Monster (1999 novel)
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| Author | Walter Dean Myers |
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| Cover Artist | Christopher Myers |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Drama, Crime novel |
| Publisher | Harpercollins |
| Released | April 21, 1999 |
| Media Type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 281 pp |
| ISBN | ISBN 0064407314 |
Monster is a young adult drama novel by American author Walter Dean Myers and was published by Harpercollins in 1999.
The novel centers around a teenager named Steve Harmon, who has just been arrested, and has been charged with felony murder. The book tells how Steve must cope with the fact that he might be behind bars the rest of his life, and going through the trial.
The book uses a screenplay format to tell the story of Steve Harmon's murder trial.It was nominated for the 1999 National Book Award for Young People's Literature.
[edit] Plot Summary
16 year-old Steve Harmon stands accused of murdering a store owner. The novel revolves around the question of whether Steve was part of the gang which held up the store or whether he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Using the screenplay format, the reader gains great insight into not only Steve's reaction to the prosecutor's portrayal of him as a "monster" but also to what it is like to be held in jail. At the end of the novel, Steve is acquitted of the charges, however his true guilt or innocence is left ambiguous.
[edit] Awards
- Won the Michael L. Printz Award
- National Book Award Finalist
- Coretta Scott King Award
