Synopsis (as taken from Amazon) is as follows:

It is a well-known fact that fairies are born from a baby’s first laugh. What is not as well documented is how monsters come into being.

This is the story of a creature who is both strange and unique. When he hatches down in the vast underground lair where monsters dwell, he looks just like a human boy – much to the disgust of everyone watching. Even the grumpy gargoyles who adopt him and nickname him ‘Imp’ only want him to steal chocolate for them from the nearby shops. He’s a child with feet in both worlds, and he doesn’t know where he fits.

But little does Imp realise that Thunderguts, king of the ogres, has a great and dangerous destiny in mind for him, and he’ll stop at nothing to see it come to pass.

Ability to Read – This was a joy to read, an absolute joy! I had no problems with reading this, in fact, I kind of wish it was longer or had a sequel because I enjoyed the story and characters so much.

Characterisation – Imp was a curious character, full of adventure, hope, and curiosity. The nature of his beginnings in life were odd to say the least but I found that his character hit the ground running so to speak and never stopped finding joy and interest in the world around him. It was interesting to read a character who was so unsure about the world around him and yet so willing to learn about it. His character was unique and original and the perfect blend of knowledge and innocence that made him the perfect leader to this book. I enjoyed the blend of characters, the hierarchy of monsters and the way the world was molded around him in a way that was both magical and mystical.

Visualisation – I didn’t have any problem with visusalising here. I was so absorbed with Imp’s character that I started to visualise through his mind and things that I take for granted became things of excitement and curiosity with Imp’s eye. It was interesting to take a step back and view things a little differently. I almost felt like I was reading as Imp rather than reading about him. It was quite fun.

Enjoyment – I picked this up in Waterstones – a minor book haul of 4 – and it was praised by the two people on the tills. I couldn’t wait to read it and discover the story within. The level of creativity and imagination in this book were off the charts! I couldn’t believe I was reading something so imaginative and something that took a staple of children’s books and turned it into something unique and different. The concept of this book was very original and took me to a place I hadn’t been before, especially where monsters are concerned. Imp was a curious creature who was untainted by the world around him and the pureness of his being was effortless to watch and exciting to read. The book is short, but in that shortness I was transported to somewhere new and somewhere I didn’t know I could be. I 100% recommend this book, whether you’re 1 or 100, I guarantee you’ll enjoy this.

Star Rating – ★★★★★