A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness and A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

A Monster Calls

A novel by Patrick Ness, Illustrations by Jim Kay

A Monster Calls is a beautifully written, heart-wrenching work of literature that keeps you wondering what exactly is going on throughout the book. It follows a teenage boy, Conor, who is having dark nightmares that soon brings a monster into his life. The monster tells Conor stories and pressures him into talking about his nightmare. Throughout the book, the monster is portrayed as being the darkness is Conor’s life as well as the sickness that is being brought on his mother. At the end of the book, it becomes clear that the monster was actually there to help Conor through his guilt he feels about his nightmare. He forces Conor to live through his dream and brings to light Conor’s true feelings about his mother dying. Conor is consoled by the monster about his moral dilemma and is taught that he isn’t a bad person because he wants his mother to be relieved from the pain. Ness composes a devastatingly raw piece of the inner workings of guilt, that can consume us throughout our life.

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A Curse so Dark and Lonely

A book by Brigid Kemmerer

I found this book to be a little slow at sometimes, but it turned into an interesting read. It is told from two perspectives, which I love because you get a glimpse at what they both are thinking, Harper and Rhen. The main character is a strong female lead that gives representation to many people that suffer from cerebral palsy (CP). I found her character to be bold and confident, and fights for what is right. She made this book what it is. Rhen is the victim in this beauty and the beats retelling, forced to relive the autumn of his eighteenth year until someone falls in love with him. He comes across as brute in the beginning, but you warm up to his character. There is another main character, Grey, who is the held-back guard of Rhen and who seems to have a soft spot for Harper. Throughout the book, you are torn between who you like more, Rhen or Grey. As the book progresses, Harper opens up to the two and begins to take charge of helping out Rhen’s kingdom with a plan they created. This is the first part of a trilogy and the ending of this book left me in shock and wondering what could possibly happen next with the newfound information brought to light.