At sixteen Nash thought that the fight to become Head Girl of prestigious boarding school Bathory would be the biggest battle she’d face. Until her brother’s disappearance leads to Nash being trapped at the school over Christmas with Bathory’s assorted misfits.
As a blizzard rages outside, strange things are afoot in the school’s hallways, and legends of the mysterious Beast of Bathory – a big cat rumoured to room the moors outside the school – run wild.
Yet when the girls’ Matron goes missing it’s clear that something altogether darker is to blame – and that they’ll have to stick together if they hope to survive.
I’ve had books by C.J. Skuse on my wishlist for a while, so when I was offered a copy of Monster to try, I jumped at the chance. Her books seem to be have an unusual twist, something I like!
Monster is set in a boarding school, about to shut down for the Christmas break. I have no idea if boarding schools still exist here in the UK, but if they did, this is just as you would expect it to be.. if you grew up reading Enid Blyton! There’s even the strict housekeeper! However, this boarding school is brought up to date by it’s characters, as the author brings you some very modern teenagers.
As the book progresses, and the snow falls hard, the feel of the book changes. The girls are at great danger, but does this risk come from outside, or within? The depth to certain characters is revealed, and there are lots of twists and turns. I’ll be honest, I did guess the big twist quite early on, but then I’m an older reader, and I have a love of horror films and books, so I probably have a more twisted mind! lol
The first half of the book had a lot to offer, but it did feel slow in comparison to the rest.. it’s a slow build, getting to know the characters, and then a fast-paced ending, and I would have liked it a little more balanced. However, I did like the writing style, especially in the second half of the book, and the rest of the author’s books have gone up my wishlist a fair bit!
PS Pay attention to the chapter headings! 🙂
Published by MIRA Ink 24th Sept 2015
BCF Book Reviews 