A Monster Calls Summary

A Monster Calls Summary is a comprehensive look into the world of fantasy novels created by Patric Ness, It was Based on the original idea of Siobhan Dowd. Here we will discuss in detail and break down the key points of the story to highlight its most fantastic sides. Be sure to read through it to find what you’ve been missing in the book!

A Monster Calls Is a young adult Novel in the Fantasy genre, The book since published in 2011 has made a large wave throughout readers, it’s based on elements from English history and mythology giving it a fantasy vibe and a true story to be recounted many times.

A Monster Calls Summary Summary Character List

We present to you here with A Monster Calls Summary of the characters listed with descriptions, have a look and be introduced to the fascinating characters found in A Monster Calls.

Conor O’Malley: Conor O’Malley is the 13-year-old protagonist of The Monster Calls. He deals with his mother’s serious illness as can be seen throughout the story.

The Monster: Taking the shape of a giant Yew tree, it is a monster in disguise, The monster visits Conor and Tells him a total of three stories.

Conor’s Mother: Conor’s mother is seen battling a serious illness throughout the book.

Conor’s Grandmother: She also is an important character in the book, She is Conor’s Maternal Grandmother in the book.

Lily Andrews: As Portrayed in the book, Lily Andrews is Conor’s best friend and classmate.

Harry: A bully in school who targets Conor.

A Monster Calls Summary-Themes Found In the Book

In A Monster Calls Summary and themes analysis, we are here to highlight and show you the prominent themes that are found in the book and describe them in detail.

Denial, is certainly a prominent theme of the book, as Conor sees from the start a clear denial of His mother’s terminal illness and he still believes that his mother would recover from her illness even when her health was deteriorating over time.

At one point Conor’s denial becomes so strong that even a fantastical creature that takes the form of a Yew tree is summoned.

The Monster Tells Three Stories to Conor, these stories are complex with morals that challenge Conor’s Black and white Understanding of life. It is through these stories that the monster starts to guide Conor towards the reality that Conor was avoiding, His mother was not going to get better.

Conor’s Denial is further highlighted when his mother tells him that her last treatment option made from the Yew Tree is also failing. The whole ordeal hits Conor hard and he gets even more mad, causing suffering and pain to increase more for not only him but his mother too.

In the Climax of The Monster Calls Conor is forced into confronting his deepest fear in his recurring nightmare, where his mother slips away from him and falls into the deep abyss. It was in this nightmare that Connor realized that he could hold onto his mother longer, still, he chose not to.

This is a significant moment in the book where it finally symbolizes Conor’s subconscious desires for their mother’s suffering and his own to finally end.

Death is a central theme of the book, as by the end of the book, Conor finally expresses his fear and guilt and admits that he doesn’t want his mother to die! This acceptance was the crucial step to Conor’s Mental healing.

Among the other themes found in the book, Storytelling is one of the key themes in the book, The monster that tells three stories to Conor lets him grow emotionally with the help of the stories while also helping him cope with his feelings.

Conor’s isolation is a great theme found in the book, with Conor’s mother diagnosed with cancer, the news spreads quickly all around his school, and it doesn’t take long for things to change, his friends and classmates begin to treat him differently.

It wasn’t clear if his friends didn’t know how to act around him or if they wanted to give him space, but this imposed isolation amplified Conor’s pains and grief. This Isolation further throws Conor’s emotion into a spiral of grief, as people don’t know how to act around him, and even his best friend Iily begins to tiptoe around him.

Conor felt in a single day there was a land mine set around him that made everyone walk while avoiding him. When considered from the book it highlights that the human impulse to give people space isn’t the right choice as it can impose isolation and deepen the feelings of Pain and grief.

Instead leaning in and offering support to people in pain is the better choice to make.

Aside from these themes one of the most intricately explained and important themes found in The Monster Calls is Family and growing up in Conor’s case. From the moment his mother was diagnosed with cancer, he had to take on a lot of responsibility, his father lived in America with a new family, and even Conor didn’t want his family dynamic to change.

As Conor Took on more and more responsibility to care for his mother, taking care of the house, and doing more grown-up duties, even while coping with his feelings of fear and distress, he began to show both sides of growing up and taking on responsibilities, but

He also wants to have his child’s side back, he wants to be released from responsibilities and remain a child, it was a weight that was too large for his shoulders!

But it wasn’t that easy as even his family members treated him in contradictory ways, demonstrating the sign of how often a child needs not only the feeling of responsibility and measure at the age of a young adult but also protection and innocence.

At this point, it was the Yew tree that let him both grow up and remain a child, which means the novel argues that this was what the children Conor’s age needed while growing up.

These themes are the ones that intricately connect throughout the book, though a fantasy book, these heavy elements connect in a very enlightened way depicting the author’s thought process. In the A Monster Calls Summary, we hope to have helped you understand how the themes affected the book itself.

What Is The Significance Of Yew Tree In A Monster Calls?

While writing A Monster Calls Summary, it is mandatory to question what is the significance of the Yew tree in the book.

The Yew tree represents healing for both Conor and his mother, though if thought on a deeper level it stems from Conor’s denial and his false hope of his mother getting better from her serious illness.

The Yew tree is a type of tree with gnarled bark, a short trunk, and needles and berries. It’s often found in burial grounds. The significance stands clear as all these connect to the central theme of the story which is death.

The doctor at point tells that the last treatment is made of yew trees, Conor concludes that this is the reason why the Yew tree monster had come, to cure his mother.

But his hopes then fall, his mother does not get healed, and the monster does not come to heal his mother of her sickness, what the yew has come for is to heal Conor’s grief and pain.

This is why the yew tree went back to the symbol of being a healer though only for Conor instead of his mother, as it gives Conor healing from his loss and pain of his mother’s death.

As Conor learns to confront his Emotions with the help of the yew trees’ emotional healing, Conor shows the nature of the human spirit to endure even in the face of unimaginable pain and sorrow.

Finally, it can be said that the yew trees severed as the symbol of the growth, resilience, and interconnectedness of all living beings. A Monster Calls Summary is written from our thoughts and understanding so you might find more from your perspective too.

What Is The Significance of Conor’s Dreams In A Monster Calls?

Conor’s nightmare is an event in the book that happens time and time, it is a significant aspect of the narrative. It is the manifestation of Conor’s deepest fear, guilt that he has to keep a secret from everyone else including his mother.

In the Dreams Terrifying monster tries to pull down his mother towards the abyss while Conor is at the Edge trying to hang onto her hands for dear life. It depicts Conor’s desperate attempts to save his mother from the serious illness.

As it happens the guilt that stems from the nightmare manages to call the monster to him. The monster that appears as a Yew tree outside of his house, tells Conor stories to help him acknowledge that life and human emotions are very hard and complicated.

As Conor Understands his guilt, through the monster’s stories, he chooses not to hold onto his mother causing her to feel more pain finally wanting both His and his mother’s pain to end. This realization is a crucial part of Conor’s Journey towards accepting his mother’s impending Death and accepting his feelings of grief and loss.

So in conclusion it can be said that the dreams that Conor has symbolizes his internal struggle with his mother’s illness, his fear, and his guilt. They also are a catalyst for the arrival of the monster yew tree. Finally, he helps Conor through his pain. At the end of the day, it can be said that Conor’s dream has a large significance to the whole book.

About The Author Of A Monster Calls J. A. Bayona

Born in Spain, J. A. Bayona is a renowned film director and has been a significant figure in the film industry since 1999. His work in the Dark Fantasy Category ‘A Monster Calls’ was also featured as a drama film in 2016. The direction of the film was widely praised as was his book.

His ability to craft compelling tales of Beauty and pain has made him daring and a respected figure in contemporary cinema.

Awards And Fame The Monster Calls

In A Monster Calls Summary we mention, the many awards that it has to its name. It won the Carnegie Medal and The Greenaway Medal in 2012, making it the only book that has won Both awards.

It also won the British Children’s Book of the Year, voted by an academy of 750 exerts in the book industry. Aside from that it won the Red House Children’s Book Award, a national award voted by British children, It also won the Kitschies Red Tentacle Award for speculative Fiction, a Best novel that was published in the UK.