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A review by kjanie
Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
4.0
4.5/5 stars
Once again, Benjamin Alire Sáenz has rendered me speechless with another beautiful and touching story. His writing is not only full of powerful images and is profoundly poetic, but it also seems to captures feelings and emotions that can't be explained with literal prose. This was a very raw and quite heavy exploration of alchohilsm in a teenager and his experience inside a mental health facility. Even though I've never experienced what Zach has, this book was written in such a way that it perfectly captures the feelings of anxiety, lack of identity, loneliness and self discovery that everyone can realte to in some capacity. This was definitely not the most fun book series because of the harsh subject matter, but it also wasn't all darkness as it had very hopeful and heartwarming moments as well.
Zach is only eighteen, but he’s not spending his time at high school like the other teens his age. Instead, Zach is at a rehab facility because he’s an alcoholic. He can’t quite remember the chain of events that led him to rehab and he’s not sure if he ever wants to remember, remembering means so much more pain. Zach has the idea that God decides how ever is, and God decided that he would be sad. Sad and lonely. He doesn’t want to talk to his therapist, his roommate is so nice but Zach doesn’t really want to talk to him about anything important either. Everyone has an opinion on how he should live his life, but in reality, he has to figure it out for himself.
I really hate my attempt at trying to describe this book, so really take that synopsis with a grain of salt. This book is so much more meaningful and beautiful than I could possibly describe. It’s not about action or major exciting conflicts, but more about an emotional journey for Zach and the other characters we meet along the way. I thought this book was so unbelievably gorgeous! It was heart-wrenching, raw and touching. I used to read (and love) hard-hitting young adult books a lot but I’ve taken quite a long break from them. This book has made me realise how much I actually love these more emotional, mature YA books with quite serious themes.
I also feel like I’d forgotten how much I loved this author’s storytelling. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is one of the most beautifully written, touching and heartwarming books I’ve ever read, a definite favourite. That’s why I have absolutely not idea why I didn’t read more from this author. I’m so happy that I’ve finally changed that because this book was unforgettable. The storytelling was done perfectly as Zach’s past and present fused together perfectly. I think it progressed in such an effortless and natural way which is why I think it was so fantastically executed. Yes, there were times I was frustrated with Zach. But there were also times when I just wanted to hug him and I felt so proud for him. He slowly got better and felt better about himself and it was in no way unbelievable. I don’t really know how to describe what I am trying to articulate, basically I just really love this author and this story.
I was quite surprised when I first started this book because the writing was so different than the first book I’ve read by this author. I have to admit, it did take some getting used to but I very soon ended up liking it and thinking it was perfect for the book. There were so many times when I read a line that I thought was absolutely perfect. Saenz just seems to articulate things that can’t be said using literal prose. Even though I’m not an alcoholic and haven’t gone through the stuff Zach has, I could still relate and connect to so many lines in the book. I think that’s the real beauty about the writing in this book, it really gets to the core of the coming of age story, regardless of the subject matter.
I think this book is sadly underrated. I really think this is one of the best explorations of alcoholism and therapy in YA and yet so many people haven’t heard of it. Beyond that, this is also just one of the most heartwarming and hopeful books that I’ve read in a long time. Don’t get me wrong, there were also a lot of heartbreaking, sad and frustrating moments at all. Basically this book was just one ball of crazy emotions, but I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. It left me feeling so fulfilled and satisfied, which is all I can ask for in a good book.
“People who have monsters recognize each other. They know each other without even saying a word.”
Once again, Benjamin Alire Sáenz has rendered me speechless with another beautiful and touching story. His writing is not only full of powerful images and is profoundly poetic, but it also seems to captures feelings and emotions that can't be explained with literal prose. This was a very raw and quite heavy exploration of alchohilsm in a teenager and his experience inside a mental health facility. Even though I've never experienced what Zach has, this book was written in such a way that it perfectly captures the feelings of anxiety, lack of identity, loneliness and self discovery that everyone can realte to in some capacity. This was definitely not the most fun book series because of the harsh subject matter, but it also wasn't all darkness as it had very hopeful and heartwarming moments as well.
Zach is only eighteen, but he’s not spending his time at high school like the other teens his age. Instead, Zach is at a rehab facility because he’s an alcoholic. He can’t quite remember the chain of events that led him to rehab and he’s not sure if he ever wants to remember, remembering means so much more pain. Zach has the idea that God decides how ever is, and God decided that he would be sad. Sad and lonely. He doesn’t want to talk to his therapist, his roommate is so nice but Zach doesn’t really want to talk to him about anything important either. Everyone has an opinion on how he should live his life, but in reality, he has to figure it out for himself.
I really hate my attempt at trying to describe this book, so really take that synopsis with a grain of salt. This book is so much more meaningful and beautiful than I could possibly describe. It’s not about action or major exciting conflicts, but more about an emotional journey for Zach and the other characters we meet along the way. I thought this book was so unbelievably gorgeous! It was heart-wrenching, raw and touching. I used to read (and love) hard-hitting young adult books a lot but I’ve taken quite a long break from them. This book has made me realise how much I actually love these more emotional, mature YA books with quite serious themes.
“That’s how I feel. I think God is the wind. It’s all like a game to him. Him. God. And it’s all pretty much random. He takes out his pen and starts writing on our blank hearts. When it came to my turn, he wrote “sad.” I don’t like God very much. Apparently, he doesn’t like me very much either.”
I also feel like I’d forgotten how much I loved this author’s storytelling. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is one of the most beautifully written, touching and heartwarming books I’ve ever read, a definite favourite. That’s why I have absolutely not idea why I didn’t read more from this author. I’m so happy that I’ve finally changed that because this book was unforgettable. The storytelling was done perfectly as Zach’s past and present fused together perfectly. I think it progressed in such an effortless and natural way which is why I think it was so fantastically executed. Yes, there were times I was frustrated with Zach. But there were also times when I just wanted to hug him and I felt so proud for him. He slowly got better and felt better about himself and it was in no way unbelievable. I don’t really know how to describe what I am trying to articulate, basically I just really love this author and this story.
I was quite surprised when I first started this book because the writing was so different than the first book I’ve read by this author. I have to admit, it did take some getting used to but I very soon ended up liking it and thinking it was perfect for the book. There were so many times when I read a line that I thought was absolutely perfect. Saenz just seems to articulate things that can’t be said using literal prose. Even though I’m not an alcoholic and haven’t gone through the stuff Zach has, I could still relate and connect to so many lines in the book. I think that’s the real beauty about the writing in this book, it really gets to the core of the coming of age story, regardless of the subject matter.
I think this book is sadly underrated. I really think this is one of the best explorations of alcoholism and therapy in YA and yet so many people haven’t heard of it. Beyond that, this is also just one of the most heartwarming and hopeful books that I’ve read in a long time. Don’t get me wrong, there were also a lot of heartbreaking, sad and frustrating moments at all. Basically this book was just one ball of crazy emotions, but I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. It left me feeling so fulfilled and satisfied, which is all I can ask for in a good book.
“All my friends thought I was a very happy human being. Because that's how I acted- like a really happy human being. But all that pretending made me tired. If I acted the way I felt, then I doubt my friends would have really hung out with me. So the pretending wasn't all bad. The pretending made me less lonely. But in another was, it made me more lonely because I felt like a fraud. I've always felt like a fake human being.”