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lizziesharpee_'s review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the most disturbing books I have ever read. The writing is mesmerising. The characters are complex but simple at the same time. Having only two POVs and seeing how one perceived the other was interesting. The final chapter left me staring into space for a while.
jess_mango's review against another edition
4.0
After war and the Sickness wipes out humanity, Monster evolves from a seed vault in the Arctic, where she hid when the missiles were headed her way. She makes her way back to her family's home in Scotland, knowing that they and everyone else, is dead. She scavenges for food and supplies and considers herself a survivor. She reflects on her life a little as she makes her way across the countryside and bombed out towns. She was always a bit of a loner, so she isn't too overcome with the loss of people. Then she finds a feral young girl and brings her back to where she's settled. Monster changes her own name to Mother and gives the girl the name Monster.
This book was cleaved into two halves. The first half is told from the perspective of the adult Monster and the second half is told from the young Monster that she takes under her wing. This book was dark yet fascinating. We are dropped into a post-apocalyptic world where we only see two people, the protagonists. Everything is destroyed or abandoned. Many homes and businesses were looted by the last survivors, before they too died. It had some flavors of [b:The Road|6288|The Road|Cormac McCarthy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1600241424l/6288._SY75_.jpg|3355573] (Cormac McCarthy), which is one of my favorite books. The writing is powerful and I would even say isolating...since we are seeing things from the perspective of these two people who never encounter another human other than each other in their "current day". The direness yet monotony of their lives is made clear. Life centers around staying fed and warm. The elder Monster/Mother remembers life as it was , but is determined to be a survivor and faces the new way of life stoically. Meanwhile, the younger Monster only has snippets of memory from before she was found by Mother so is curious about how things were and yearns for more than their repetitive existence.
I highly recommend this one!
What to listen to while reading...
In the Air Tonight by Lucy Dacus
Exit Music by Radiohead
Game of Survival by Ruelle
A World Alone by Lorde
Beaten Down by Sharon Van Etten
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy!
This book was cleaved into two halves. The first half is told from the perspective of the adult Monster and the second half is told from the young Monster that she takes under her wing. This book was dark yet fascinating. We are dropped into a post-apocalyptic world where we only see two people, the protagonists. Everything is destroyed or abandoned. Many homes and businesses were looted by the last survivors, before they too died. It had some flavors of [b:The Road|6288|The Road|Cormac McCarthy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1600241424l/6288._SY75_.jpg|3355573] (Cormac McCarthy), which is one of my favorite books. The writing is powerful and I would even say isolating...since we are seeing things from the perspective of these two people who never encounter another human other than each other in their "current day". The direness yet monotony of their lives is made clear. Life centers around staying fed and warm. The elder Monster/Mother remembers life as it was , but is determined to be a survivor and faces the new way of life stoically. Meanwhile, the younger Monster only has snippets of memory from before she was found by Mother so is curious about how things were and yearns for more than their repetitive existence.
I highly recommend this one!
What to listen to while reading...
In the Air Tonight by Lucy Dacus
Exit Music by Radiohead
Game of Survival by Ruelle
A World Alone by Lorde
Beaten Down by Sharon Van Etten
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy!
thebobsphere's review
3.0
I will admit that I bought My Name is Monster for one reason and it is a shallow one: I LIKED the cover. There I said it. I also knew that it’s a post apocalyptic novel and that drew me in as well.
The setting of the book is a country that has been put to waste via war and a disease. The narrator, called Monster, is the sole survivor as she travels the land for food and shelter. Eventually she does find a farm complete with chickens and she settles down, venturing to town in order to loot abandoned supermarkets.
The book is divided into page long pieces, which span the Monster’s past: how she was bullied in her youth due to the fact that her interests diverged from what society prescribes for girls. Later on we see Monster living up to her nickname; being uncaring and showing little regard for people’s feeling.
From the past memories we then move on to the wars and sickness which wiped out everyone in the country.
At this point the book is a survival tale of all types. Monster has to survive bullying (the real monsters being the bullies) and in the present day she has to survive the challenges which she faces, ranging from wolf dogs (there’s a great passage about a festering bite) to bad weather.
The book changes when Monster finds a feral child in a store. She then bestows her old name to the child and calls herself mother.
The second Mother becomes a parent she changes completely. She becomes sensitive, caring and learns to love Monster. This leads to the second part of the book in which we see everything from the perspective of the new monster and she talks about her relationship with mother. There is a further twist to the narrative which pushes the motherhood theme to the forefront of the novel.
As books on motherhood go, and I have read a lot over the past two years, My Name is Monster is quite an original one: the setting for starters, also it’s the first time I’ve read a novel about someone changing once one becomes a mother. It’s an interesting take and it also doubles as a good book about gender roles.
Although I did enjoy reading My Name is Monster, I did feel that the second half of the book lacked the energy and grit of the first part, which makes sense as mother has new responsibilities and thus the tone changes. Still I couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed with part 2.
As a first novel, despite the little bugs, My Name is Monster is a book which tackles quite a few issues with a new look. I will definitely look forward to Katie Hale’s next novel.
The setting of the book is a country that has been put to waste via war and a disease. The narrator, called Monster, is the sole survivor as she travels the land for food and shelter. Eventually she does find a farm complete with chickens and she settles down, venturing to town in order to loot abandoned supermarkets.
The book is divided into page long pieces, which span the Monster’s past: how she was bullied in her youth due to the fact that her interests diverged from what society prescribes for girls. Later on we see Monster living up to her nickname; being uncaring and showing little regard for people’s feeling.
From the past memories we then move on to the wars and sickness which wiped out everyone in the country.
At this point the book is a survival tale of all types. Monster has to survive bullying (the real monsters being the bullies) and in the present day she has to survive the challenges which she faces, ranging from wolf dogs (there’s a great passage about a festering bite) to bad weather.
The book changes when Monster finds a feral child in a store. She then bestows her old name to the child and calls herself mother.
The second Mother becomes a parent she changes completely. She becomes sensitive, caring and learns to love Monster. This leads to the second part of the book in which we see everything from the perspective of the new monster and she talks about her relationship with mother. There is a further twist to the narrative which pushes the motherhood theme to the forefront of the novel.
As books on motherhood go, and I have read a lot over the past two years, My Name is Monster is quite an original one: the setting for starters, also it’s the first time I’ve read a novel about someone changing once one becomes a mother. It’s an interesting take and it also doubles as a good book about gender roles.
Although I did enjoy reading My Name is Monster, I did feel that the second half of the book lacked the energy and grit of the first part, which makes sense as mother has new responsibilities and thus the tone changes. Still I couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed with part 2.
As a first novel, despite the little bugs, My Name is Monster is a book which tackles quite a few issues with a new look. I will definitely look forward to Katie Hale’s next novel.
saraza3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The start of this book really intrigued me. I was fascinated by the flash backs and wanted to learn more about what happened to get the world in it's current state. Unfortunately, that is completely lost once the girl is found. Suddenly it is all about the stiff dynamic between the two. And the on top of that the whole pregnancy thing was just uncomfortable to read. My questions are unanswered and the second half of the book was a struggle.
debtat2's review against another edition
4.0
Told entirely from a first person perspective it follows Monster as she journeys across country to find life, to find somewhere safe, somewhere she can belong in a world that is now devoid of all human life. Or so it seems until she comes across a young girl alone in a deserted city.
As Monster becomes Mother the young girl becomes Monster and the bond between the two begins. Having found a farm the two begin to rebuild a life that is self sufficient, living off the land, what they can grow and farm to survive adding to what they can find to scavenge from the city.
At times vague in detail it adds to Monsters seemingly incapacity for human relationships and her inner dialogues that are at times devoid of emotion. This is an unusual post apocalyptic end of the world novel, where there is only two lives through 99% of the book it explores the connections to each other, the world, the land and how we take for granted nearly everything we have in life and in each other.
Not the most action packed of novels this is a character driven story with a memorable protagonist in Monster, whom I am still unsure if I liked either Monsters! Brimming with atmosphere, it is one that you will read and remember what you have read long after the last page has been read.
Definitely a book that you need to read for yourselves as it is a hard book to review and I do think this book is like Marmite, you will either love it or hate it! And it so happens that I love Marmite 😀
https://debbiesbookreviews.wordpress.com/2019/06/12/my-name-is-monster-by-katie-hale/
As Monster becomes Mother the young girl becomes Monster and the bond between the two begins. Having found a farm the two begin to rebuild a life that is self sufficient, living off the land, what they can grow and farm to survive adding to what they can find to scavenge from the city.
At times vague in detail it adds to Monsters seemingly incapacity for human relationships and her inner dialogues that are at times devoid of emotion. This is an unusual post apocalyptic end of the world novel, where there is only two lives through 99% of the book it explores the connections to each other, the world, the land and how we take for granted nearly everything we have in life and in each other.
Not the most action packed of novels this is a character driven story with a memorable protagonist in Monster, whom I am still unsure if I liked either Monsters! Brimming with atmosphere, it is one that you will read and remember what you have read long after the last page has been read.
Definitely a book that you need to read for yourselves as it is a hard book to review and I do think this book is like Marmite, you will either love it or hate it! And it so happens that I love Marmite 😀
https://debbiesbookreviews.wordpress.com/2019/06/12/my-name-is-monster-by-katie-hale/
sarahrose14's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
annknee's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
sherri_berri's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sarahlopod's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
This review can also be found on my blog.
I can really appreciate the appeal behind this novel, even if it didn't do much for me personally. This is a quiet post-apocalyptic character study of two characters: Monster-turned-Mother and Monster (the second). The naming seems confusing, but it absolutely makes sense within the story and is quite easy to follow. The first half of the novel follows Monster (to-be-Mother) as she travels home following an apocalyptic war slash disease. The "Sickness" itself is more of a backstory and isn't much focused on itself, but some of the flashbacks did remind me of the current situation we're dealing with. Close to the halfway point, Monster comes across a young girl and decides to change her own name to Mother while referring to the girl as Monster.
The concept is strange, but it works. The first half is a combination of flashbacks and present-day as Monster-to-be-Mother reflects on her life and deals with the struggles of surviving alone in a lonely, barren landscape. This is flipped in the second half as (the new) Monster bemoans the woes of her restrictive life and looks down upon Mother for her fear and dependency on their lifestyle. It was so frustrating for me to read Monster's perspective since she's the post-apocalyptic version of the spoiled brat. We learn in the first half of the novel the extensive trauma Mother has undergone and the pains she took to get where she is now. Monster follows this up by insisting she is braver than Mother and by continually placing herself in dangerous situations -- or trying to.
I think, though, this is part of the point of the novel. Because Mother tries to forget her trauma instead of processing it and teaching Monster about the true dangers of the world, she enables this way of behavior and thinking. Monster cannot learn from Mother's experiences if Mother does not share them. The problem is that it is just too difficult for me to read books where things could be solved by some simple communication. If Mother had just opened up, or given some kind of explanations to Monster, this all could have been averted. Regardless, it is fairly well-written and as I said, I can see the appeal.
I do wish some things were explained further. I don't know if certain plot points just went over my head, or what. (The second) Monster's past was so confusing to me. I know it was difficult to spell things out more clearly since she did not have the language to communicate it, but I was... not really sure what had happened to her. I think one of the plot points of her past was weirdly far-fetched and didn't make any sense without explanation. Every time it came up, I was so confused!
Overall, though, I'd say this is worth reading if it sounds like it suits you. Like I said, it is a character study so there isn't a TON of plot. It's not your typical post-apocalyptic read, so I'd go for this if you like something a little more literary.
content warnings: apocalyptic war; graphic depictions of wounds; death of a loved one.
Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Ko-fi
This review can also be found on my blog.
I can really appreciate the appeal behind this novel, even if it didn't do much for me personally. This is a quiet post-apocalyptic character study of two characters: Monster-turned-Mother and Monster (the second). The naming seems confusing, but it absolutely makes sense within the story and is quite easy to follow. The first half of the novel follows Monster (to-be-Mother) as she travels home following an apocalyptic war slash disease. The "Sickness" itself is more of a backstory and isn't much focused on itself, but some of the flashbacks did remind me of the current situation we're dealing with. Close to the halfway point, Monster comes across a young girl and decides to change her own name to Mother while referring to the girl as Monster.
I have not survived this long only to die on a shit-splattered beach in Scotland.
The concept is strange, but it works. The first half is a combination of flashbacks and present-day as Monster-to-be-Mother reflects on her life and deals with the struggles of surviving alone in a lonely, barren landscape. This is flipped in the second half as (the new) Monster bemoans the woes of her restrictive life and looks down upon Mother for her fear and dependency on their lifestyle. It was so frustrating for me to read Monster's perspective since she's the post-apocalyptic version of the spoiled brat. We learn in the first half of the novel the extensive trauma Mother has undergone and the pains she took to get where she is now. Monster follows this up by insisting she is braver than Mother and by continually placing herself in dangerous situations -- or trying to.
People always marvel at waterfalls, and nobody pays enough attention to the chasm underneath.
I think, though, this is part of the point of the novel. Because Mother tries to forget her trauma instead of processing it and teaching Monster about the true dangers of the world, she enables this way of behavior and thinking. Monster cannot learn from Mother's experiences if Mother does not share them. The problem is that it is just too difficult for me to read books where things could be solved by some simple communication. If Mother had just opened up, or given some kind of explanations to Monster, this all could have been averted. Regardless, it is fairly well-written and as I said, I can see the appeal.
Decisions made at night are tricksters, elusive and fickle, slippery as fish.
I do wish some things were explained further. I don't know if certain plot points just went over my head, or what. (The second) Monster's past was so confusing to me. I know it was difficult to spell things out more clearly since she did not have the language to communicate it, but I was... not really sure what had happened to her. I think one of the plot points of her past was weirdly far-fetched and didn't make any sense without explanation. Every time it came up, I was so confused!
[...]maybe healing really means making something different. Maybe getting better doesn’t mean going back to how it used to be, but moving forwards instead[...]
Overall, though, I'd say this is worth reading if it sounds like it suits you. Like I said, it is a character study so there isn't a TON of plot. It's not your typical post-apocalyptic read, so I'd go for this if you like something a little more literary.
content warnings: apocalyptic war; graphic depictions of wounds; death of a loved one.
Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Ko-fi
ehiggs88's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0