitely open to reading something else by him, and when The Monster Variations showed up in my Cemetery Dance Paperback Club collection, I thought, let's try this one.
Holy cow. THIS is what I wanted. This...damn.
I'm a sucker for coming-of-age tales, and boy, does The Monster Variations deliver. I wouldn't necessarily call it 'horror' because there's literally nothing supernatural about it, and the only violence in it is a mysterious truck driver mowed down a couple of kids, and a fistfight or two. But it's still dark in a way I can't put my finger on.
Kraus' prose here is kind of beautiful. His paragraphs can be straight poetry, and all the characters are fully formed with their own secrets and fears. What's even better, and speaks to how great Kraus' writing is, is even the "bad" characters in the book are written in such a way that you don't hate them. You might not like them, but you don't hate them.
Like Reggie, for instance. The kid can be an jackass bully. But, man, I sympathized with him. His attitude (like most bullies) is due to misplaced anger and sadness. It's easy to make a character everyone hates. It's much harder to make a sympathetic character that you want to hate.
This book is fantastic. I'll probably read it again in the future because it moves so fast and that part in the book that felt like a punch to the gut is perfectly played. I don't have to tell you what it is. You'll know exactly what I'm talking about when you read it. Which you should. Right now.
So, my intro to Daniel Kraus' work was Whalefall because I heard so much about it. Unfortunately, Whalefall really wasn't my jam. It was kind of meh. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it like everyone else seemingly did. I know this really seems like a jerk move, me saying I didn't like an author's book that I'm not even reviewing, but stick with me because this is important. Even though I was not hot on Whalefall, I really liked Kraus' writing. That seems weird that I was a fan of the writing but not really the book, but I'm sure readers know what I mean.
ANYWAY, I knew I was definitely open to reading something else by him, and when The Monster Variations showed up in my Cemetery Dance Paperback Club collection, I thought, let's try this one.
Holy cow. THIS is what I wanted. This...damn.
I'm a sucker for coming-of-age tales, and boy, does The Monster Variations deliver. I wouldn't necessarily call it 'horror' because there's literally nothing supernatural about it, and the only violence in it is a mysterious truck driver mowed down a couple of kids, and a fistfight or two. But it's still dark in a way I can't put my finger on.
Kraus' prose here is kind of beautiful. His paragraphs can be straight poetry, and all the characters are fully formed with their own secrets and fears. What's even better, and speaks to how great Kraus' writing is, is even the "bad" characters in the book are written in such a way that you don't hate them. You might not like them, but you don't hate them.
Like Reggie, for instance. The kid can be an jackass bully. But, man, I sympathized with him. His attitude (like most bullies) is due to misplaced anger and sadness. It's easy to make a character everyone hates. It's much harder to make a sympathetic character that you want to hate.
This book is fantastic. I'll probably read it again in the future because it moves so fast and that part in the book that felt like a punch to the gut is perfectly played. I don't have to tell you what it is. You'll know exactly what I'm talking about when you read it. Which you should. Right now.
August 4, 2026
Brutto. Mamma mia, che brutto.
Lo stile di scrittura mi ha urtato i nervi, si vede che l’autore si sforza di impattare, di buttare lì delle frasi che possano colpire nel segno, ma è tutto così… forzato, per l’appunto. Zero empatia per questi ragazzini perché non li ho proprio sentiti, l’unica cosa che risuona nel libro è la voce dell’autore che si sforza, si sforza… e si sforza ancora… meglio prendersi un lassativo, la prossima volta.
Certi punti, poi, andavano proprio tagliati. Il top credo sia stato dedicare una pagina intera al dialogo di uno dei ragazzini al telefono con la madre o il padre, di cui riporto un pezzo per far capire le cime verso cui ha svettato la mia irritazione:
[...]
- Già.
- Già.
- Lo so.
- Lo so.
- Okay.
- Okay.
- Bene, glielo dirò.
- Gli dirò quello che hai detto.
- Bene.
- Bene.
- Bene.
[...]
Ecco. Cioè. Boh. Io non lo so. Senza parole.
Povera Amazzonia, a rischio estinzione per stampare certa roba.
Comunque anche il colpo di scena finale mi è sembrato risibile. Cioè, ci ho proprio riso. Mi sento cattiva, ma è così.
Vorrei tornare indietro nel tempo per non aver incrociato questo libro.
Che poi, ‘sta brutta abitudine di associare a Stand By Me qualsiasi storia che contenga due ragazzini prepuberali, ma basta. Non c’entra proprio nulla.
È una specie di romanzo di formazione — molto mal riuscito — che aspira ad atmosfere thriller — mal riuscitissime —.
Bocciato alla stragrande.
Lo stile di scrittura mi ha urtato i nervi, si vede che l’autore si sforza di impattare, di buttare lì delle frasi che possano colpire nel segno, ma è tutto così… forzato, per l’appunto. Zero empatia per questi ragazzini perché non li ho proprio sentiti, l’unica cosa che risuona nel libro è la voce dell’autore che si sforza, si sforza… e si sforza ancora… meglio prendersi un lassativo, la prossima volta.
Certi punti, poi, andavano proprio tagliati. Il top credo sia stato dedicare una pagina intera al dialogo di uno dei ragazzini al telefono con la madre o il padre, di cui riporto un pezzo per far capire le cime verso cui ha svettato la mia irritazione:
[...]
- Già.
- Già.
- Lo so.
- Lo so.
- Okay.
- Okay.
- Bene, glielo dirò.
- Gli dirò quello che hai detto.
- Bene.
- Bene.
- Bene.
[...]
Ecco. Cioè. Boh. Io non lo so. Senza parole.
Povera Amazzonia, a rischio estinzione per stampare certa roba.
Comunque anche il colpo di scena finale mi è sembrato risibile. Cioè, ci ho proprio riso. Mi sento cattiva, ma è così.
Vorrei tornare indietro nel tempo per non aver incrociato questo libro.
Che poi, ‘sta brutta abitudine di associare a Stand By Me qualsiasi storia che contenga due ragazzini prepuberali, ma basta. Non c’entra proprio nulla.
È una specie di romanzo di formazione — molto mal riuscito — che aspira ad atmosfere thriller — mal riuscitissime —.
Bocciato alla stragrande.
August 4, 2024
A coming of age story with a difference, this is a story of childhood nostalgia, of change as children grow up, and does it expertly with prose that captures the experience perfectly.
The story begins with a flashback sequence where a grown up James pulls into a gas station and sees Reggie his old childhood friend. From there, the story flashes back to when they were 12 years old. James, Reggie and Willie are childhood friends and each have different roles - James, who is the follower of the group, Reggie who is the outspoken leader and Willie who is the meek member who will do anything the others want to do. As we join the story, there is some murders happening in the town where they live that target children. Willie himself loses an arm in one such attack and there is an atmosphere of fear through the whole town.
The three of them struggle with the restrictions imposed on them and act out in different ways. The story really highlights the struggle we all face as children and how the environment we are in can really impact on the way children are raised.
The story is written expertly, the prose is engrossing and the undertone of nostalgia is strong and emotive. I wouldn't classify his one as either horror or thriller, perhaps more mystery/coming of age but its a fantastic read either way.
The story begins with a flashback sequence where a grown up James pulls into a gas station and sees Reggie his old childhood friend. From there, the story flashes back to when they were 12 years old. James, Reggie and Willie are childhood friends and each have different roles - James, who is the follower of the group, Reggie who is the outspoken leader and Willie who is the meek member who will do anything the others want to do. As we join the story, there is some murders happening in the town where they live that target children. Willie himself loses an arm in one such attack and there is an atmosphere of fear through the whole town.
The three of them struggle with the restrictions imposed on them and act out in different ways. The story really highlights the struggle we all face as children and how the environment we are in can really impact on the way children are raised.
The story is written expertly, the prose is engrossing and the undertone of nostalgia is strong and emotive. I wouldn't classify his one as either horror or thriller, perhaps more mystery/coming of age but its a fantastic read either way.
July 27, 2024
‘With peril now kept at such a distance, each day that passed was a mere drop of blood from a wound that, though mortal, would take a lifetime to drain.’
The Monster Variations is a study of boyhood and the whirlwind that either attempts to preclude or aids in developing an understanding of virility. The story follows James, Willie and Reggie as they wrestle with numerous boyhood decisions one summer in their pre-teens. With a curfew now in place due to some maniac in a truck, they learn just what it means to be a boy in this era, sneaking out and finding trouble where only boys can.
It’s also so much more than that. Moments of it made me angry, others made me want to cry. The nostalgia building really carried this book forward for me. That being said, I am male and felt a sense of camaraderie with the characters, so I understand how this aspect might not appeal to all readers. My childhood was also spent outside, doing numerous things my parents would have likely frowned upon, constantly chasing death, although, to me, the danger was veiled as adventure.
All in all, I recommend this book. I’m not sure anything will beat Whalefall for me, but this story was also captivating, albeit in a very different, yet dynamic way.
The Monster Variations is a study of boyhood and the whirlwind that either attempts to preclude or aids in developing an understanding of virility. The story follows James, Willie and Reggie as they wrestle with numerous boyhood decisions one summer in their pre-teens. With a curfew now in place due to some maniac in a truck, they learn just what it means to be a boy in this era, sneaking out and finding trouble where only boys can.
It’s also so much more than that. Moments of it made me angry, others made me want to cry. The nostalgia building really carried this book forward for me. That being said, I am male and felt a sense of camaraderie with the characters, so I understand how this aspect might not appeal to all readers. My childhood was also spent outside, doing numerous things my parents would have likely frowned upon, constantly chasing death, although, to me, the danger was veiled as adventure.
All in all, I recommend this book. I’m not sure anything will beat Whalefall for me, but this story was also captivating, albeit in a very different, yet dynamic way.
July 12, 2025
[Snack-Size Review] The Monster Variations, by Daniel Krauss
Quick Bite: I didn’t know what to expect and I was still disappointed.
What It’s About: In an unspecified, pre-Internet year, twelve-year-old Willie is hit by a truck and loses his arm. Weeks later, another young boy is hit and killed. Willie and his two best friends James and Reggie spend the summer trying to find the truck and its driver, and coming to terms with the limits of both Willie’s damaged body, and their newly strained friendship.
A Word From The Nerd: Duckies, I read Bent Heavens by Mr. Krauss, and it wrecked me so thoroughly that I spent a full year trying to get up the nerve to read another one of his books, and…. This book didn’t come close. Which isn’t to say it’s a BAD book exactly - the twist was appropriately devastating, the ending fairly satisfying. The author also did a marvelous job in recreating the way kids view a world shaped by adults in which they are mostly powerless. But there were just far too many words devoted to navel-gazing by preteen boys, and for a short-ish book, it felt like it took a long time to read.
The Nerd’s Rating: THREE HAPPY NEURONS (and some roasted turkey.)
Quick Bite: I didn’t know what to expect and I was still disappointed.
What It’s About: In an unspecified, pre-Internet year, twelve-year-old Willie is hit by a truck and loses his arm. Weeks later, another young boy is hit and killed. Willie and his two best friends James and Reggie spend the summer trying to find the truck and its driver, and coming to terms with the limits of both Willie’s damaged body, and their newly strained friendship.
A Word From The Nerd: Duckies, I read Bent Heavens by Mr. Krauss, and it wrecked me so thoroughly that I spent a full year trying to get up the nerve to read another one of his books, and…. This book didn’t come close. Which isn’t to say it’s a BAD book exactly - the twist was appropriately devastating, the ending fairly satisfying. The author also did a marvelous job in recreating the way kids view a world shaped by adults in which they are mostly powerless. But there were just far too many words devoted to navel-gazing by preteen boys, and for a short-ish book, it felt like it took a long time to read.
The Nerd’s Rating: THREE HAPPY NEURONS (and some roasted turkey.)
July 1, 2024
Thank you to Lisa from Cemetery Dance for the ARC of The Monster Variations by Daniel Kraus. I won't delve into the plot, as it’s best discovered firsthand. Despite what the back cover suggests, this book is a coming-of-age story about three boys facing the harsh realities of growing up. They learn that people lie, parents aren’t perfect, adults don’t have all the answers, and we’re not indestructible.
Stephen King once wrote, "The world had teeth and it could bite you with them anytime it wanted.” This quote perfectly captures the transition from childhood to adulthood.
If you’re expecting a bone-chilling horror novel, you might be disappointed. However, if you crave Americana, adventure, friendship, and mystery, you’ll be satisfied. Kraus writes about boyhood and growing up like no other. Themes from Whalefall and Rotters are present here, just in a different form.
Grab your lunch box, a strong coffee, and dig in.
Rating: 4/5 trucks
Stephen King once wrote, "The world had teeth and it could bite you with them anytime it wanted.” This quote perfectly captures the transition from childhood to adulthood.
If you’re expecting a bone-chilling horror novel, you might be disappointed. However, if you crave Americana, adventure, friendship, and mystery, you’ll be satisfied. Kraus writes about boyhood and growing up like no other. Themes from Whalefall and Rotters are present here, just in a different form.
Grab your lunch box, a strong coffee, and dig in.
Rating: 4/5 trucks
February 26, 2025
The Monster Variations by Daniel Kraus is an excellent quick-paced read. Even though Kraus is known as a horror author and this was rereleased by horror press Cemetery Dance, I found this to be more straight up coming-of-age fiction and horror-adjacent, like King’s The Body (aka Stand By Me), McCammon’s Boy’s Life, and Tim McGregor’s Wasps in the Ice Cream. A horrific event launches the journey the characters go on and comes into play here and there, but isn’t the main focus of the narrative.
That is in no way a knock on the book, as I count all of these among my favorites—this is a subgenre that is quite ‘my jam.’ I am very happy to add The Monster Variations to that shelf and think you will be too if you love the others I mentioned. The book was originally published over 15 years ago and was rereleased last year, but the story is timeless. Go check it out!
That is in no way a knock on the book, as I count all of these among my favorites—this is a subgenre that is quite ‘my jam.’ I am very happy to add The Monster Variations to that shelf and think you will be too if you love the others I mentioned. The book was originally published over 15 years ago and was rereleased last year, but the story is timeless. Go check it out!
October 20, 2026
Kraus' first book isn't a homerun, but it's at least a double. It's really a coming of age novel. We follow three twelve year old boys trying to figure out who they are as individuals over the course of an abnormally tense summer. There are paranormal undertones, but those prove to be the machinations of a scared mind.
This book isn't really about "monsters," at least not as we'd traditionally think about them. It's about the monster within each of us, personally manufactured. It's about how those monsters vary, how they torment those around us. Even those closest to us can be monstrous, and maybe those that appear to be monsters aren't as bad as they seem.
*spoilers*
Kraus really does Willie dirty in this book man. It works for the story, it's just sad.
This book isn't really about "monsters," at least not as we'd traditionally think about them. It's about the monster within each of us, personally manufactured. It's about how those monsters vary, how they torment those around us. Even those closest to us can be monstrous, and maybe those that appear to be monsters aren't as bad as they seem.
*spoilers*
Kraus really does Willie dirty in this book man. It works for the story, it's just sad.
July 30, 2024
Thank you @cemeterydancepub for my copy of the re-issued novel by Daniel Kraus, The Monster Variations. I was pretty shocked that this was Kraus’ debut. The writing is very well done. Let me start by saying this is neither horror nor thriller but a coming of age style in vein of Stand By Me. All three boys come from dysfunctional homes and have a lot to juggle while also growing up and finding oneself. Nothing really “good” happens to any of the characters and I felt horrible for Willie. His story line made me the saddest and I just wanted to save him. This is a quick read and I will say I enjoyed it much more than Whalefall.
June 30, 2024
Thank you to Cemetery Dance for providing a review copy.
The Monster Variations is a book about growing up and losing your innocence. It is suffused with nostalgia and longing. When you hear Cemetery Dance, you think of horror, but I wouldn't say this book quite qualifies. What horror is present is quiet; the silent horror of growing up, realizing your parents are human too, and of course, the mystery surrounding who is hitting kids with a truck. It's a beautiful, literary meditation on growing up. 4 stars
The Monster Variations is a book about growing up and losing your innocence. It is suffused with nostalgia and longing. When you hear Cemetery Dance, you think of horror, but I wouldn't say this book quite qualifies. What horror is present is quiet; the silent horror of growing up, realizing your parents are human too, and of course, the mystery surrounding who is hitting kids with a truck. It's a beautiful, literary meditation on growing up. 4 stars
April 9, 2025
This is not at all what it seems to be in its marketing descriptions. It is not a monster story, the monster is the world that men make and the legacies that fathers leave for their sons. While Kraus would go on to write a perfect novel (“Whalefall,” do yourself a goddamn favour), this is an astoundingly assured debut. It captures the torturous liminal space of twelve-year-old boys and their imaginations and the discovery that we can cause real and lasting harms in startlingly-elegant and impactful prose.
The guy has something!
The guy has something!
July 26, 2017
The story is about three boys dealing with childhood bullies, parents, clashing personalities, getting into trouble and really all that goes with growing up plus that terrifying silver truck. It focuses on that one summer when everything changes. I can't really give out anymore info as not to spoil it but it is a very good read. I feel it definitely captures the positive and all the negative traits of humanity at every age. I would recommend this book to everyone.
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