Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro

 Rating: 5/5 stars

I received an audiobook version of this book by Netgalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for my honest opinion and review of the book. All opinions are my own and only my own. 

I sit in my local public library, wondering, just where to start with this book review. Mostly because there was just so much. First off, I just hope that there is a follow-up to this book. I believe that the author left it open ended enough for there to be one. Especially with Charlie’s promise to rescue Marlowe. 

Ordinary Monsters was a long one. The physical copy of the book clocking in with nearly 700 pages, the audiobook version being over 24 hours long. I guess you could say that it’s quite a commitment. Though, a worthwhile one- as long as you can get past the slow beginning that is. 

As stated, the book has a bit of a slow beginning. I mean, in the audiobook version, I don’t think that anything really truly began to happen after nearly four hours of listening to it. And there’s just so much going on, if you don’t pay close attention, it’s easy to get lost. I can’t even begin to count the number of times I had to backtrack because I didn’t pay full attention. 

There is a lot of world-building in the book, something that I enjoyed a lot. Some things may not be understandable at first, but once you read more into the book, things start to make sense. There’s also quite a few different POV’s in the novel, meaning that you get perspective from nearly every character that matters or has a huge role in the story. 

The school for talented children is a huge component in the novel though, it’s not until the last third of the book that anybody even makes it into the school. For most of the book, it’s just a looming destination- a possibility for both Charlie and Marlowe. But once at the school, that’s when things truly start to go down. 

To be quite honest, I’m not even quite sure what to write in this review. Especially considering the whopping size of the book and the fact that it took me over a month to listen to the 24 hour long audiobook. The thing is, that I couldn’t stop thinking about Ordinary Monsters once I decided to commit to it. J.M. Miro truly did an amazing thing, writing a novel where you actually have to pay attention, where you can’t just skim it and put predictable pieces together. 

As I continued on with the novel, I found myself wanting more and more. Heck, even now that it’s done and over with, I find myself wanting to get my hands on a second book that I’m not even sure will come into existence- it’s that good. 

Miro does a wonderful job building a world full of talents in the mid-late 1800’s. With the settings, it’s not truly what I originally thought that it would be. The main characters quickly form lasting relations with one another once they meet, having both been cut from the same lonely cloth. And I enjoyed the whole “two masters” plotline in it. I mean in the end, was the villain actually a villain or just a misguided, mournful, troubled man? And was the one everyone was meant to look up to and behold truly as good and pure intentioned as he seemed at first glance? The book really makes you wonder and does a great job of drawing you in. 

Overall, I can’t help but rate it 5 stars. I mean this was a book that I was recommending to people before I had even finished it and that’s saying something!

Again, a huge thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the chance to read and review this book!

A review can also be found on my Goodreads here.