Monster

 

Myers, W.D. (1999). Monster. NY: Harper

This was my first novel-in-verse and I enjoyed it. It was a difficult story, a young man on trial for murder and labeled a monster although he had nothing to do with the crime. The book opens with the main character’s thoughts about how to survive while locked up and being found guilty and sentenced to time in prison would be catastrophic for him. Just the time he spends behind bars throughout the trial have a lasting impact on him. We get glimpses of the effect the trial has on him and his family at home. There were some details I wish had been filled in, but the book leaves the reader to draw some conclusions on their own. Telling the story in the form of a movie script was a fresh take but sometimes distracting as I had to remember various terms that were only relevant to the story as a script.

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