This review is part of Melody’s Summer Reading: Diversity Spotlight. Enjoy!
Monster by Walter Dean Myers
Narrated By: Full Cast
Release Date: January 19, 2007
Publisher: Listening Library
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Running Time: Unabridged | 2 hours 37 minutes
Source: Free via Summer 2015 Sync Program
Add it to Goodreads
This New York Times bestselling novel and National Book Award nominee from acclaimed author Walter Dean Myers tells the story of Steve Harmon, a teenage boy in juvenile detention and on trial. Presented as a screenplay of Steve’s own imagination, and peppered with journal entries, the book shows how one single decision can change our whole lives.
Fade In: Interior: Early Morning In Cell Block D, Manhattan Detention Center.
Steve (Voice-Over)
Sometimes I feel like I have walked into the middle of a movie. Maybe I can make my own movie. The film will be the story of my life. No, not my life, but of this experience. I’ll call it what the lady prosecutor called me … Monster.
You know you’re in for a good book when you pick up a piece of work by Walter Dean Myers. This is no exception. I was a child when this originally came out in 1999 so apologies for being super late in reading this. I’m so happy that I finally got around to reading this! What a piece of magnificent work. I love that the story is timeless though unfortunately, violence is timeless and in particular being a black boy involved in a violent act…it’s so timely reading this now given all that’s going on in the country. Guilty or innocent, a black male in court will always have it rougher than any other. Hence, being seen as a monster. What a powerful message Myers exhibits here.
I’m also happy to say that I really clicked with the main character, Steve and easily connected with the characters in his life, most of which had a hand in determining what the rest of his life would look like. I loved how distinct and three dimensional all of the characters were. Wonderful job. Watching the story play out, watching the case build up and seeing how Steve was prepared for taking the stand, it was all so engrossing! If you like the Serial Podcast and have yet to read this book, I think you would find this to be the perfect book to read to tie you over… for a day at least because I’m really not kidding when I say this is a super quick read.
Walter Dean Myers is a master storyteller and I absolutely love the structure for which this story was told as Steve, in jail, writes the account of his trial and time in jail in the form of a screenplay. Talk about gripping the reader. What’s especially brilliant about this structure is that it’s written roughly around the same length of an actual screenplay so it only takes two and a half hours to read whether by yourself or by listening to the audiobook. I listened to the audiobook and can’t imagine experiencing this any other way. The audiobook is absolutely fantastic!
I think it’s safe to say that my favorite type of audiobook is the audiobook that has a full cast. Of the cast, there were two voices that annoyed me because the accents didn’t sound authentic but thankfully, these were very, very minor characters. Bobo also did not sound like a 22 year old. Though these two elements aside, this is easily one of the best audiobooks that I have ever listened to. So if you still have yet to read this, I highly recommend listening to the audiobook. You will be so pleased that you did.
Wonderful work, Walter Dean Myers. What a powerful piece of work to leave behind. Thank you.
Monster by Walter Dean Myers is available today.