Last Night I Sang to the Monster

By: Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews

Zach is 18. He is bright and articulate. He's also an alcoholic and in rehab instead of high school, but he doesn't remember how he got there. He's not sure he wants to remember. Something bad must have happened. Something really, really bad. Remembering sucks and being alive—well, what's up with that?

©2009 Benjamin Alire Sáenz (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Sáenz' poetic narrative will captivate readers from the first sentence to the last paragraph of this beautifully written novel.... It is also a celebration of life and a song of hope in celebration of family and friendship, one that will resonate loud and long with teens." ( Kirkus Reviews)

"There is never a question of either Sáenz’s own extraordinary capacity for caring and compassion or the authenticity of the experiences he records in this heartfelt account of healing and hope." ( Booklist)

"Offering insight into [an adolescent's] addiction, dysfunction and mental illness, particularly in the wake of traumatic events, Sáenz's artful rendition of the healing process will not soon be forgotten." ( Publishers Weekly)

MacLeod Andrews really stuns me out! 😍

Any additional comments?

Mr. Benjamin Alire Saenz wrote ✨ HAPPINESS✨ on my heart when he created this lovely, dark, heartbreaking, life altering, never give up on yourself work of art!

The inside look into those who suffer so many different types of depressions either biologically or from a traumatic event that took place in their life is not only heartbreaking, but scary. And how lucky are we to live in a country where asking for help shows the true strength of someone who wants to better themselves physically and mentally?

Raphael was my hero.

Adam, my Angel.

And Zack, my quiet heart.

Best moment: Meeting Raphael again. 💖

Beautifully Written

A beautifully written mediation on trauma and grief. Saenz proves himself yet again to be a master wordsmith, creating vivid characters we care about.

Remarkable

Benjamin Alire Sáenz does it again! Eye opening, touching and heart wrenching story. A must read!

A wonderful, wonderful book

A real tear jerker, but without any cloying sentimentality. We travel with Zac on his road from a traumatic past and to sobriety and a hopeful future. The story, told in the first person is excellently written; a real triumph for the author, Benjamin Alire Saenz. Thank god for writers like yourself.

*Ugly Cry*

This book really tore me apart. Zach is an incredibly sympathetic character whose story is tough to digest but nonetheless impossible to put down. Throughout most of the book, I was either on the verge of tears or in tears. Even thinking about it, a couple of months after having listened, I still get emotional.

Great performance as well.