Review: The Monstrous Child by Francesca Simon

The Monstrous Child by Francesca Simon

Published by Faber Faber on May 2016
Pages: 304
Format: eBook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads

A stunning, operatic, epic drama, like no other. Meet Hel, an ordinary teenager - and goddess of the Underworld. Why is life so unfair? Hel tries to make the best of it, creating gleaming halls in her dark kingdom and welcoming the dead who she is forced to host for eternity. Until eternity itself is threatened.

This is a hard review for me to write because I usually don’t review books I don’t finish. But this book is pretty special so I wanted to review it. I think a lot of people would enjoy it.

The Monstrous Child tells the story of Hel, a teenager and goddess of the Underworld. The story follows Hel as she is taken from her mother, cast out and sent to hell to reside and help the souls that travel to the underworld.

The book is well written and interesting. It was really intriguing to dive into Hel’s thoughts, witness the anger and frustration of her position as well as the bullying from her peers. The worlds are really well constructed and explained. I felt like I was really there and felt Hel’s hopelessness as she is constantly being neglected and abused by others. She is a complex character, filled with a desire to be loved and belong.

That said, I didn’t finish the book but it was more because of my state of mind. The book is kinda dark and Hel’s anguish felt very real and sad to me. I found myself gravitating towards warmer, happier reading and so I never got around to finishing the story. I’m more than halfway through. I might come back to it eventually.

I think this is a well written book that a lot of readers will enjoy. It shows Simon’s solid writing and creative mind as well as shines a light on teenage angst and family drama.