Release date: September 21 2023
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Pages: 512
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis

London, 1861: Ten-year-old Nell belongs to a crew of mudlarks who work a stretch of the Thames along the Ratcliffe Highway. An orphan since her mother died four years past, leaving Nell with only broken dreams and a pair of satin slippers in her possession, she spends her days dredging up coals, copper and pieces of iron spilled by the river barges – searching for treasure in the mud in order to appease her master, Benjamin Murdstone.

But one day, Nell discovers a body on the shore. It’s not the first corpse she’s encountered, but by far the strangest. Nearly seven feet tall, the creature has matted hair covering his legs, and on his head are the suggestion of horns. Nell’s fellow mudlarks urge her to steal his boots and rifle his pockets, but as she ventures closer the figure draws breath and Nell is forced to make a decision which will change her life forever . . .

Review

Once a Monster follows the story of mudlarker Nell – an orphan with dreams of becoming a dancer. When Nell discovers a body on the shore she finds it is not what she expected – seven feet tall with horns. The other mudlarkers tell Nell to steal his belongings but as Nell gets closer she realises the body isn’t a corpse and they are much more than they seem.

This is my second book from Robert Dinsdale – I read and loved The Toymakers a number of years ago so I was really intrigued by this minotaur retelling. If you’re a fan of Greek myths this is definitely a must read – it was completely unlike any reimagining I have read before. I really enjoyed Dinsdale’s writing style and I really loved the way he brought the sights and sounds of dark Victorian London to life. Dinsdale has created a very compelling story in this book and I was captivated right till the very last page. The book is full of beautiful prose and if you’re looking for something that is completely unlike anything you’ve read before, Once a Monster definitely hits that mark.

The story is captivating and full of really fascinating characters. Nell and Minos in particular are very well crafted, dealing with the trauma of their pasts but I was also really intrigued by our villain Murdstone, who is determined to get what he wants at all costs. This story is well paced and I really enjoyed how the story ended. Overall Once a Monster is a gripping, well crafted story and fans of Greek myths will absolutely adore this one.