Last Night I Sang to the Monster

Gr 10 Up—After nearly dying of alcohol withdrawal, 18-year-old Zach lands in a residential rehab facility with no memory of his recent past. A sympathetic counselor works with Zach to help him remember, and the teen struggles with the conflicting desire to know what brought him to this point and the pain of remembering. An abusive older brother, an alcoholic father, and a depressed mother populate his fragmented recollections. He envisions his demons as a monster he must sing to sleep in order to move on. Realistic scenes from rehab include group counseling and Zach's touching interactions with his roommates, particularly an older father figure. A stream of consciousness flow results in a hypnotic narrative composition; listeners seeking a more traditional rehab novel such as Amy Reed's Clean (Simon Pulse, 2011) may be put off. Overall, Benjamin Alire Sáenz's novel (Cinco Puntos Pr., 2009) is a strong exploration of the internal life of an addict and post-traumatic stress sufferer that is reminiscent of James Frey's A Million Little Pieces (Doubleday, 2003). The one-two punch of Zach's eventual revelation of his trauma and what follows is heartrending and, ultimately, hopeful. Narrator MacLeod Andrews brings authenticity to Zach's inner monologue, and gives the supporting characters distinctive voices. Strong language and unflinching descriptions of sexual abuse make this listen most appropriate for mature teens.—Amy Pickett, Ridley High School, Folsom, PA