Oh, man. 
 Oh, man. 
 It's beautifully written and just stunning. And heartbreaking. It's a long, slow punch to the gut, where the reader--like Conor facing Harry--just stands there and takes it, unable or unwilling to move, or defend himself, or fight back. You know it's coming, and you just ... let it. 
 Somehow this is on the GoodReads Choice ballot under Children's Fiction, and seriously--really? I'd say teen/adult crossover. A Monster Calls is about grief, loss, and fear, and while kids are certainly capable of handling such topics, I think the sophistication of the language, and the meditations on story, will resonate more with older readers.