The brilliantly drawn characters are the strength of this novel. The three-way relationship between the mother, the monster, and the beauty is artfully explored. I found the story to be sadly realistic in today's cosmetic world in which so much emphasis is placed on looks. I thought the ending was a bit cliched; but otherwise I recommend this one.

The brilliantly drawn lead characters are the strength of this novel. The three way relationship between the mother, the monster, and the beauty is artfully explored. I found the story to be sadly realistic in today's cosmetic world in which so much emphasis is placed on looks. I thought the ending was a bit cliched; but otherwise I highly recommend this one.

Her Monster is an amazing surprise. This compact novel contains beautiful portraits of nature, of the nature of relationships, and develops the concepts of uniqueness and loneliness into experiences we all can recognize. Edward, the main character, is a very different young man, cursed by congenital deformity that requires him to sequester himself away from the world. His father disappears. His mother perseveres in protecting and raising an intelligent, sensitive, yet invisible child. How many times do we, in our existences, feel this same invisibility, although for different reasons? When his mother becomes unable to come to Edward's secluded cabin with supplies, she must find someone she can trust with the secret of Edward's existence. No one knows of Edward. The child was born at home and the Father disposed of the MD who delivered him. Edward's mother picks a confused young woman with her own identity problems. Through the barrier of window curtains, the girl, Katherine, and Edward develop a relationship that both frightens and warms Edward's mother. She can voice her concerns to know one, but Katherine, as Katherine is the only other person who knows of Edward's existence. During this time, Edward, a successful science fiction author, has been told his series hero, Alovar, needs a love interest, as book sales are falling. Here is where the lines of life and fiction conflate. This book is a compelling read. The vocabulary is sophisticated without being annoying, and the descriptions of the world as seen through the eyes of the isolated Edward are living and extraordinary. The reader can hear the noise of the forest, and see Edward, misshapen and monstrous as clearly as the cloud formations Katherine tries to interpret in the sky. A special aspect of this novel is the mother-son relationship. It seems that no matter how bizarre the circumstance, the final outcome is that a mother is inextricably linked to her child, with all the joy, pain, and grief it entails. Parts of the story that explore this relationship brought me to tears. This is a moving, wonderful gem of a book.