Wow.

This book was everything I had heard it would be and more. A Monster Calls had been on my tbr for too long and knowing that the film was releasing in the new year, I decided it was time I settled down and read it. Little did I expect to find myself riding a long roller coaster of emotional turmoil.

This is Conor's story. Conor is a young boy who is haunted by a monster, a monster we later come to realise symbolises mental health issues and the deep, emotional turmoil he is feeling. This is the story of how Conor learns to conquer his own fears and feelings and come to peace with his mother's illness and his inevitably rocky future.

This is genuinely one of the most beautiful books I have ever had the honour to read. I loved that the lines between life and fiction were blurred, leaving it up to us as readers to decide what we believed in. I lived for the symbolism in this story. I think at times we all wish we had a monster we could communicate with and learn how to conquer. I know I certainly would call my monster to me if I could. So much is left unsaid in this book and I think that is very poignant and reflective of the situation in the book. By the end of this book I truly felt empty. Emotionally there was nothing left of me.

I really do not have the words to summarise this book or even to review it in the nature that it truly deserves. What I would like to say is thank you to Patrick Ness for writing the story that Siobhan Dowd wanted to tell but was unable to. Thank you for writing a book that will resonate with millions for years, and not just children either. This is one of the most important books I have ever read and I truly urge everyone to read it. Truly heartbreaking and beautiful.