I was a pretty big fan of Patrick Ness after reading the Chaos Walking series, and then I met him at ALA in Chicago and became even more of a fan. 
 This book is well-done, with a monster that can be interpreted in different ways depending on your age and maturity level. I thought Conor was very sympathetic, despite his anger and violence. There were moments of humor, but mostly the feeling is of heart-wrenching loneliness and sadness. So while I appreciated the book, I can't say I enjoyed it exactly. 
 This may be potentially confusing for some readers who prefer a more straightforward story. While younger teens could read and enjoy it, I'd suggest it more to older teens.