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A review by godlizza
Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
4.0
What can I say? Ben, you've done it again. Why did I wait so long after reading Ari and Dante to pick up another one of Saenz's books? Lunacy!
Last Night I Sang to the Monster follows Zach, who's 18, an alcoholic, and in rehab after a traumatic incident he's repressed. The book follows his journey through rehab, the people he meets there, and his coming to terms with himself and what happened. Usually I shy away from stories about addiction, because I feel they all run through the same beats but this isn't so much about Zach's relationship with alcohol as it is with himself and others. There's a lot of tenderness here that only Saenz can write. Everything is so vulnerable and raw, making the pain and joy of these characters feel so real. Zach's development through the story is really touching and seeing him come to terms with his life and emotions really made me feel for him.
At the end of the day, I don't think this tops Ari and Dante but it definitely proves Saenz isn't a one-hit wonder. Four stars.
Last Night I Sang to the Monster follows Zach, who's 18, an alcoholic, and in rehab after a traumatic incident he's repressed. The book follows his journey through rehab, the people he meets there, and his coming to terms with himself and what happened. Usually I shy away from stories about addiction, because I feel they all run through the same beats but this isn't so much about Zach's relationship with alcohol as it is with himself and others. There's a lot of tenderness here that only Saenz can write. Everything is so vulnerable and raw, making the pain and joy of these characters feel so real. Zach's development through the story is really touching and seeing him come to terms with his life and emotions really made me feel for him.
At the end of the day, I don't think this tops Ari and Dante but it definitely proves Saenz isn't a one-hit wonder. Four stars.