Monster

By Walter Dean Myers

Reviewed by Sam

Steve Harmon is sixteen years old, and he’s accused of being involved in an armed robbery. Monster, by Walter Dean Myers, is a story about a teenage boy, Steve Harmon, who could be sentenced for 25 to life. Feeling like he has stepped into a movie, Steve decides to write everything down in his journal as if it were a movie script. Not only this, but Steve writes about how jail has affected and changed him forever in his journal. Steve tries to hold himself together even though it seems the odds are stacked against him in this courtroom drama.

This story is a great look into the harsh life of a teenager. This is a great book. It takes you deep into the thoughts of Steve and puts the reader in his shoes. You can feel all of the pain he is experiencing during this hard time. The book is very well written and has a great plot. It will have you thinking about it after you have finished it and put it down.

I would refer this book to anybody. The story is powerful and leaves a lasting impression on the reader. The way that you see Steve slowly lose his innocence and faith is a very slow and painful process. The fact that Steve and I are the same age makes this book even more interesting, but even if you weren’t you would still enjoy this book. I recommend this book to anybody who likes a quick, yet very deep and interesting read.

Image courtesy of Andrew Bardwell ("abardwell") / CC BY-SA 2.0.