2022 ONTD Reading Challenge discussion

I've decided to read A Monster Calls. I hope others do as well and we can discuss the book in this thread.

Here's the blurb for the book:

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

It wants the truth.

Have you read it? What did you think?

Finished the book. I am so torn with this story. On one hand, I like the message of the story. I love the way it was told. (reading from the original edition with the illustrations is a must!) I loved the characters and their struggles. On the other hand, I thought the story was predictable to a fault. All of the plot points that were supposed to be surprises were telegraphed so long in advanced as to lose their punch. Overall, I still think it was a beautiful story and would recommend it, but I wish it had had just a tiny bit of subtlety

I felt the same way! I fault myself for having such high expectations. It is a children's book, after all. It was *too* whimsical for me.

Rozalina wrote: "I felt the same way! I fault myself for having such high expectations. It is a children's book, after all. It was *too* whimsical for me."

I've read so many of middle-grade books that do not spoil the punch line like this book did. I agree it's a younger audience, but not so young that they need to be talked down to. I see what you are saying though. The whimsical aspects of the book were really exaggerated. I still liked the idea of teaching kids to forgive themselves when they have selfish thoughts (being human) and the lessons of self-preservation. Important lessons for kids that suffer loss at a young age ( this was a lesson that resonated with me having experienced similar issues when I was younger)

I really liked it, read it while I was sick and I got really emotional towards the end. I didn't mind the predictability, sometimes it just doesn't take away from the story.

I enjoyed this book. I think it would be a good book for someone, any age, who is dealing with losing someone.

Oh I definitely cried and sniffled while reading this book. I liked the overall message of this book. Maybe I'm not reading that much middle-grade, but I felt like it's not a subject that comes up as much. Connor's search for an outside punishment was heartbreaking and something I can empathize with.

I wasn't too interested in the movie before reading the book, but I'm certainly interested now, especially with Liam Neeson as the tree.