Title: Monster Mania: The Love Story of Dreams
Author: Alister Mackinnon
Publisher: Westbow Press
ISBN: 978-1973604204
Pages: 222
Genre: Christian Books & Bibles / Literature & Fiction
Reviewed by: Tony Espinoza
Hollywood Book Reviews
When looking at any type of relationship, it is always important to determine the strength of the bond two or more people share with one another. Whether it is the bond of a parent and their child, a group of friends or even two people who have fallen in love, the bond is what keeps the relationship intact. As Simon Sinek once said, “The strong bond of friendship is not always a balanced equation; friendship is not always about giving and taking in equal shares. Instead, friendship is grounded in a feeling that you know exactly who will be there for you when you need something, no matter what or when.”
In author Alistair Mackinnon’s “Monster Mania: The Love Story of Dreams, the author explores the relationship not only between a brother and sister, but of the bond they create with an ancient creature. When two siblings find themselves in a dilemma after their drunken parents lose custody of the children and face the possibility of being taken into foster care, they decide to go on a journey to find an orphanage they believe to be filled with happy children. However, along the way they find themselves in a palace underneath Loch Ness, where they help a chained monster escape imprisonment. Agreeing to take them to the Orphanage in Odessa, the siblings and the monster also meet an old dinosaur, and soon finds that the bonds of friendship and love knows no bounds.
This is a truly emotional and thought-provoking read. The author does an incredible job of balancing the more fantastic and imaginative aspects of the children’s personal narratives with the darker and more heartbreaking story of two children facing alcoholism from both of their parents. The lengths a brother and sister will go to not only to escape the darkness in their own lives but to protect each other was something I could relate to on a personal level as a reader, while the descriptive imagery and engaging character development is something which will draw all readers in.
This book is the perfect read for those who enjoy gritty realism novels that incorporate elements of fantasy driven narratives and character growth. It is also the perfect read for those who like dual storylines, each telling a unique story which speaks to a shared or common theme with one another; as this novel also explores a story of a fisherman who loses everything due to his dependence on alcohol, and the path to overcoming that addiction. It is at times grim, yet also a hopeful story of overcoming great odds, and is something many readers will be able to relate to on one note or another.
A masterful, thoughtful and engaging story, author Alister Mackinnon’s Monster Mania is a must-read book. While both stories delve into the fictional realms the author has crafted, the overlying theme of alcoholism and finding hope in the bonds of friendship and love we share with others is a great way of finding the perfect balance between the author’s gritty realism and the bright notes of fantasy spread throughout the book. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!