Monster Book Review

Walter Dean Myers's Monster is an engaging and ambiguous read. One that resonates startlingly strong in today's day and age, this novel is a quick yet unforgettable read. 

Walter Dean Myers was the New York Times bestselling author of Monster, the winner of the first Michael L. Printz Award; a former National Ambassador for Young People's Literature; and an inaugural NYC Literary Honoree. Myers received every single major award in the field of children's literature. He was the author of two Newberry Honor Books and six Coretta Scott King Awardees. He was the recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults, a three-time National Book Award Finalist, as well as the first-ever recipient of the Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. Find more of my reviews of books on TIME's Top 100 YA Books of All Time list here. 

This New York Times bestselling novel from acclaimed author Walter Dean Myers tells the story of Steve Harmon, a teenage boy in juvenile detention and on trial. Presented as a screenplay of Steve's own imagination, and peppered with journal entries, the book shows how one single decision can change our whole lives. Monster is a multi-award-winning, provocative coming-of-age story that was the first-ever Michael L. Printz Award recipient, an ALA Best Book, a Coretta Scott King Honor selection, and a National Book Award finalist. Monster is now a major motion picture called All Rise and starring Jennifer Hudson, Kelvin Harrison, Jr., and A$AP Rocky. The late Walter Dean Myers was a National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, who was known for his commitment to realistically depicting kids from his hometown of Harlem. 

What immediately stood out to me was the form of the book. It's very quick, and part of the reason why is because it's written as a screenplay, which is interspersed with more personal diary entries written by the main character. Myers explains that part of the reason this exists is to create distance between Steve and the proceedings around him, while also hearing more explicitly in his voice in the diary entries. It's creative that we can see Steve's mind working in two ways—the first being the creative way of his imaginary screenplay, the other being the very intimate diary entries—and overall it makes for a very quick, yet very personal and intimate read. By the end, you feel very connected to Steve, despite the short amount of time spent together.

Monster's greatest asset is its ending. It is very ambiguous—the question of Steve's true innocence is not answered, and it's entirely up to the reader as to what they believe. For some, this might create a frustrating reading experience. For others, like myself, it casts the entire novel into a new light. It brings the difference between "not guilty" and "innocent" into question, and allows readers to try and determine for themselves what is important. It's less a commentary on the justice system, and more an examination of how one choice, and your control over it, can change your entire life. 

Monster was an engaging read—for more of my reviews of books on TIME's Top 100 YA Books of All Time list, click here. 

*This review can also be found on my Goodreads page*