Back when this book was released in the UK, Ana from Things Mean Alot reviewed "A Monster Calls". If you read the review, I'm certain it went directly to your list of books that must be read before you die, because Ana was pretty persuasive. She said it "shattered her", and that the book was "restrained" but "perceptive and emotionally genuine". I wasn't really prepared to pay for shipping from the UK, so I waited. I knew the book would throw itself at me eventually.
And it did, at SIBA11. There were ARCs available there, and I snagged one, all the while giggling. The representative for the publisher, Candlewick Press, stepped in and warned me "now please understand, this is not a happy read". I knew that, but I'd been waiting for this book for four months, and that was worth celebrating.
Synopsis: Thirteen year-old Connor O'Malley has had better years. He is bullied at school (or worse ignored), his father left for the US with a younger woman, his mother is fighting a battle against cancer, and he suffers from terrifying nightmares that he can't discuss with anyone. One night, an old yew tree from across the field comes to life in the form of a monster and visits him.
Over a period of several nights, the monster comes to visit and tells Connor three stories, all very disturbing and dubious in message. While it is obvious that the stories have lessons attached, these aren't your standard fables, but ones where there is little distinction between right and wrong, good and evil. What is the monster's purpose? What does he represent? Only a monster, terrifying and powerful, can help Connor navigate his way through the landmines of his life, understand the complexities of relationships, and come to terms with human mortality.
My thoughts: I've been sitting and looking at the phrase "my thoughts" for two days now, and I still don't know what to say, but I have to get on with it. This story is life in its most simplest form. Friendship, struggles, loss, and growing up. I suppose we've seen it hundreds of times in stories, but never quite so pure or organic.
The monster is ancient and terrifying, but with a higher purpose that the reader must admire and is strangely drawn towards. The monster is wise. The monster is an unyielding force. The monster will not be ignored.
I must repeat Ana and tell you that this story IS devastating. A 13 year-old, perched at the brink of adulthood but still with childhood insecurities, is such a fragile human being. To see one such boy attempting to cope with a life-altering loss is something that threatened to take away my breath. This is not the first time I've read about the reaction of teenagers to a sick parent...the acting out, the anger, the alienation...as a mother I can't even imagine such a situation. It is inevitable that each reader is going to imagine themselves somewhere in this scenario, even though it is so uncomfortable to comprehend.
But despite the dire topic, the story is never cloying or hokey. It sneaks up on you in its simplicity, it comes around through the back door to deliver the goods. So beware, and keep the tissues at hand, no matter how strong you may feel.
The ultimate bittersweet beauty of the thing are the illustrations, which as you can see, are stunning. Jim Kay, the illustrator, has managed to harness all of these troubling and terrifying emotions and bring them to life. Even the pictures are bound to make you cry.
Often we are not inclined to reach out for a book we know will make us sad, but I would implore you to make an exception. Everyone has lost someone close to them, and this book I believe can make a difference in the healing. The book is relatively short and can be read in a couple of hours. Just plan ahead and set aside the time. I think you'll be glad you did.
5 out of 5 stars
*Minor rant* I thought I had it figured out. The order of the Harry Hole books, that is. The translation process has not been performed in order of the series. I knew this. But I really believed that "The Snowman" came after "The Devil's Star". Apparently not. Apparently "The Redeemer" comes in between the two, however it is not yet available to common folk in the US. So when I started "The Snowman" I quickly learned that people were dead. People weren't mentioned that had once played a key role in things. Through deductive reasoning, I have pieced together 3/4 of "The Redeemer". Thanks guys. I really appreciate that. *end of rant*
Synopsis: Women are turning up missing. Women with husbands and children. Their bodies are never found, so it is possible it is just a case of missing persons. But unexplained snowmen are found at their homes in each and every case, presumably as a calling card.
Because Harry Hole is the only person on the Oslo police force with experience in tracking down serial killers, he is assigned the case with a sharp new young female partner. It is no surprise that, while digging, Hole unearths a laundry list of social and health issues - themes of parenthood, infidelity, genetic diseases, among others. Harry also continues to battle the lure of the bottle and a failing personal relationship, despite having a heart that is pure gold.
My thoughts: Once I got over my shock at "The Redeemer" being completely spoiled for me, I fully embraced and enjoyed this next Harry Hole installment. I got exactly what I've come to expect of Nesbo...a fast pace, complicated characters, and layers upon layers of intrigue.
What is nice about this series is that with each installment, Harry grows and changes, keeping everything fresh. Well, maybe fresh isn't the right word. Harry does throw up alot in this book, and it is very dark. Maybe it keeps it from becoming stagnant. You can get behind the guy because he is human and has multiple frailties, but you know he is trying his best.
Prepare for red herrings galore. There are dozens of them. At this point, I'm wondering if the (fictional) Norwegian public has any faith left in their police officers, because they arrest handfuls of suspects before they capture the right one. I've given up trying to figure it out...I just let it wash over me and enjoy the ride.
Could this book be read as a standalone? I suppose so, but as you can tell from my ranting and raving, you'd be better served to ATTEMPT to start from the beginning (at least the US beginning "The Redbreast") and move forward from there. And know that his books just keep getting better and better.
A word about the audio production: Behold my audiophile friends, the amazing Robin Sachs. I can't seem to track down the first time I heard his voice, but I went into this audio experience knowing I very well may lose my heart to him. (Crazy I guess, but audio addicts are going to know where I'm coming from on this one.) He is everything that Harry Hole should be. He nailed Hole's stoicism and pain, his vocalization is dynamic but as smooth as silk. Could he knock Simon Vance off his rock star pedestal? Mr. Vance assures me that there is room for both of them in my heart. Apparently he has narrated ALL of the Harry Hole books, which caused some anxiety on my part. So my quandary is this. I've got two Nesbo books left to read so far. Do I grab printd copies and read them NOW, or do I wait for the audios? Or do I do a complete and total re-read once all of the audios are available? Decisions. (FYI, Sachs offers his voice to video games as well. My son digs him too.)
5 out of 5 stars
The book was perfect for the RIP Challenge. It just had the unfortunate luck to be in my hands when I went to SIBA, so I didn't have the preferred momentum when reading it. But never mind. Even in a distracted state of mind, this book did a number on me.
Synopsis: A successful Harvard professor, Alex Shipley is called back to Jasper College, her alma mater, because one of her classmates has been brutally murdered. The murder strangely resembles one that took place years ago that was presumably committed by literature professor Richard Aldiss.
When Alex attended Jasper, she and a group of other students attended a night class taught, via transmission from prison, by Aldiss. The class focused on one author's works - an author whose existence and true identity was highly speculated and had become something of an urban legend. For years students had enjoyed reenacting this ghostwriter's novels in something called "The Procedure", but the game had a reputation for turning violent.
After this latest murder, however, it appears that someone may be playing "The Procedure" again. Nobody can be trusted, and nobody is safe.
My thoughts: I'm aware that my synopsis probably makes no sense and seems a little convoluted. That is because the entire story is one big jigsaw puzzle and half the time I had no idea what was going on. I began to have flashbacks to the movie "The Game" (have you seen this?) with Michael Douglas, where you never know what is real, or who can be trusted. I've also seen this book compared to "The Silence of the Lambs", which I would agree with 100%. Aldiss and Shipley have that Hannibal/Clarice vibe going on.
I love "locked-door mysteries", and this story falls into that category. The bad guy (or gal) has to be one of a finite number of people. Total Agatha Christie, and so much fun.
Like Swapna, I've left out quite a bit of the plot, because reading it cold is like making your way through a funhouse with mirrors and false doors. My warning to you, the reader, would be to read this story when you are awake and alert, don't drink a glass of wine, and read it quickly. It would be easy to miss the whole point. In fact, when I turned the last page, I was scratching my head and asking myself "Wha? What just happened? Who is the evil-doer here?". It probably could even use a re-read. But I admire cleverness, and Will Lavender has it in spades. It just may be a tad too clever for its own good.
4 out of 5 stars
Synopsis: Evil is afoot yet again in Chicago, but this time the implications are much more terrifying than your average maniac with a gun and an agenda. Under the streets of Chicago in the subway tunnels, a pathogen is released that has the potential to kill millions. With symptoms that appear to cover all the bases...bleeding out, flu-like nausea, upper respiratory distress, airborne transmission, 100% mortality rate...it is obvious that this is biological weapon has been invented with a specific goal in mind: annihilation of the human race.
But as with all Michael Harvey novels, this is not a cut-and-dried case of a chemist run amuck. Michael Kelly is pulled into the investigation through political channels, and discovers layers of corruption within the police force, ambitious drug lords, FBI agents with hidden agendas, and at the very bottom of it all, greed.
My thoughts: I have to hand it to Harvey. The man is EFFICIENT. If you want to dip your toe in a complicated crime thriller puzzle with very little time investment, he's your guy. I mean, this book was only 7 discs! No time is wasted, there isn't a glut of words. From the first paragraph, you are thrust into the action, and you don't come up for air until the last word. And the plot is complex. You most likely are not going to figure anything out while you are in the throes of unraveling threads. You are doing good just to keep up.
The downside of his efficiency is that some character development is lost in the process. Over the four books, of course, you have a good sense of Kelly, but from novel to novel he doesn't change his modus operandi. He puts up with the mayor's meddling, he attempts but flounders at relationships, he has a good heart and ultimately makes sound decisions. He is smart and wily. He chases bad guys. I'd look for some evolution of Michael Kelly soon just to keep things fresh and keep us on our toes.
In the past, Harvey's books has been a fun way to discover local Chicago haunts. I delighted in various dives making their cameo appearances. But we didn't get as much of that in this installment. It is hard, after all, to hang out at a bar when you are wearing a hazmat suit.
If you are looking for a quick, gritty, unpredictable noir crime novel, you most definitely should pursue this series. There is no need to start at the beginning, although that always makes the journey more rewarding. I'll be waiting for the next installment, and hoping for a change in scenery for Mr. Kelly!
3.5 out of 5 stars
2011 has been a challenge-less year for me, with the exception of the TBR Dare where you had to read your own stuff. This was a wise move for me because with the exception of book club reads, I have been doing my own thing, and have had one of the best reading years ever.
But RIP is different. It is a no-brainer for me. Here is the deal, in Carl's words:
Every September 1st through October 31st for the last 5 years I have hosted the R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril Challenge, affectionately known as the R.I.P. Challenge. I began this reader event, I blinked, and now I am hosting this for the 6th time. Wow, that is so hard to believe.
The purpose of the R.I.P. Challenge is to enjoy books that could be classified as:
Mystery.
Suspense.
Thriller.
Dark Fantasy.
Gothic.
Horror.
Supernatural.
The emphasis is never on the word challenge, instead it is about coming together as a community and embracing the autumnal mood, whether the weather is cooperative where you live or not.
So you can see why this is an easy thing for me to support. That is why I am signing up for "Peril the First", where I need to read four "perilous" books in the two month period. (The funny thing is, I've already read two..."Nemesis" by Jo Nesbo and "The Taker" by Alma Katsu.)
FYI, you don't have to read four books. Carl is that kinda guy. You can just read one, you can watch a movie instead, whatever. It is all about the MOOD.
Audios:
1. The Last Werewolf - Glen Duncan (Heather and I will be listening to this on the way to SIBA)
2. The Snowman - Jo Nesbo
3. Warm Bodies - Isaac Marion
4. We All Fall Down - Michael Harvey
Print (I'm listing just the applicable books that were sitting on my nightstand, I kid you not:1. Still Missing - Chevy Stevens
2. Mr. Peanut - Adam Ross
3. House of Secrets - Lowell Cauffiel
4. Turn of Mind - Alice LaPlante
5. Blood Work - Holly Tucker
6. The Killer of Little Shepherds - Doublas Starr
So. Obviously this is not all going to happen, but it gives me a direction in which to read over the next two months.
Are you signed up yet? This is some of the best fun you'll have blogging...join us!
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