The premise of this novel - last person left alive in a decimated world, doing what needs to be done to survive - isn't very original. In fact, some of the scenarios are so familiar in apoc-fic they are becoming somewhat cliché. The hinted at, but never explained apocalypse, the savage wild dogs, the deserted land/cityscapes. But this one did intrigue me with the relationship between Mother and the second Monster. I would've preferred to learned more about it from Mother's point of view as I feel Monster's narrative was the weaker as she was less engaging as a character. Parts of the plot also felt highly improbable, particularly the conception of the baby. Overall, while this failed to fully deliver on its potential, it was intriguing in places, frustrating in others, and a little vague in what it was trying to say.

A beautifully written post-apocalyptic novel. After having been protected in a bunker in the arctic Monster is apparently the only survivor of society's breakdown due to disease and war. She heads back to the only home she's ever known, travelling through empty cities and countryside finally trying to find a way to survive in a farm on the outskirts of an unnamed city. Eventually when drowning in isolation she comes across a feral young girl who she takes in. This is a story of how two damaged people learn to live in a dying world, trying to build a future while overcoming the impossible.

A book that sounded like it had every reason to be loved (I love a good post-apocalyptic story, especially one focused on female characters) but the delivery fell flat for me.

There is the Sickness and then the War. Monster emerges from the Svalbard seed vault and makes her way to the deserted coast of Scotland . Slowly she travels and builds a solitary life, believing she is the only one left alive. One day she stumbles across a feral girl and Monster becomes Mother, renaming the child after herself. As Monster (the younger) grows Mother discovers that it is harder than she thought to create another in her own image, Monster has her own ideas and desires and she will pursue them even against Mother's wishes.

It's an odd tale, with elements of survivalist stories such as Robinson Crusoe as well as the considerable back catologue of post-apocalyptic fiction, also drawing on monster tales like Frankenstein to ask questions about selfhood, identity and responsibility. The writing itself is stunning and Hale's roots as a poet are clear in her gorgeous sentences and Mary Shelley's other great (and superior, imo) Romantic novel the Last Man is a striking influence. But as a novel My Name is Monster is not quite successful. Too many elements are only sketched out, what happened to the world for one. But also the characters, though they depend entirely on one another there is little direct communication between them, too many conversations are one-sided so that the narrative drags and feels incomplete. Monster the Younger has no memory of her previous life, not entirely unlikely, but it adds to the murkiness of the whole story which seems draped in fog, both the characters and the setting remain frustratingly vague and hard to reach.

Unfortunately I could not get into this book and did not finish it. Other readers may enjoy this more.

My Name is Monster is a book that really took me by surprise. It’s far more thoughtful and gentle than a lot of other post-apocalyptic books that I’ve read before. I kept expecting something terrible to happen - but it becomes apparent that the terrible thing has already happened.

After a series of wars, both sides have unleashed a sickness that has wiped out the population, and the survivors of that have died of starvation. Monster is a survivor. She had sheltered in the Arctic Seed Vault where she had been working. When she emerges, she is alone. She takes a boat and makes for the Scottish coast. When she washes up on a beach, shipwrecked, she walks towards the only place she really wants to see - home.

She starts to build a solitary life, resigned to living alone. And then one day she finds a child. She names her Monster, and renames herself Mother.

This is a story that made me think about the role of society, and what happens to an individual when there IS no society. It also showed what it means to be a mother: that it isn’t always the ones who give birth who are the mothers. Often it can be the things that a person DOES that makes them a mother. It also shows that one doesn’t have to have lots of possessions to be content. Contentment can be achieved through work or relationships.

There was a point quite early on, where I wondered whether this was the book for me, but I’m glad that I kept on reading. It’s the little things in this book that are actually the big things: the actions of an individual and love.

This was a really enjoyable, satisfying read. Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my copy of this book.

I quite enjoyed this book. The setting and characters were developed well and I read this in one sitting.

This was an absolutely astonishing read, powerful and engrossing from start to end! At times not the most comfortable to read, but written absolutely beautifully.

The story was entirely engaging and full of wonderful prose and powerfully emotive considerations and scenes.

I was initially pulled in as I adored the story of Frankenstein and the way it pulled at your emotions and made you consider social issues and injustices, and I have to say the comment linking the two stories was perfect.

If you enjoyed Frankenstein and the at times starkness of the way it considered very real issues without softening it, then you will ADORE this.

This was a good read; well-written and pacy. It dragged a little at points. Would recommend for fans of the genre.

I loved My Name is Monster, I thought it was written exceptionally well. You can see clearly that the author started as a poet - the language used throughout is so lyrical. I loved that the two main characters were both called Monster, and especially enjoyed the voice of the younger Monster in the second half of the book.

I am in charge of our Senior School library and am looking for a diverse array of new books to furnish their I am in charge of our Senior School library and am looking for a diverse array of new books to furnish their shelves with and inspire our young people to read a wider and more diverse range of books as they move through the senior school. It is hard sometimes to find books that will grab the attention of young people as their time is short and we are competing against technology and online entertainments.
This was a thought-provoking and well-written read that will appeal to our readers across the board. It had a really strong voice and a compelling narrative that I think would capture their attention and draw them in. It kept me engrossed and I think that it's so important that the books that we purchase for both our young people and our staff are appealing to as broad a range of readers as possible - as well as providing them with something a little 'different' that they might not have come across in school libraries before.
This was a really enjoyable read and I will definitely be purchasing a copy for school so that our young people can enjoy it for themselves. A satisfying and well-crafted read that I keep thinking about long after closing its final page - and that definitely makes it a must-buy for me! Can't wait to share this with our senior creative writers - I loved it

Powerful and unflinching, Katie Hale's new novel is a gripping and intense dystopian fairytale. Beautifully written, it’s a must-read for anyone interested in power dynamics between parents and children.

I really enjoyed this book. Having finished this book I can not wait to read more of Katie Hale's work. It has been a while since I have read a post-apocalyptic novel and this was really what I needed. My Name is Monster is a skilfully handled and well written thriller. I particularly enjoyed the short, fast-paced chapters which held my attention throughout and meant that I just couldn't put the book down. I would very much recommend this book to friends and family alike.

Wasn't able to read and review book before it was removed from my e-reader


After the Sickness has killed off her parents, and the bombs have fallen on the last safe cities, Monster emerges from the arctic vault which has kept her alive. When she washes up on the coast of Scotland, everyone she knows is dead, and she believes she is alone in an empty world.

Monster begins the long walk south, scavenging and learning the contours of this familiar land made new. Slowly, piece by piece, she begins to rebuild a life. Until, one day, she finds a girl: feral, and ready to be taught all that Monster knows. Changing her own name to Mother, Monster names the child after herself. As young Monster learns from Mother, she also discovers her own desires, realising that she wants very different things to the woman who made, but did not create, her.

Inspired by Robinson Crusoe and Frankenstein, My Name is Monster is a novel about power, about the things that society leaves imprinted on us when the rules no longer apply, and about the strength and the danger of a mother’s love.

A strange, but interesting take on Frankenstein, that plays into Shelley's deep fears of motherhood and the trauma surrounding the death of her child. Katie Hung is all too aware that Shelley's novel wasnt just about a man & his monster, but about a monstrous motherhood. In My Name is Monster, she gives us a complicated, fearful protagonist who could not be any more human.

This book begins with Monster. Seemingly alone in the world after illness and war. Walking through Scotland scavenging and surviving in the desolate bleak landscape.
The plot thickens when she meets someone else, the first person in since the destruction.
The sort choppy chapters in which the story is told is a stark contrast to the slow and winding pace of the book.
This is my type of read... focusing on someone who appears to be the lone survivor at the end of the world as they try to stay alive and build a new life.
I realise this book may not be for everyone but it was completely my cup of tea.
Perfect for fans of Deon Meyer’s Fever.

This was a really interesting book to read. It's written in the first person and follows the experiences of a girl called Monster. She is alone in the world, and as far as she knows she is the only one left alive.

I liked the style of writing in the book. It reminded me of other books I've really enjoyed which have a particular style inspired by children growing up in isolated and/or dystopian environments. This is the life that Monster leads, and even before events left her alone in the world she was solitary and introverted. She has a very strong character and that's what this book is all about - her character, her thoughts about life before and after, and her survival.

I also like the format of the writing - I'm a huge fan of short chapters! It isn't linear and jumps back and forth between the present and past, as many apocalyptic books are. It works well for this story and the author paints a picture of Monster and her world perfectly.

This isn't a thriller as it is very slow paced. It's much more of a thoughtful story, almost like a memoir of a fictional character. However it does have some tense moments and some faster-paced bits which keep it interesting.

This was a good read, and I would happily read more from this author in future.

After the Sickness has killed off her parents, and the bombs have fallen on the last safe cities, Monster emerges from the arctic vault which has kept her alive. When she washes up on the coast of Scotland, everyone she knows is dead, and she believes she is alone in an empty world.

Monster begins the long walk south, scavenging and learning the contours of this familiar land made new. Slowly, piece by piece, she begins to rebuild a life. Until, one day, she finds a girl: feral, and ready to be taught all that Monster knows. Changing her own name to Mother, Monster names the child after herself. As young Monster learns from Mother, she also discovers her own desires, realising that she wants very different things to the woman who made, but did not create, her.

Regular readers of The Eloquent Page will know I am a huge fan of all things apocalyptic. It may sound a little strange, perhaps even counter-intuitive, but I find this particular sub-genre to be oddly life affirming. The end of humanity tends to bring out either the best or worst in people. I appreciate that refreshingly brutal honesty.

When you read apocalyptic fiction, the stories fall broadly into one of two categories; first there is the graphic, THE END IS NIGH, visual blockbusters. Great fun, entertaining as hell and, more often than not, utter nonsense.

It’s the second category that I find far more interesting, they’re the books that grab my attention. I love those apocalyptic stories that shift focus away from society, scale things right down, and follow the journey of the individual. These introspective, character driven tales are consistently fascinating. My Name is Monster by Katie Hale falls squarely into this latter category and is a perfect example of this subtler, more subdued fiction.

It’s the ever-changing dynamic between Mother and Monster that lies at the heart of this novel. Following these two survivors, thrust together through circumstance, has an intimate quality. They live a solitary existence with only each other for companionship. This closeness is both a blessing and a curse. An intense bond develops between each character, sometimes this provides comfort but in other instances it provokes anger. Mother and Monster behave just like any other family I suppose. They are ordinary people attempting to survive in extra-ordinary conditions.

There is a reflective tone throughout the novel. Hale’s writing deftly examines all manner of subjects. The nature of love and loneliness, family and belonging are all explored. My Name is Monster poses the question – how important is human connection to our existence? No matter how independent we might think we are, I suspect there is always a drive to be a part of something greater.

In some respects, Mother and Monster are flips sides of the same coin. Mother focuses all her energies on just surviving. Before the Sickness she had already begun to step away from society, a pre-emptive isolation due to her fragile notion of self. Mother’s own childhood and formative years were difficult so becoming part of a new surrogate family is challenging in many respects. Monster is the polar opposite: insanely curious and open-minded. The trauma of the apocalypse has left her essentially a blank slate. In many respects Monster is the lucky one, she has been re-born into a new world without any preconceived notions. There is no fear or emotional baggage to contented with only endless exploration and understanding.

I’m was particularly impressed by how the author uses stillness and silence in the narrative, especially when it is used to convey emotion. Once they have found somewhere to live, Mother and Monster exist in their own little bubble. The longer they spend together the less necessary words seem to become. There are a handful of perfectly pitched moments where the lack of verbal communication between the two is just as telling as any conversation they may have. This feat is that much more impressive when you realise this is Hale’s debut novel.

Fans of The Last of Us by Rob Ewing, Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel, or The Last by Hannah Jameson should consider checking this novel out. My Name is Monster proves that a quiet apocalypse can be a beautiful, delicate thing. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, like all the best fiction it got me thinking. If you are looking for a post-apocalyptic tale that will engage the grey cells and press all the appropriate emotional buttons, then you need look no further.

My musical recommendation to accompany My Name is Monster is the haunting soundtrack to the wonderful film Cargo by Trails. I was looking for something that captured the emotive elements of the story, and I think this original music from a genuinely emotive zombie movie is an ideal fit. It also seems fitting as the novel and movie are both ultimately about family and then lengths you would go to in order to protect your own.

My Name is Monster is published by Canongate is available now. Highly recommended

My name is Monster focuses on the experiences of an eponymous protagonist as she moves through a desolate landscape. Her world has been destroyed: first, by a war; then, by a deadly infectious disease. She, one of the survivors, travels through a destructed physical landscape. As monster travels, she is engrossed with her own mental landscape; a mental landscape of half formed memories. Her memories of childhood return in flashes and dreams. One by one, she pulls out memories of the events, and people, that constitute the landscape of her childhood. This bleak, but ultimately hopeful book, explores: – gender, self-identification and survival.



The book utilizes lyrical writing to bring alive its world. The slow pace really mirrors the characters slow progress through this empty physical landscape and the confusing mental landscape of her childhood memories. Yet, these same factors, the boring tempo of both plot and language, could make for a difficult read, particularly if you like a fast-paced plot. I highly commend this book for those who like, or who can get past, its slow pace.

Well it was quite an intriguing book to be fair and was well written, I liked Monster and enjoyed the book more once she found the child.

Not my usual choice of book but I have it a whirl and enjoyed it, though I found it quite slow in places to be honest.

It’s basically an apocalyptic story of a young woman Called Monster (a nickname her parents gave her) who thinks she is the only person left in the world after “The Sickness” takes over. When out scavaging one of her trips comes across a small girl who has been living alone. She decides to take her home and calls her Monster (Monster then is called Mother).

It’s not a bad book and the writing is amazing and the way the world is described by Monster/Mother makes you feel like your actually there, it’s a good little read and didn’t take me long to read it, I’d read more by the author.

Monster believes she is alone at the end of the world, but when scavenging a city she finds a small girl, her purpose in life shifts dramatically.

My Name is Monster is a refreshing take on the apocalyptic dystopian fiction genre. Rather than focusing on how the end came about or the immediate aftermath, it focuses on one person’s journey at the end of the world, when most of humanity has already ceased to exist. It’s less of an overarching plot but a sweet story of survival and hope. I liked how we got Mother’s backstory first before switching perspective to Monster to appreciate their differences in views. It also meant we had a unique perspective on both of their character developments as the story progressed.

There were times where I did want more backstory though – perhaps a little more on what had caused the end of the world; The War, The Sickness and The Last Fall as they are referred to. I presume the reason we aren’t privy to these are that Mother is not interested in it and that is why she has survived. I did find it a little odd that the pair explore a very large city repeatedly and yet there were hardly any bodies anywhere – I felt this perhaps didn’t feel very realistic. I also wanted to know a little more about Monster’s backstory, particularly as it so pivotal to one event (no spoilers!) later on in the book. There is an inherent feel of foreboding and menace running underneath the plot that made me feel that some big revelation might be forthcoming, but this is perhaps from reading too many zombie books! The plot did hold my interest throughout though – although it is perhaps a little repetitive in the middle.

Overall My Name is Monster is a refreshing take on an over saturated genre, it just could do with a little bit more backstory in places. Thank you to NetGalley & Canongate for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.