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A review by loriluo
My Name is Monster by Katie Hale
4.0
The title and cover of this novel drew me in - I'll be honest. Thankfully, this novel did not disappoint, although I still struggle on how to categorize the genre.
My Name is Monster tells the story of Monster, a lone survivor of a world where every other living being is gone. In the chaos and confusion of such a setting, she comes across one other being who she names Monster, and renames herself Mother after this discovery. The symbolism is not lost here, for we see these two characters develop into their new names, and in the midst of the struggle to survive and make a new life, the two learn to support and care for each other.
The structure of this novel takes some time to get used to as instead of chapters, we get phases or segments of thought and action - but it's an appropriate set up given the novel and setting that has been created. The allusions to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein are unavoidable as well, and call into question what underlies humanity and love. While there are some unanswered questions in the plot, I overall enjoyed the novel and writing.
My Name is Monster tells the story of Monster, a lone survivor of a world where every other living being is gone. In the chaos and confusion of such a setting, she comes across one other being who she names Monster, and renames herself Mother after this discovery. The symbolism is not lost here, for we see these two characters develop into their new names, and in the midst of the struggle to survive and make a new life, the two learn to support and care for each other.
The structure of this novel takes some time to get used to as instead of chapters, we get phases or segments of thought and action - but it's an appropriate set up given the novel and setting that has been created. The allusions to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein are unavoidable as well, and call into question what underlies humanity and love. While there are some unanswered questions in the plot, I overall enjoyed the novel and writing.