Oh man.

This book destroyed me in the best possible way. I don't even have the right words. I was in tears for the duration of the final fifty pages. It was cathartic in ways I've never experienced while reading words on a page. This might be middle-grade in name, but I think the themes, allegories and subject matter explored within will speak to anybody.

I feel a very special connection with his story because, in so many ways, it mirrored my experiences dealing with my grandmother's death at the hands of this evil, awful disease. I love that this story uses such a simple and recognizable trope (a common nightmare with a monster) to tackle such deep and complicated subject matter.

I devoured this book in one sitting, and yet I could really feel the toll the story was taking on our main character, given the amount of time that he had had to be strong for his mom. I was so very moved by the boy's interactions with the monster, and the lessons the monster had to teach him. The use of monsters as an allegory in the story was masterful and truly made this tale shine.

This one gets a full five stars, and is officially THE book I will recommend to anyone dealing with grief or the loss of a loved one to cancer in the future. Haunting and beautiful...I am so glad I went on this journey.