By Patrick Ness (Walker books)
YA
Guest Review by Penny Hochveld, Manager of Exclusive books, Killarney, Johannesburg.
Patrick Ness is a very unusual writer. His “Knife of Never Letting Go”, the first book in the “Chaos Walking” trilogy was startlingly original. “A Monster Calls” has become a publishing sensation since it was published in 2011. It has won numerous awards, being the first book ever to win both the Carnegie Medal and the Kate Greenaway Medal. It hits with enormous power. It is about a young teenage boy trying to cope with his mother’s serious illness and then her death. It is raw and brave and the ending is searingly honest. The writing is simple – it could be read by a 10-year old – but it is so profound that I would really say the book is only for sensitive readers aged 13 – 16, and that a parent should read it first and be ready to discuss it and share it with his or her teenage child. It is not for action lovers, it is not plot-driven, it is all about feelings of fear and despair and loss, but it is ultimately hopeful and brave, and a remarkable book.
To visit the site – Kate Greenaway
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