Book Discussion
Book Discussion - A Monster Calls
Hello Nail-Biters!! We hope you enjoyed this month's read and you are ready to discuss the book!
- What is your general review of this book?
- Have you watched the movie/trailer of the movie based on the book? If so, how do you compare it to the book?
- Share a favourite quote from the book. Why did this quote stand out to you?
- For you, what's the meaning behind Conor destroying his grandmother's sitting room and later on, her destroying what's left?
- What is your opinion on the father figure of this book? Why do you think he preferred the physical welfare of one child to the mental health of the other?
You can discuss until August 1st and this will be the only discussion post! You may comment any time and any day until then. Feel free to answer other Nail-Biters' comments or use our chat to discuss. If you have any doubts about our rules, you can check them out here. Don't forget to sign your comments, specially when using the anonymous mode!
We also launched our e-mail account thenailbiterbookclub@gmail.com to which you can e-mail your submissions, questions and any feedback!
We also launched our e-mail account thenailbiterbookclub@gmail.com to which you can e-mail your submissions, questions and any feedback!
Have fun!
Samuel Toms - " A Monster Call" Review
ReplyDelete"A story about honesty and mental health with a beautiful mom-son relationship and a surprisingly amazing ending."
7/10 - I'm also surprised by this score.
I took a while to me to like this book. It was "hard to read" at some parts of the story. I would prefer if this book was a pov instead of having an annoying narrator but I found a way and I liked it, as a surprise to me.
Spoilers ahead!
Pros:
- The concept of the story itself.
- The monster's stories and conversations.
- The ending, the fourth tale and the final thoughts of Connor.
- Some of the small intense moments were good.
- Really great writing in the face expressions description.
Cons:
- Some cliche characters and lines. Like the way that bullies talked to Connor, the bully squad itself the and the grandmother personality.
- I hated the constants big skips in the story. The author skipped minutes, hours and days of Connors actions. It made the narration non-fluid.
- The story is written in a too soft way, the moments that should cause fear don't exactly do.
- Really small amount of environment description until the last couple of pages.
- Lack of "new" monster description. They were always about the leaves and his position instead of what he looks like.
2. I just watched it and I liked it. The Monster isn't exatcly as I imagined it but yeah. Seems nice.
Oh the skipping timeline is something I didn't notice, but it's very true, it made no sense.
Delete1) 4*
ReplyDeletePros: Heartbreakingly beautiful story. Complex main character. Good bg story. Interesting twist. Deals with difficult themes. A very good understanding of grief. Talks of bullying and its consequences.
Cons: There really wasn't much development of the secondary characters, like Lily, his father, his grandmother... Some Ts left to cross.
2) I haven't seen anything yet, but I plan to do it.
3) "There is not always a good guy. Nor is there always a bad one. Most people are somewhere in between." I like this quote because it shows the complexity of human beings and our morals.
4)I think Connor's grandmother finally realised that her life was too destroyed and out of place that she the rest should match, so she knocked the bookshelf down.
5) In my opinion, and I'm sure I'm not alone in this, Connor's father was a very crappy one. Not only for abandoning them early on, but for showing up during a difficult time just for a few days and then run away fast. I also think this was somehow delving into the stigma of mental health not being as important as the physical one. Connor tells him what's going on, his fears and "visions" and his father ignores it and even tells him to stop. It shows a bit of how our society perceives mental health, even when we look for help.
1. Goodreads rating: 3/5 (Meaning: I liked it)
ReplyDeletePros:
- the themes were interesting and well executed
- I liked the monster's stories and the morals and how they related to the main plot
- I liked Connor's truth at the end. Thought it was a very human emotion and personal conflict.
Cons:
- the underdeveloped characters and setting which led to some cliche characters and scenes
- the writing was a bit too repetitive and simplistic for me. Even if the main character is young, the writing doesn't have to be so.
2. I haven't watched the trailer.
3. "I know everything you need to tell me without you having to say it out loud." Although it sounds very weak here, plainly, in the actual context, it's a very powerful line. I genuinely touched me and made me teary-eyed. I think we all fear losing our loved ones without having a chance to say everything we feel and how much they mean to us. And Connor's mother reassured him he didn't need to feel pressure to say any of it, because she already knew all of it.
4. I think it was a pure outburst of despair/rage that needed release. And destruction (breaking, ripping, snapping) helps release all that emotion/tension. The same for both Connor and his grandmother. Except his grandmother's outburst was triggered by Connor's. She had kept all her hurt/frustration inside, until Connor let go and then she let go as well. But it didn't really help either. Hence her crying.
5. He felt kind of irrelevant to the plot. I think the book would've been the same had he not appeared in it. Although some of the moments with him were interesting and fun.
That was one of my favorite quotes too for the same reasons xD it was very beautiful.
DeleteAnd I didn't even think of it, but it is very true that the father and his other child were irrelevant to the book, I completely agree!
1. To be honest, I give this book a 5/5 stars. The inicial idea was amazing and Patrick developed it into an amazing book. Of course it was not perfect but it was so catchy and I was so stuck to it I couldn't possibly think about the cons until I read the comments in here.
ReplyDelete2. I only watched the trailer and since I watched it before I read the book, the monster is completly what I imagine inside my head - besides I imagined him a little smaller. By the trailer, the movie looks amazing and I can't wait to watch it.
4. I think she was covering her pain, trying to pretend she had her feelings together, being strong for her family.But when she saw her living room, I think she saw the opportunity to let it all out. It was a really deep and beautiful scene on the book and the moment I started liking the grandmother.
5. I think Connor's father is a really selfish character. He's the adult and does not understand what he's doing wrong, or does not try to change his behaviour to a better one. His son is going through a traumatic experience, losing his mom, and the father just disappears and refuses to take him to the USA like Connor asked. I think his visit only made Connor feel more lonely and desperate.
1. I gave this book 4/5 stars though it's truly more a 4.5/5. I honestly ended enjoying it a lot more than I had initially thought I would and it was an incredible read.
ReplyDelete2. I just watched the trailer and it looks amazing! Will probably watch the movie the second I finish writing this.
3. “Because humans are complicated beasts, the monster said. How can a queen be both a good witch and a bad witch? How can a prince be a murderer and a saviour? How can an apothecary be evil-tempered but right-thinking? How can a parson be wrong-thinking but good-hearted? How can invisible men make themselves more lonely by being seen?"
4. I think the gradmma's house was a perfect parallel for how hard Connor was trying to keep himself together for his mumm. Everything seemed just normal, always in the right place and then in a moment it turned into havoc, destruction and ruins. I also believe that having the grandmother destroying the only thing left untouched helped showing that not only kids are allowed to suffer, to be angry, to be hurt. It was a beautiful moment for me.
5. I hate Connor's father, that's it really. I believe he feels bad for the whole situation but is such a coward he can't even face his child so he stays away, hides and tries to live as if nothing is happening until it's too late.
The mental health vs physical welfare issue is always a tough one. Even now in 2018 meantal illness is still looked upon as less important than a physical illness because people often still refuse to talk about it and without a serious global conversation about the topic, mental illness will always be put aside by those who don't truly understand it or the pain it inflicts.