A Monster Calls, A Beautifully Illustrated Young-Adult Horror Novel

A Monster Calls is a young-adult horror novel from author Patrick Ness which is “an unflinching, darkly funny, and deeply moving story of a boy, his seriously ill mother, and an unexpected monstrous visitor”. Freelance illustrator Jim Kay provided the dark illustrations for the book which were also used in the book’s beautiful trailer.

At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting– he’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments. The monster in his backyard is different. It’s ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth. From the final idea of award-winning author Siobhan Dowd– whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself– Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, loss, and monsters both real and imagined.

images via Jim Kay

via Super Punch