An original fantasy set in a rich, riveting world.
From an exciting new voice on the Australian YA scene comes a totally original fantasy story that fans of the genre are sure to fall in love with. Vanessa Len’s Only a Monster has a premise (and cover!) to hook readers from the get-go: Joan Chang-Hunt is half-monster, and she falls for Nick, a handsome yet ruthless monster-killer. In this story, Joan is not the hero.
The concept of monsters and heroes is familiar enough to ground the reader in Joan’s world immediately, and the story contains a few beloved tropes that YA fans will devour: star-crossed lovers, heroes vs villains, a love triangle, and a teenage girl coming into new powers. But the book knocks many of these ideas sideways, offering a fresh and thrilling take. The time-travelling plays out in an original and creative way, as does the age-old concept of the hero setting out to slay the monster.
Len has designed a fun world that makes you want to fall into it and get lost. It was especially interesting to read about the monster families and the different powers they possess. Above the well-crafted universe of monsters, Joan’s tale takes place in London. There’s a strong sense of place as Len describes the London of different time periods, as well as the different fictional locations of the monster world.
At times, certain elements of the world were a little confusing to me, such as the ins and outs of time travel and the exact details of each monster family’s power. But the book certainly packs enough of an emotional punch that the questions I had weren’t enough to pull me out of the story.
The storyline is an unpredictable one, keeping readers guessing until the very last page. Along with the fast-paced plots and sky-high stakes, the rounded characters keep the book captivating the entire way through. Though some of the characters do truly awful things, Len gives them enough humanity to make them relatable.
There are morally grey personalities on both the human and monster sides, making it even more difficult to decide whom you want to see win. Overall, Joan is an endearing protagonist who makes decisions that align with those a regular teenager would make. It takes her a while to find her feet as a monster, but she shows courage and, ultimately, amazing power and influence.
The love triangle that begins to emerge will keep you turning the pages. Despite the tropes that exist, it’s not clear who is going to come out on top. Without wanting to give away spoilers, I was rooting for the underdog!
Only a Monster is part of Len’s Monsters trilogy, meaning there should be two sequels coming our way in the future. Monsters have yet to have their moment among YA readers, but Len’s debut is likely to catapult them to a trend-setting spotlight.
Reviewed by Vanessa Elle
Instagram: @vanessaellewrites
This review is the opinion of the reviewer and not Glam Adelaide.
Distributed by: Allen & Unwin
Released: February 2022
RRP: $22.99
More News
