How a Monster is Made is a provocative and heart-wrenching psychological thriller
by RaShell Lashbrook.
Randall Carter is the only son of Pearl and Wyatt Carter. He grows
up in a dysfunctional family. His father is an alcoholic who couldn’t keep a
job and his mother is absent for the most part of his life. Consequently, he is
detached, antisocial, and abusive. Strongly influenced by his selfish and
self-entitled father, Randall has little respect for authority, and no respect
for women.
Generally, this is a good book. It shows the great impact of
family dynamics to the personality of an individual. It depicts the feelings of
isolation, detachment, insecurity, hate, and anger of a neglected child. It
portrays the effects of the lack of warmth, interaction, and support while a
child is growing up.
As I was writing this review, I discovered that this book is actually
a prequel. Since I have not read the other book, it would not be fair of me to
say that this book’s ending is inconclusive and has too many loose ends. Having
said that, I guess I could say that though this book can be enjoyed as a
standalone, it is necessary to read the other book first in order to fully
appreciate the story.
The plot is quite common but still interesting because it’s
prevalent in real life and almost every reader is familiar with the situation
and can sympathize or even relate. The descriptions are painfully vivid that
the scenes can be difficult to read at times and the characters seem so alive
you can almost see them in your mind. Though the ending is a cliffhanger, the
readers can simply read the other book for the conclusion.
I wish I could say I enjoyed this book but that would not be
entirely true. Admittedly, this is a good book. It is interesting and
provocative. It is also well written. However, it is a very painful book to
read. If that is the objective of the author, then, I could say she is quite
successful. Needless to say, it is not for faint-hearted readers who prefer
happy endings and feel-good stories. It is a serious book about abuse, pain,
suffering, anger, and hate.
Congratulations to RaShell Lashbrook (@PoppyJuiceBlog) on such a good book. For more books by the author, click HERE.