TeenLit Book Reviews

Mondays Are Red by Nicola Morgan, is a fictional novel about Luke Patterson, a fourteen-year-old victim of synesthesia. After almost dying from meningitis, Luke wakes up from a coma with shifted senses- he begins associating colors with days and smells to music. He also encounters a terrifying yet intriguing monster in his head named Dreeg. Dreeg promises Luke unlimited power and a perfect girlfriend; Luke must resist these temptations in order to save his soul from complete deterioration. I found Mondays Are Red to be a captivating and slightly dark novel that highlights the versatility and endless possibilities of the English language. I rate this book a 3 (1-4, with 4 being the best). Nicola Morgan uses endless adjectives and descriptions to accurately depict the mind of someone with synesthesia and describe how the disease's curious powers affect somebody's creativity. Her writing is strongly related to poetry and the imagery she uses is wonderfully detailed. The only criticism I have is that the plot tends to be somewhat far-fetched and unrealistic. I recommend this book for middle-school students because it is not challenging to read and sparks creativity.