A Monster Calls

Thirteen-year-old Conor O'Malley is haunted by a recurring nightmare: a terrifying abyss, a gripping hand, and the inevitable fall. This nightmare began when his beloved mother started her battle with cancer, a battle she is slowly losing. One night, however, it's not the nightmare that awakens him, but a different kind of monster – an ancient, towering yew tree from his backyard, now a formidable, talking being. This Monster, with roots as old as time, appears precisely seven minutes past midnight, not to comfort Conor, but to demand the truth. It insists on telling Conor three stories, after which Conor must tell it his own, a story that holds his deepest, most terrifying secret. Through the Monster's allegorical tales of witches, apothecaries, and invisible men, Conor is forced to confront the complex, often contradictory emotions of grief, guilt, and the brutal reality of loss, challenging his perception of good and evil, and ultimately, himself. This poignant narrative delves into the darkest corners of a child's mind facing the unimaginable.