After giving this book another chance, I found that I actually really enjoyed it. I think that the story is actually really deep and it has some good messages in it. I found the world building to be interesting as well as the cast of characters that we get. I would say that this book can be considered a good starting point for people whom are just getting into the YA genre.

If you like the movie Inside Out, you’ll like this book. Maybe Inside Out mixed with a little Alice in Wonderland.

If you like adventures for younger readers written with enough zest and imagination and human tragedy to appeal to adults, like Harry Potter, the Golden Compass, Redwall, and the Hunger Games, you’ll like this book.
When I first picked it up, I thought it would be a quick (it wasn’t), lighthearted (it wasn’t), whimsical (it was), and potentially interesting (it was) read. I was surprised by how mature and touching a story with a big furry monster on the cover could be.

It doesn’t have many reviews, and I think part of that is that the target audience for this book is a little confusing. Don’t underestimate it or dismiss it as a childish story. It is a book about children and monsters under the bed, but it’s also about death, illness, loss, mental health, and sacrifice.

If you’re put off by its length, as I might have been had I noticed it when I requested the book, don’t be. It’s not a slog. In fact, I read half of it in a single evening because I was so engrossed.

My one nitpick-y thing about this book is the author’s use of italics, and…that’s it. That’s my one complaint. Overall, I think it’s a fantastic book that deserves more attention.