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A review by fictionalnicole
The Monsters We Make by Kali White
4.0
The Monsters We Make is a gripping slow burn. The characters and plot are laced with self-reflection and heart-breaking realism that it is difficult not to empathize with.
Crooked Lane Books advertises that if you like Shari Lapena family dramas you’ll like The Monster We Make. Yes, this is true, but Kali White’s book is so much more. The characters are relatable, and you’ll recognize your own coming of age in her words. We all have a moment in our childhood when we realized we are not safe, that there are monsters in friends, and family… That monsters live among us.
This novel is based on a true story of paperboys who went missing in Des Moines, Iowa in the 80’s. Though fictionalized, the story sends ice through your veins because it feels real. Like you’re hearing the story from a family member who lived in Des Moines during this time.
You feel like you know these characters intimately. The single mother trying to stay afloat financially and relying on her teenage daughter to watch her son - a fellow paperboy. A teenager who desperately wants to go to college for journalism but fails to see the story and troubles lurking in her own home. A son who doesn’t know how to ask for the help he needs and harbors his anger. The cop whose good heart drives him to solve horrible crimes but also burdens him when the cases run cold.
Kali White shines a light on cases and topics that were readily dismissed in the 80’s and even today. The story is difficult to read a times as there are tough topics broached. Missing children and child abuse are trigger topics for many but White takes the time to discuss these topics with respect that sparks acknowledgement and is not an “in your face” description.
I believe The Monsters We Make will be an instant hit with Book Clubs. There are so many topics of discuss in this family drama it will make for a dynamic read and discussion. Just be prepared for some nostalgia about the 80’s, along side remorse for the latchkey mindset- the idea that Monsters are “others” and they certainly aren’t your neighbors.
Crooked Lane Books advertises that if you like Shari Lapena family dramas you’ll like The Monster We Make. Yes, this is true, but Kali White’s book is so much more. The characters are relatable, and you’ll recognize your own coming of age in her words. We all have a moment in our childhood when we realized we are not safe, that there are monsters in friends, and family… That monsters live among us.
This novel is based on a true story of paperboys who went missing in Des Moines, Iowa in the 80’s. Though fictionalized, the story sends ice through your veins because it feels real. Like you’re hearing the story from a family member who lived in Des Moines during this time.
You feel like you know these characters intimately. The single mother trying to stay afloat financially and relying on her teenage daughter to watch her son - a fellow paperboy. A teenager who desperately wants to go to college for journalism but fails to see the story and troubles lurking in her own home. A son who doesn’t know how to ask for the help he needs and harbors his anger. The cop whose good heart drives him to solve horrible crimes but also burdens him when the cases run cold.
Kali White shines a light on cases and topics that were readily dismissed in the 80’s and even today. The story is difficult to read a times as there are tough topics broached. Missing children and child abuse are trigger topics for many but White takes the time to discuss these topics with respect that sparks acknowledgement and is not an “in your face” description.
I believe The Monsters We Make will be an instant hit with Book Clubs. There are so many topics of discuss in this family drama it will make for a dynamic read and discussion. Just be prepared for some nostalgia about the 80’s, along side remorse for the latchkey mindset- the idea that Monsters are “others” and they certainly aren’t your neighbors.