A Monster Calls

A Monster Calls (2006), by Patrick Ness, follows teenager Conor O'Malley as he struggles with his grieving over his mom's illness. As his mother's health fades, Conor has a 12:07 a.m. visitor: the yew tree in his backyard a.k.a. "the monster," which tries to scare Conor, who's un-phased. He shrugs off the dream...until he steps on the yew tree leaves in his bedroom.

The monster continues visiting Conor, urging him to confront his "real" recurring nightmare, "not the stupid tree, the nightmare with the screaming and the falling, the nightmare he would never tell another living soul about" (Ness 19). Still, the monster doesn't seem like such bad company. It has a pretty good sense of humor and despite its occasional fear mongering, genuinely wants to help Conor. The school bully, Harry the "Blond Wonder Child" (Ness 18) seemed to take notice of Conor the same day his recurring nightmare started "like a secret mark" that "had been placed on him that only Harry could see" (Ness 19).

Without giving too much away, the themes of bullying, grieving, blame, and ultimately, conquering one's demons run through A Monster Calls. It will resonate strongest for students who have lost a loved one, especially a parent. However, the eternal theme of truth and how we mourn leave something for everyone. The novel includes powerful, poignant illustrations which complement the story of Conor battling his own monster. Warning: You may be battling tears by the end.

There were a couple passages I particularly liked and have stuck with me over the last week after completing the book. During one of the monster's visits, it asks: "What is a dream, Conor O'Malley?...Who is to say that it's not everything else that is the dream?" (Ness 30). The lesson of the next passage does fit with our frequent desire to dissect the confusing morass of the world into black and white, good or bad: "There is not always a good guy. Nor is there always a bad one. Most people are somewhere in between" (Ness 64). And finally: "If you speak the truth...you will be able to face whatever comes" (Ness 203). A list of discussion questions to use in class can be found here.