A tale for all ages

Had to stop listening to this in bed ad it was too emotionally intense. A sweet, moving story about coming to terms with our worst fears, wrapped up in a mythical tale involving a teen and his mortally sick mother. There's a lesson in this for all of us, no matter how old.

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Wonderful narration of a moving story!

Add Jason Isaacs' (perhaps best known for his portrayal of Lucius Malfoy) voice to an already poignant and powerful story - conceived of by the late (and wonderful) Siobhan Dowd and penned by the brilliant and mulit-award winning Patrick Ness - and you get a truly great way to spend four hours. Isaacs is at his best, in my view, as the "Monster", himself. When he first calls, "Connor O'Malley" it is at once haunting and alluring. This is a book that is best read or heard aloud...and ought to be by everyone in middle school. It is an inspiring story of how any one of us chooses to deal with love and loss. #Audible1

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1 person found this helpful

wonderful

It was really a good story for anyone not just a teenager. We all struggle with the thought of losing a loved one. The narrator read the book with great emphasis. I would recommend this book.

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Amazing

Amazing book that deals with difficult issues in a very mature way! Love it so much!

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Great!

This was so good and so heartbreaking. I probably shouldn't have listened to it on the train into work because now I'm a MESS. But highly recommend this one!

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Still waters run deep

On the surface level this book is an awesome kids story but deeper than that it shares a message of what we might find when we self reflect and practice honesty.

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Moving and Astounding

Between the storyline and the narrator this book is an emotional Rollercoaster the you don't want to stop.

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Thought-provoking YA fantasy

This is a Young Adult book, and usually when I say that, it also means I'll give the book a little more leeway for being a bit shorter, or simpler of plot, or lighter of concept, than books intended for Adults. In this case however, that's definitely not needed. Yes, it's a shorter length and a quick read; but the topics the book deals with are definitely not light or easy, and the structure of the book also is many layered and it will take you a while to figure out exactly what's going on, if indeed you ever fully do.

On the surface, it's about Conor, a kid whose mother is undergoing harsh cancer treatments. His father moved away to America and remarried so it's Conor helping his mother through the difficult treatments and illness, with some help from his grandmother. Ever since his mother's diagnosis, Conor's been having a nightmare about trying to save her from something monstrous and failing, so when a monster shows up outside his window one night he's actually very surprised it isn't the monster from his dream. Instead it's the yew tree that grows by the church nearby, which they can see from their house and which his mother often comments on. The yew tree comes alive at night and visits Conor just past midnight; it tells him it's the embodiment of an ancient power, and it will tell him three stories, and then on the fourth time he must tell a story to the tree.

Through the book we alternate between Conor's problems at school with bullies, and with classmates treating him as invisible now because they don't know how to talk to someone whose mother is potentially dying; Conor's life at home helping his mother and trying not to resent his grandmother's intrusion; and the magical monstrous yew tree and the stories it tells.

How these three reconcile themselves, what story Conor tells, and how the yew tree helps Conor are all tied together but in ways that don't fully get explained until quite late in the book. It's sweet, and touching, and very sad in places, and it may be a Young Adult novel but it's definitely appropriate for anyone of any age to read, especially anyone who's lost a loved one or seen one suffering the way Conor's mother is. This was a beautiful, slightly mystical, thought-provoking story that reminded me a little of Neil Gaiman in books like The Ocean At The End Of The Lane (in its slightly unreal setting and many layers, and references to mythology).

The audiobook is read by actor Jason Isaacs who does a brilliant job, and is followed up by an interview between the author and Isaacs that's also worth a listen.

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Sooo good pls read lol

I think this may be a teen book (it is an easy and short read) but, regardless, it is amazing! Includes strong storytelling aspects like situational and dramatic irony, symbolism, and a clear theme, along with unique characters and a clear plot line. Read it!

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Great

It was short and sweet! easy to get lost in the story and finish it in one go.

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