Book Review: “A Monster Calls” by Patrick Ness

This book is truly outstanding and even won several literary awards. When I first read it, I thought the story was simply about a monster from a nightmare chasing a boy named Connor O’Malley — a monster that appeared to live in a yew tree behind his house and came to tell him stories every night.

However, as I kept reading, I realized that the story is much deeper than that. It’s not only about a monster haunting a boy — it’s about grief, loss, and courage. It tells the painful yet touching story of a 13-year-old boy whose mother is seriously ill and undergoing treatment, while his father has long been separated and now lives in America with his new family.

Every night, Connor dreams about the monster from the yew tree that tells him three stories and asks him to tell the fourth story himself — one that reveals the truth. The monster’s first story is about a young prince, the second about an apothecary, and the third about an invisible man. But when it’s Connor’s turn, he struggles to face the truth and doesn’t know what story he should tell.

Meanwhile, his mother’s health worsens each day. His father visits from America, but tension grows between him and Connor’s grandmother, who is strict, talkative, and dislikes mess. Connor also faces bullying at school from Harry, Anton, and Sully, though his friend Lily…