Only a Monster
Vanessa Len
Publication Date: February 22, 2022
★★★★☆
"Don’t forget the rule. No one can know what you are. What we are. You must never tell anyone about monsters."
16-year-old Joan comes from an eccentric family, but she doesn't let that define her. She has an amazing job surrounded by history and she has a date with a really cute guy named Nick.
Then her world turns upside down.
Joan discovers she is a monster. Nick is a monster hunter. What could go wrong?
What do you get when you combine the magical underworld of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere with the time-line bending science-fiction of Marvel's Loki, but told from the point of view of the villain?
This masterpiece.
This book releases in Canada and the US today after releasing in Australia earlier this month. If you're anyone - and you are - you will go out and buy it at you earliest convenience. I'm serious. Go. Now. DO IT. Thanks!
I knew the instant I read the synopsis that I would adore this book - and what an amazing debut it is! I was fortunate enough to be part of HarperCollins Canada YA Winter Release forum and the presentation of this novel was very enticing. I was able to request an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) as an HCC influencer and received a beautiful physical ARC to read. If you're looking for a book that is diverse, magical, otherworldly, and shocking, THIS is the book for you.
It goes without saying, this review contains spoilers, as it's hard to talk about the depths of this book without bringing some of these aspects to light.
Set in London, Only a Monster has provided an alternate view of a world that could have been. Structures that were destroyed in reality stand strong, as Joan works at the historic Holland House which has been preserved in whole - contrary to the truth of it being destroyed during the Blitz in 1940. This whole book felt like a mini history lesson and I found myself on Google Maps several times orienting myself to the location, both physically and historically.
The whole concept of monsters living alongside humans is one of my favourites. Seeing the interactions between the two groups - whether or not either of them are aware - is such a rich and passive conflict that keeps you on edge in fear that they'll be discovered. Even the essence of how these monster families function is fascinating - all of them have the ability to steal time from humans in order to travel backwards or forwards on the timeline. That being said, each family has an additional and unique trait and I really loved how that was tied in and carried throughout the story.
Of course we're here for the tropes. This has a good infusion of Lovers to Enemies, with a minor splash of a love triangle. It also includes the theme of being an outsider, not just socially but within one's own family.
Joan represents many aspects of diversity and the prejudice and xenophobic views of those around her. She's a biracial individual with a foot in both her Chinese and English heritages. She is also half-human and half-monster: not human enough to feel like she's part of common society, but also not monster enough to truly belong to her family and inner circles - in fact, her family purposely hides her connections because they believe the human part of her doesn't classify her as a true monster. All of this is wrapped up in the fact that she bridges time with her abilities, and once she discovers things outside of her original timeline, she never truly belongs anywhere. Add to this the fact that her reality is FAR different from the facts of our modern or "true" timeline.
Joan herself is an interesting and relatable character. She strives to belong and to understand others, as notes with how she cares for the dementia-confused Mr. Solt in the first chapter. She is gentle but fiercely protective of her family, and will do whatever she can to protect and preserve their truth. My only complaint about Joan is that she reads much older than the 16-year-old presented on the page. She felt extremely mature for her age and, in my humble opinion, it felt a bit beyond her grasp of understanding that she would be undertaking so many aspects of her journey. She worked in a prestigious historical location and carried very adult conversations that surpassed her expected age.
All in all, this was an extremely compelling read. The time-bending that met Inception levels - not to mention the absolute Doctor Who vibes I got, which is apt for a book based in London! - coupled with the paranormal underworld akin to The Magicians and Shadowhunters, provided an exciting and thrilling reading environment. Did I mention it's the first of a trilogy? As my favourite doctor would say, "Allons-y!" to book two!
Where to find Only a Monster:
As always, please support your local retailers when and where possible. Thanks!
Only a Monster is currently the #1 Best Seller on Amazon Canada for YA Time Travel Sci-fi and the #1 New Release on Amazon US for Teen & Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy!
Also, take a look at the absolutely STUNNING cover available in the UK!
Trigger Warnings
On and offscreen deaths of parents and guardians, on and offscreen deaths of family members, threats of violence, violence, blood, murder, weapon use, brainwashing, interrogation, involuntary drug use, real-world racist micro-aggressions, fantasy xenophobia.
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