A straight-up psychological exploration of the young boy's mind, overlain on the structure of a beloved kids' book. I liked it! I remember being as angry as Max was, and not knowing what to do with that anger, but knowing anything I thought to do would somehow be wrong. I imagine every man (and many women) have the same memory. This book plugs into that, and the collection of beasts from Sendak's book become the embodiment of the childhood Id.

My only disappointment is that there wasn't a bit more real-world denouement. I haven't seen the movie, nor have I ever read the original Sendak book, so I came to the story fresh, and enjoyed it.