“There are monsters in the sea.”
Eighteen-year-old Eliza Mirk feels most at home in the online world, specifically in the fandom of the popular webcomic she created, Monstrous Sea. The story is massively popular and has gained a following of millions; people that eagerly await the weekly publishing of new pages and chapters in the saga. When a new student at school turns out to be a Monstrous Sea fan, it leads to friendship that slowly takes Eliza more into the outside world and challenges her in new ways. But when her identity as the webcomic creator is revealed, her reality is turned upside down and affects her in a deep way.
“There is a small monster in my brain that controls my doubt.
The doubt itself is a stupid thing, without sense or feeling, blind and straining at the end of a long chain. The monster, though, is smart. It’s always watching, and when I am completely sure of myself, it unchains the doubt and lets it run wild. Even when I know it’s coming, I can’t stop it.”
Eliza and Her Monsters is a wonderfully compelling novel that charms while dealing with some important issues. Many moments made me smile and Eliza is an endearing protagonist who is very relatable, from her relationships with those around her to her escape into the online world. Her struggle with anxiety is portrayed in a realistic and easy to understand way, particularly when it comes to the pressures of creating and the expectations that come with online success. Eliza and Her Monsters had me eagerly turning the pages, which included screenshots and graphics from Eliza’s Monstrous Sea. A thoughtful and highly enjoyable novel.
About a Book 
Wonderfully written review! I just finished this book yesterday and WOW – it was definitely worth the hype! Eliza was such a relatable character I absolutely adored her. And I really liked how the author didn’t leave Eliza’s parents out of the story which is often the case in most YA novels.
The only part I didn’t really like was towards the end when Wallace discovers Eliza’s ‘true identity’ and the fact that he basically holds her responsible for his own future.. so not cool.
Anyway, I look forward to reading more from you in the future… Happy Reading! 🙂
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Thank you! Glad to hear you liked the book as well! I completely agree about the Wallace bit near the end, which took me by surprise and I didn’t know what to make of the character at that point. The book really made me want to read more from the author and I hope to pick up her first novel, Made You Up, very soon. 🙂
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