This book is based on an idea by Siobhan Dowd, author of The London Eye Mystery, who died from cancer before being able to write it. So Patrick Ness was asked to write it in instead.
It's about thirteen year-old Conor, whose mum is suffering from cancer. Because of this, everybody treats him differently at school and he hates that. Every night, at 12:07, a monster visits him. It's shaped like the yew tree in his garden. The monster tells Conor three stories, and forces Conor to tell the fourth one: the truth.
While I was reading this book I couldn't help wondering what it would have been like written by Siobhan Dowd, but I'm sure that it would have been just like this one: amazing. I loved this book from the first words to the very last. I found myself late at night not being able to put it down and crying a lot. I cried so much the last pages were wet from my tears.
Another beautiful thing about this book are the illustrations by Jim Kay. They are truly wonderful, I loved them all, particularly the ones with Conor and the monster. They are dark, scary and irregular.
So I absolutely adored this book and would recommend to any teenager, boy or girl. I'm sure I'm going to read other books by Ness after this one.
I would rate this with no doubt 5 out of 5.
• Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop.
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