There are hits and misses in this collection of woeful tales of sad and misunderstood monsters. The Joy of Unicorns had me snorting with laughter and I loved the human/zombie role reversal in Night of the Living. Other hits included the diary of a teenage banshee, a guide to looking after your gremlin (impossible) and a living dead will to cover all possibilities.
Some of the humour was a bit obvious and it’s best read in short doses. I do wonder if it is more American humour than British; Frank Lesser writes for The Colbert Report (which I have never seen). Although the crypto-racist Bigfoot could have been a Daily Mail columnist. The prose addresses the reader a lot too, which gets a bit tiresome after a while. Still, it’s a cute little stocking filler for anyone who ever feels a bit sorry for monsters.
Some of the illustrations are rather cute too (Willie Real is a Google Doodler) although I kind of wish they were in colour. I especially like the sad, haunted bath tub and Medusa’s hairdos. Not to forget the heartbreaking monster on the cover (he has a flower behind his back).
Sad Monsters is published by Souvenir Press and is available now in paperback and ebook editions. Thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy for review.
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Shelve next to: Coveted by Shawntelle Madison and The Radleys by Matt Haig
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book free of charge for review purposes only. Receipt of a book does not guarantee a review or endorsement. My reviews are my honest opinion and are not biased for the purpose of personal gain.
Aw, poor sad monster. Looks like a fun, light read.
ReplyDelete*slips book quietly onto library pile and sneaks away again*
ReplyDeleteThat looks like a cute book! I love the sound of a sad haunted bath tub.
ReplyDeleteHi Ellie,
ReplyDeleteThanks for reviewing. Your followers might like the chance to enter our Sad Monsters themed Halloween competition for a chance to win a fab goody bag - http://souvenirpress.wordpress.com/2013/10/18/sad-monsters-a-competition/
Thanks!
This sounds absolutely AMAZING! I love humour like this, especially when it comes to mythical creatures/mosters. I can't wait to get my hands on a copy.
ReplyDeleteIf you liked this, then you should check out Bigfoot: I Not Dead by Graham Roumieu. It's a little crass at times but oh-so funny!
This looks like fun! I love The Colbert Report. So, the humor of this book is probably right for me. Thanks for the recommendation!
ReplyDeleteAw. this looks so cute! What a fun idea :)
ReplyDelete