“You do not write your life with words...You write it with actions. What you think is not important. It is only important what you do.” 

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (narrated by Jason Isaacs if anyone’s curious about the audio), inspired by an idea by Siobhan Dowd, is an absolutely profound piece!

The general idea: A monster comes to Conor O’Malley, at night (like they always do), with a proposition. He will tell Conor three stories, in exchange for Conor to share one of his own with the monster. Each morning, the monster disappears, leaving Conor to the struggles of day-to-day teenage life. And forcing him to face the harsh reality of his current circumstances. A sick mother. A bully who won’t stop. A best friend who is now estranged for sharing a secret of his. An absent father. And an overbearing grandmother. Conor is forced to face the difficulties of his reality day in and day out, while searching for a miracle in this monster that has come calling for him.  

My feelings: There is so much that could be said about this piece. The description is purposeful and transportive. The blend between fantasy and reality is absolutely spectacular. There are so many heavy themes of grief, of regret, of telling the truth and acting upon it, even when it’s hard…I could write an entire essay about what makes this book a magnificent work!

I love an allegorical tale for universal things we face as humans, and this most certainly fits that bill. I think the narration by Jason Isaacs also adds to the depth of this piece. He's got the perfect voice to bring this dark yet poignant tale to life. I loved this and totally recommend it if you want something haunting that ends on a hopeful note.  

Content warning: Dying parent, estranged parent