--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know that is not true, the monster…" description: "\"“ You know that is not true, the monster said. You know that your truth, the one that you hide, Conor O’Malley, is the thing you are most afraid of. ”\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/850/patrick-ness-449_afraid_you-know-that-is-not-true-the-monster-sa_3010241.jpg" --- # You know that is not true, the monster said. You know that… ![“You know that is not true, the monster said. You know that your truth, the one that you hide, Conor O’Malley, is the thing you are most afraid of.” quote by Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/850/patrick-ness-449_afraid_you-know-that-is-not-true-the-monster-sa_3010241.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/850/patrick-ness-449_afraid_you-know-that-is-not-true-the-monster-sa_3010241.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/850/patrick-ness-449_afraid_you-know-that-is-not-true-the-monster-sa_3010241.jpg) > ““ You know that is not true, the monster said. You know that your truth, the one that you hide, Conor O’Malley, is the thing you are most afraid of. ”” [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reveals that confronting one's hidden truth is more terrifying than any external monster. **In simple terms:** Facing hidden truth is scarier than monsters. Key Takeaway Acknowledge and confront your inner fears. Themes self‑awareness fear identity Mood introspective tense Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - therapy sessions - personal reflection - creative writing - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology shadow work Questions to Reflect On - What truth are you avoiding? - How does confronting it change you? A Different Perspective Denial can mask deeper issues, making truth harder to accept. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid/) [Hide Conor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hide-conor-4824025/) [Monster Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monster-said-427352/) [Thing Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-afraid-954757/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Hide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-hide-564611/) ## Related quotes > [“You know that your truth, the one that you hide… is the thing you are most afraid of.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/you-know-that-your-truth-the-one-that-you-hide-is-the-thing-you-are/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“ But what is a dream, Conor O'Malley? the monster said, bending down so it's face was close to Conor's. Who is to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/but-what-is-a-dream-conor-o-malley-the-monster-said-bending-down-so/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“ You think I tell you stories to teach you lessons ? the monster said. You think I have coming walking out of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/you-think-i-tell-you-stories-to-teach-you-lessons-the-monster-said/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“I didn’t mean it,” Conor said. You did, the monster said, but you also did not. Conor sniffed and looked up to its face,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/i-didn-t-mean-it-conor-said-you-did-the-monster-said-but-you-also-did/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“ You were merely wishing for the end of pain, the monster said. Your own pain. An end to how it isolated you. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/you-were-merely-wishing-for-the-end-of-pain-the-monster-said-your-own/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“What did he say?” Conor asked. He said enough to bring me walking, the monster said. I know injustice when I see it. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/what-did-he-say-conor-asked-he-said-enough-to-bring-me-walking-the/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“ Stories are important, the monster said. They can be more important than anything. If they carry the truth. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/stories-are-important-the-monster-said-they-can-be-more-important/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“ I did not come to heal her, the monster said. I came to heal you. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/i-did-not-come-to-heal-her-the-monster-said-i-came-to-heal-you/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“You do not write your life with words, the monster said. You write it with actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/you-do-not-write-your-life-with-words-the-monster-said-you-write-it/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“The answer is that it does not matter what you think, the monster said, because your mind will contradict itself a hundred times each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/the-answer-is-that-it-does-not-matter-what-you-think-the-monster-said/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [As destruction goes, the monster said behind him, this is all remarkably pitiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/as-destruction-goes-the-monster-said-behind-him-this-is-all/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“Because humans are complicated beasts," the monster said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/because-humans-are-complicated-beasts-the-monster-said/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“Conor shook his head. "That's a terrible story. And a cheat." "It is a true story," the monster said. "Many things that are true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/conor-shook-his-head-that-s-a-terrible-story-and-a-cheat-it-is-a-true/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“You’re as old as the land and you’ve never heard of sarcasm?” Conor asked. Oh, I have heard of it, the monster said, putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/you-re-as-old-as-the-land-and-you-ve-never-heard-of-sarcasm-conor/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“ Because humans are complicated beasts, the monster said. How can a queen be both a good witch and a bad witch? How can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/because-humans-are-complicated-beasts-the-monster-said-how-can-a-2/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) ## More by Patrick Ness > [“I rub the ears of my dog, my stupid goddam ruddy great dog that I never wanted but who hung around anyway and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/i-rub-the-ears-of-my-dog-my-stupid-goddam-ruddy-great-dog-that-i/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“The Prince had fallen in love. She was only a farmer's daughter, but she was was beautiful, and also smart, as the daughters of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/the-prince-had-fallen-in-love-she-was-only-a-farmer-s-daughter-but/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [Time goes on, even when yer not looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/time-goes-on-even-when-yer-not-looking/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [Here is the boy, drowning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/here-is-the-boy-drowning/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“This is it. This is goodbye. A goodbye I wasn't even looking for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/this-is-it-this-is-goodbye-a-goodbye-i-wasn-t-even-looking-for/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“ But what is a dream, Conor O'Malley? the monster said, bending down so it's face was close to Conor's. 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Growing up while flying along the stars, able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/but-i-m-still-thinking-about-being-born-on-a-spaceship-an-honest-to/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“When luck ain't with you, it's against you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/when-luck-ain-t-with-you-it-s-against-you/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“You starting to feel hope yet?" Viola asks, her voice curious. "No," I say, fuddling my noise. "You?" Her eyebrows are up but she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/you-starting-to-feel-hope-yet-viola-asks-her-voice-curious-no-i-say/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“I have two maxims that I believe, dear girl. One, if you can control yourself, you can control others. Two, if you can control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/i-have-two-maxims-that-i-believe-dear-girl-one-if-you-can-control/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [To live is to fight, to preserve life is to fight everything that man stands for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/to-live-is-to-fight-to-preserve-life-is-to-fight-everything-that-man/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [Because he KNEW he was doing wrong. He felt the PAIN of his actions'-- 'But he did not amen them,' shows the Sky. 'The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/because-he-knew-he-was-doing-wrong-he-felt-the-pain-of-his-actions/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“This was a kingdom. (“What?” Conor said, looking around his backyard. “Here?”) (The monster cocked its head at him curiously. You have not heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/this-was-a-kingdom-what-conor-said-looking-around-his-backyard-here/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [If you ever see a war," she says, not looking up from her clipboard, "you'll learn that war only destroys. No one escapes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/if-you-ever-see-a-war-she-says-not-looking-up-from-her-clipboard-you/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) [Explore all 527 Patrick Ness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. 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I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) [Darlene Senger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darlene-senger/) > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. 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