Scan barcode
jurassicreads's review
3.0
This one definitely straddled the uncomfortable, sometimes inappropriate border between middle grade and teen reading age. I'd definitely say that if your child is going into this one, be ready to answer lots of questions about captivity and basically owning people...
See my full video review here: https://youtu.be/RiVAW6dGUt0
See my full video review here: https://youtu.be/RiVAW6dGUt0
bluebeereads's review against another edition
4.0
Istyria book blog ~ B's world of enchanted books
4.5 stars
When I saw this book on Edelweiss, I had a good feeling about it. Something told me this would be great. And I'm so glad I followed my guts with this one. Monstrous is amazing!
Monstrous is MarcyKate Connolly's debut and it's about Kymera. Kymera is created to save the girls of Bryre from the evil wizards, or so she thinks. Kymera is not a normal girl. She has wings, a spiky tail, bolts in her neck and the claws and eyes of a big cat. If people would see her, they'd hunt her out of fear. But one night she meets a boy named Ren and they become friends. And what he knows may change everything.
I'll be honest and say that this book is not for everyone. It reminds me of Far Far Away by Tom McNeal. It has that fairy tale vibe that I love so much! The writing is so, so good. I loved the mysterious and haunting feel I got from this book. It's so original and really compelling. It didn't let me go for a second. I definitely get why they compare it to Frankenstein, because it reminded me of that a lot, even though I'm not familiar with that story. I think it's Frankenstein mixed with the tales by the Brothers Grimm. And if you love that kind of stuff, this is perfect for you!
I really loved Kymera. We saw the world through her eyes from the moment she wakes up. She was such an original character and I loved her! Even though people see her as a monster, she's good at heart and she's so brave. I loved her. I loved her relationship with Ren, their growing friendship. I did not trust the father for one second.
Spoiler
And I was right, too. I knew I couldn't trust that guy.Is it a bit predictable? Yeah maybe, but I didn't mind and the ending did ultimately surprise me. It really is like the classic fairy tales. No happy ending here. Not really. When I got this from Edelweiss and I read the first sentence, I just couldn't stop. I was hooked from the first page to the last and I really, really loved it.
I'd recommend this wonderful book to fans of classic fairy tales and Frankenstein. It really is amazing and I'm going to keep a close eye on this author!
coco_lolo's review against another edition
4.0
It's recently come to my attention that I don't read many Middle-Grade books - not because I don't like them, but because I simply don't find myself looking for them often. Monstrous very well may be the book that changes that.
The premise is pretty simple: Monstrous follows Kym as she embraces her humanity while balancing it with her hybrid status, and this story was one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Kym was lovable both for her innocence and her willingness to learn from her mistakes and make up for them; her struggle to reclaim her humanity while fearing and admiring her animal parts was captured in heartrending detail, and Connolly's writing from Kym's perspective felt at times both naive and profound, which fit the character perfectly.
Unfortunately, the side characters were a hit-or-miss for me because I felt like the author didn't do well at fleshing them out; Kym was just so well done, and this makes the secondary characters' lack of depth all the more evident. I never did care for Ren, something that was a shame since I thought Connolly could have done so much more with crafting his personality and quirks - he just came across as bland. Although she didn't receive as much attention, I liked Greta and am pleased to see that she is the protagonist of the companion book, Ravenous, so now I have even more incentive to read it!
Admittedly, the twist is obvious; as in, I had it figured out about 20 pages into the book, and while I wasn't sure of how all the details were going to play out, I wasn't surprised by anything that happened. This did not bother me, however, because when you consider the fact that the target age group for Monstrous is listed as ages 8-12, I can forgive the predictable turn the plot took. What I can't entirely fathom is why a book aimed at children younger than 13 would have such an advanced vocabulary. The sentence structure is fairly simple, comprised of both shorter and longer sentences with a splash of fairy tale-esque phrasing, but Connolly used many words that I know for sure I wasn't familiar with until I was at least a young teenager. Words such as "iridescent," "filigree," "topiary," and "machinations" are ones I would have skimmed over if I'd read this as a child.
Another facet that I absolutely adored was the art - not merely the cover that was done by Skottie Young, but the four different chapter images that are used throughout. I fell in love with the style the characters were drawn in, and it was easy to imagine the events of the book being in stop-motion, or even 2D, animation; these images had such life in them, and I only wish there had been more.
The first half of the book was more on the slow side, and I wish the big reveal could have come sooner so that there was a little more substance during the second half. And speaking of second half...I was not expecting that ending. It was surprisingly bittersweet in the way that many fairy tales are, and while I appreciate Connolly not giving readers the patent "happily ever after," I'm still torn on how I feel about the way this booked closed.
I had a lot of fun with this one, and although it was nothing like I imagined it would be back when I came across it in 2013, I was not disappointed by Monstrous in the least.
The premise is pretty simple: Monstrous follows Kym as she embraces her humanity while balancing it with her hybrid status, and this story was one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Kym was lovable both for her innocence and her willingness to learn from her mistakes and make up for them; her struggle to reclaim her humanity while fearing and admiring her animal parts was captured in heartrending detail, and Connolly's writing from Kym's perspective felt at times both naive and profound, which fit the character perfectly.
Unfortunately, the side characters were a hit-or-miss for me because I felt like the author didn't do well at fleshing them out; Kym was just so well done, and this makes the secondary characters' lack of depth all the more evident. I never did care for Ren, something that was a shame since I thought Connolly could have done so much more with crafting his personality and quirks - he just came across as bland. Although she didn't receive as much attention, I liked Greta and am pleased to see that she is the protagonist of the companion book, Ravenous, so now I have even more incentive to read it!
Spoiler
I also enjoyed the dual sides of the wizard Barnabas, but I think Connolly did better with his characterization when he was pretending to be the kind and caring father. His betrayal broke my heart for the reason that it devastated Kym, and one thing that I imagine to be most painful is for a child to realize that the adult he or she trusted implicitly can no longer be trusted. Once the big revelation about him occurred, though, I no longer found him interesting due to weak motives and him being reduced to the stereotypical villain out for power.Admittedly, the twist is obvious; as in, I had it figured out about 20 pages into the book, and while I wasn't sure of how all the details were going to play out, I wasn't surprised by anything that happened. This did not bother me, however, because when you consider the fact that the target age group for Monstrous is listed as ages 8-12, I can forgive the predictable turn the plot took. What I can't entirely fathom is why a book aimed at children younger than 13 would have such an advanced vocabulary. The sentence structure is fairly simple, comprised of both shorter and longer sentences with a splash of fairy tale-esque phrasing, but Connolly used many words that I know for sure I wasn't familiar with until I was at least a young teenager. Words such as "iridescent," "filigree," "topiary," and "machinations" are ones I would have skimmed over if I'd read this as a child.
Another facet that I absolutely adored was the art - not merely the cover that was done by Skottie Young, but the four different chapter images that are used throughout. I fell in love with the style the characters were drawn in, and it was easy to imagine the events of the book being in stop-motion, or even 2D, animation; these images had such life in them, and I only wish there had been more.
The first half of the book was more on the slow side, and I wish the big reveal could have come sooner so that there was a little more substance during the second half. And speaking of second half...I was not expecting that ending. It was surprisingly bittersweet in the way that many fairy tales are, and while I appreciate Connolly not giving readers the patent "happily ever after," I'm still torn on how I feel about the way this booked closed.
I had a lot of fun with this one, and although it was nothing like I imagined it would be back when I came across it in 2013, I was not disappointed by Monstrous in the least.
mdevlin923's review against another edition
2.0
Kymera wakes up one day to learn that her father has created her (by piecing her together with parts from other girls, cats, snakes, and ravens) for one purpose: save the girls if Beyre from a terrible wizard. Kym does as she is told, but she meets a very sweet boy, Ren. During their discussions, Kym learns more about Beyre and the wizard...and ultimately learns things that shake her to her core.
While it was an interesting premise (a fairy-tale take on Frankenstein), the language seemed like it was meant for a much older audience. I also think the plot twist was obvious from page 50...so the ending really dragged out.
While it was an interesting premise (a fairy-tale take on Frankenstein), the language seemed like it was meant for a much older audience. I also think the plot twist was obvious from page 50...so the ending really dragged out.
blackthorn2221's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
hirvimaki's review against another edition
2.0
Beautiful writing style, but a see-through plot and rather hollow characters left me feeling disappointed. I really dislike when you can see the "twist" coming from miles and miles away and the characters are oblivious.
nightwillowfox's review against another edition
3.0
would have given it a 3.5 stars but couldn't.
Even though the book is meant for a younger age 8-12 if I remember right. The book does have a Frankenstein feel to it just in the way the main character was made.
But as I kept on reading it, I felt that the person who was acting nice was not as nice as they seemed. I found that this story had don't trust people, surroundings or even yourself.
But about the 3rd to 4th chapter to the end I felt the story was being drawn out. The ending was very meh to me and I found the it lack something more.
I also found that some of the words the author used might not have been known for children at the younger age group.
Even though the book is meant for a younger age 8-12 if I remember right. The book does have a Frankenstein feel to it just in the way the main character was made.
But as I kept on reading it, I felt that the person who was acting nice was not as nice as they seemed. I found that this story had don't trust people, surroundings or even yourself.
But about the 3rd to 4th chapter to the end I felt the story was being drawn out. The ending was very meh to me and I found the it lack something more.
I also found that some of the words the author used might not have been known for children at the younger age group.
quillbot's review
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A touching story of love and loyalty
applegnreads's review against another edition
3.0
unsurprising except the abrupt ending. mostly fun to read anyway.
booklover160's review against another edition
5.0
WOW. I was not expecting the emotional roller coaster I just was on. I chose this book as it had many varying reviews. There seemed to be a clear split of people who loved and hated this book. I, clearly, loved it.
The imagination of this tale is incredible. I loved every moment of this story. Sure, some of the twists are predictable, but there are a few that aren't and I loved being surprised.
Pros:
- Kym. She is an absolute gem. She is constantly learning and evolving. She learns that what she's been doing is wrong and corrects that behavior. She tries to fix all her mistakes and that's just so admirable! She's brave and smart and I adore her so much. She had a beautiful character arc!
- Plot. It's amazing. Yes, somewhat predictable, but also full of twists. I adored the wild adventure I went on!
- Empathy. What I find incredible about this book is it's ability to make me feel for it. I felt joy, sorrow, anger, love, and more. It drew me in and made me feel so much. I loved it.
- The villain. It may sound strange to put the villain under the pros but it is so well thought out and I love that he is so irredeemably evil. It was just done so well that I have to confess that I thoroughly enjoyed it. It made for an excellent fairy tale baddie.
Cons:
- The ending because WHAT. Please don't spoil this for you so here's a HUGE SPOILER WARNING:
I don't find that this book is accurately rated for middle grade. It's complex language would have stumped even me if I read this in 4th grade. I think this is definitely a YA suited tale. Very good for older readers too, but maybe a bit complex for middle to elementary readers.
Overall, I LOVED this book!! Definitely one of my new favorites and I might actually purchase!
The imagination of this tale is incredible. I loved every moment of this story. Sure, some of the twists are predictable, but there are a few that aren't and I loved being surprised.
Pros:
- Kym. She is an absolute gem. She is constantly learning and evolving. She learns that what she's been doing is wrong and corrects that behavior. She tries to fix all her mistakes and that's just so admirable! She's brave and smart and I adore her so much. She had a beautiful character arc!
- Plot. It's amazing. Yes, somewhat predictable, but also full of twists. I adored the wild adventure I went on!
- Empathy. What I find incredible about this book is it's ability to make me feel for it. I felt joy, sorrow, anger, love, and more. It drew me in and made me feel so much. I loved it.
- The villain. It may sound strange to put the villain under the pros but it is so well thought out and I love that he is so irredeemably evil. It was just done so well that I have to confess that I thoroughly enjoyed it. It made for an excellent fairy tale baddie.
Cons:
- The ending because WHAT. Please don't spoil this for you so here's a HUGE SPOILER WARNING:
Spoiler
I figured she'd end up giving herself up to defeat the wizard, but I'm not sure how it actually ended. I had hoped that perhaps she'd live. And I'm not entirely convinced she died however.I don't find that this book is accurately rated for middle grade. It's complex language would have stumped even me if I read this in 4th grade. I think this is definitely a YA suited tale. Very good for older readers too, but maybe a bit complex for middle to elementary readers.
Overall, I LOVED this book!! Definitely one of my new favorites and I might actually purchase!