A Monster Calls
core novel 2011 A Monster Calls
Record
| First published | 2011 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 4.34 (296,610 ratings, collected 2026-09-04) |
| First-edition ISBN | 9781406311525 |
Synopsis
Thirteen-year-old Conor O'Malley is struggling to cope with his mother's terminal illness in present-day England, facing recurring nightmares and increasing isolation at school as her condition worsens. His mother's cancer treatment leaves her less able to care for herself, and Conor takes on more of the household's burden while his estranged father, living in America, remains largely absent and his stern grandmother arrives to help, though Conor initially resists her presence. Beginning at 12:07 each night, a monster formed from the branches of an ancient yew tree outside his window visits him and tells him stories, eventually demanding that Conor, in return, tell the monster the truth about the nightmare haunting him. The novel was written by Patrick Ness, adapted from an idea by Siobhan Dowd, who conceived the story while ill with cancer and died before she could write it herself.
Where it sits
- Universe: A Monster Calls
- Series: not part of a registered series (standalone work within its universe)
- Author: Patrick Ness
Sources
← A Monster Calls dossier · All universes
Part of the Library. Fields without an identified source are omitted, never guessed.