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Quote by Patrick Ness

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A Monster Calls

This book is a deeply moving narrative that delves into the emotional turmoil of a young boy dealing with his mother's illness and impending death. The story is narrated by a young boy named Conor, who is haunted by a monster that appears to him at night. The monster, while terrifying, also serves as a catalyst for Conor to confront his fears and the reality of his mother's illness. The novel is known for its emotional depth and its ability to explore complex themes in a relatable and accessible manner. more

Author

Patrick Ness
Patrick Ness

Patrick Ness, born on October 17, 1971, is a renowned author from the United Kingdom. Known for his unique writing style and engaging narratives, Ness has made a significant impact in the realm of young adult literature. His works often delve into complex human relationships and emotional experiences, resonating with both young readers and literary critics. more

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“It was too quiet for hope, and then too loud for safety. She thought of the people she had lost, of the affection, the smiles, the belonging she could never again take for granted. It was the end of a life, and as she stood there, shivering in the brief night-time chill, it dawned on her that it was the end of her childhood.”

“I also think of those daily slaughters along the highways, of that death that is as horrible as it is banal and that bears no resemblance to cancer or AIDS because, as the work not of nature but of man, it is an almost voluntary death. How can it be that such a death fails to dumbfound us, to turn our lives upside down, to incite us to vast reforms? No, it does not dumbfound us, because like Pasenow, we have a poor sense of the real, and in the sur-real sphere of symbols, this death in the guise of a handsome car actually represents life; this smiling death is con-fused with modernity, freedom, adventure, just as Elisabeth was con-fused with the Virgin. This death of a man condemned to capital punishment, though infinitely rarer, much more readily draws our attention, rouses passions: confounded with the image of the executioner, it has a symbolic voltage that is far stronger, far darker and more repellent. Et cetera. Man is a child wandering lost—to cite Baudelaire`s poem again—in the "forests of symbols." (The criterion of maturity: the ability to resist symbols. But mankind grows younger all the time.)”