Len, Vanessa: Only a Monster

Dieses Buch ist eine wahre Entdeckung und vereint wunderbar die Romantik von Passenger mit der dunklen Fantasy-Note von This Savage Song, ein absolut fesselndes Leseerlebnis. Ich bin restlos begeistert von dieser großartigen Fantasy-Ersteinsicht von Vanessa Len.

Dieser Roman ist eine wahre Reise voller spannender Romantik und dunkler Fantasy-Elemente und ich habe ihn absolut begeistert. Die Mischung aus Passenger und This Savage Song ist fantastisch umgesetzt.

Fesselnd!

Ich habe dieses Buch sehr genossen, weil es zwar mit üblichen Elementen spielt, diese aber sehr originell verbindet.Es gibt eine sehr sympathische Heldin, zwei angedeutete Liebesgeschichten und viele spannende Momente.Auch die Nebencharaktere sind vielschichtig.Es soll wohl noch weitere Teile geben, aber das Buch endet in sich stimmig, ohne Cliffhanger!Vollste Leseempfehlung für Teenager und Erwachsene!!!

Yes, my wishes have truly been heard. I got exactly the book I wished for. It’s a classic story of good and evil – or is it? It is, but we get it from the perspective of the monsters that makes the reader question: Who are the monsters, really? What defines as good or evil?Only a Monster was fantastically written. Not only plot- or characterwise but also when it comes to morals and how we understand the world. It gives so much to think about. The monsters and what makes them monstrous were well thought out, the way time plays a role in it all was so interesting and had me glued to the pages while simultaneously keeping my brain in action, trying to keep everything I read inside it and to remember the important details.The story is so complex and has so many facettes that it really keeps you on edge, throwing in twists and turns at every possible moment.I also enjoyed the characters a lot. Especially Joan, the protagonist. She’s very smart with a big heart and a big dose of determination. She feels very strongly about what’s right and wrong but sometimes she also can’t help herself. She has flaws while also being good at what she does, even though she is sometimes too impulsive for her own good. I loved her narrative voice and how she sees the world and discovers that there is so much more to it than she thought.Aaron I probably wouldn’t like much if I met him in person, but I enjoyed him as a character. There is so much potential to him, something he himself probably hasn’t realized yet. Sometimes he acts cowardly which Joan throws at him from time to time. Aaron’s sense of self preservation is quite high, and his flight or fight response is usually set on “flight” but you know what? That also makes him cautious and since he is from a family of influence he also has a lot of knowledge.I also liked Ruth, Joan’s cousin, and Tom, a companion they pick up along the way to help them in their quest. I really liked the group and their dynamics, the tentative trust, the caution but also the friendships developing.And then there’s Nick. A hero. A monster of a whole other kind? Good? The whole time I was so torn between liking him and not liking him, I was torn between rooting for him and wanting something else. But to be truthful, I ended up liking him so much. Not only because he is very well written but I loved his goodness and how he couldn’t help but stay true to himself despite the struggles and the trauma he went and is still going through.I don’t know??? I enjoyed the book from start to finish and just want more of it.Everything about Only a Monster was just amazing. The characters, the concepts of time and space, the discussions about monsters and heroes. While these things shine through during the story, the book really made me wonder how monsters are defined. Especially when it’s someone else defining you. I really liked how Vanessa Len plays with morals and the understanding of good and bad and grey zones and mixed all that with a lot of action, magic and a romance. Only a Monster is a truly wonderful book and I can’t wait for more of it because there are still secrets and unsolved mysteries I need an answer to.