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_pedro_'s review against another edition
4.0
I liked this book. Unfortunately, I feel like it left too many questions unanswered by the end. Some questions or topics without a closure is fine, especially in this type of book, but leaving some main issues , like what truly had happened to John or to his companion in the woods, open is something that ends up subtracting from the overall experience. Still, I enjoy he experience and the characters are still to my liking. Also, it kinda bummed me out that vampires or werewolves are not actual monsters in this universe, that would’ve been cool. I guess the “monsters” are more like cryptids than traditional fantasy monsters, but it would’ve been nice. (Of course, after what happened with the Wendigo maybe they are real, but it is unlikely imo)
sklus's review against another edition
3.0
This book would be a 4 out of 5 if not for it's treatment of women. I noticed it in the first book of the series, but I decided to ignore it. There's only one notable female character, and she was dead at the beginning of the book. In the sequel, there are only two female characters and both are irrational stereotypes of women. Muriel is whiny, vindictive, and irrational. Lilly, who is only a child, is pushy, rude, and weirdly obsessed with boys. I love how the male characters in this book are portrayed. They are all dynamic and have such great moments of character development, but the women characters get none of the same respect. To be fair, the book was "written" by a boy living in the late 1800s, so some aspects are just due to the times. However, I just feel like this book goes above and beyond with its mistreatment of women, especially in their deaths. To be even fairer, I'm really sensitive about the treatment of women in books so some readers might not even notice these points. I'm still going to continue with the series because Yancey does a really good job of making the supernatural aspect seem real. But, I'll still complain about the treatment of women while doing it.
hirvimaki's review against another edition
3.0
Still fun. Still gross. A bit meandering and maybe a little overlong, but an enjoyable if disgusting take of monsters.
soben's review against another edition
3.0
I particularly like the author's way of saying these are found books that he's just republishing. It adds a great underlying level of "could this be real?". That said, it took me a while to read this book as it rarely became a page turner. I was interested but it wasn't difficult to put the book down.
earthier's review against another edition
3.0
In comparison with the 1st novel, this is more of a slow burn or psychological thriller. A larger portion of the plot is focused on internal struggles rather than external forces. And for that reason, I didn't like it as much, however, it is insightful and builds more depth to the character of Dr. Warthrop.
venoregard's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Body horror, Excrement, Gore, Blood, Violence, and Murder
stephen_arvidson's review against another edition
5.0
The saga of Dr. Pellinore Warthrop and young Will Henry continues with unparalleled style and grotesque elegance! The Curse of the Wendigo, Rick Yancey’s second installment in the nightmarish Monstrumologist series, carries the same absorbing darkness that drew readers into the first novel. What's more, having read this novel twice in as many years, this reviewer can say with complete confidence that The Curse of the Wendigo not only sustains the same levels of intensity and excellence as the first, but in many ways surpasses it.
Set in the 1880s and told, once again, through a collection of folios penned by the late William James Henry, Dr. Warthrop is visited by an imposing figure from his past. The enchanting Muriel Chanler reveals that her fiancé—Warthop’s former best friend, Dr. John Chanler—has gone missing in the bitter-cold wilderness of Northern Canada whilst in search of the Wendigo, a mythical creature from Algonquin folklore. Muriel pleads with the embittered Pellinore to rescue her husband from this creature that starves even as it gorges itself on human flesh. Cue the duo's journey to the cold wintry North, wherein Warthrop and his faithful apprentice encounter Jack Fiddler, a Native shaman and the last person to see Chanler alive. While Fiddler puts forward a paranormal scenario for Chanler's disappearance, Warthrop is convinced of a more scientific explanation despite strong evidence to the contrary. His obstinate commitment to the rational is contested by his own mentor, Dr. Abram von Helrung, who is about to propose that the Monstrumology Society accept mythological creatures as genuine. Desperate to save his friend from a wretched demise and protect his profession from certain humility, the Monstrumologist and his orphan apprentice will learn the hard way that “life is shit” (No joke, that's one of the book’s underlying messages!)
There are far more characters populating this book than in the first, ranging from the fictitious to the historic, but all of them are vivid and compelling. Like its predecessor, Curse is brimming with adventure, introspection, and existential crises—both for Dr. Warthrop and Will Henry. While the first book focused on the sins of the father, this delectably disturbing second act underscores the fall of the prideful. I especially admired how this novel closely examines the human psyche, posing the unsettling question: How far must man go to hunt monsters, and how does man prevent from becoming one himself?
Ever since reading Algernon Blackwood’s 1910 novella “The Wendigo”, I’ve found the titular creature far more fascinating than any other stock monster (eat your hearts and move over, vampires and werewolves!)—and the malefactor that stalks the pages of this book is nothing short of terrifying. Yancey’s treatment of the Wendigo monster contains a deferential yet cheeky nod to Blackwood's tale, but his interpretation is both chilling and original. It should be worth noting that Mr. Blackwood himself makes a brief character cameo in the novel.
To say that Mr. Yancey’s writing is brilliant would be a sore understatement; the man possesses an uncanny gift for writing horror with spellbinding prose and unflinching brutality. Easily my favorite of the four books, Curse is so littered with skewered corpses and disembodied organs that horror fanatics will find themselves wanting more long after finishing this evocative and extremely dark thriller.
Set in the 1880s and told, once again, through a collection of folios penned by the late William James Henry, Dr. Warthrop is visited by an imposing figure from his past. The enchanting Muriel Chanler reveals that her fiancé—Warthop’s former best friend, Dr. John Chanler—has gone missing in the bitter-cold wilderness of Northern Canada whilst in search of the Wendigo, a mythical creature from Algonquin folklore. Muriel pleads with the embittered Pellinore to rescue her husband from this creature that starves even as it gorges itself on human flesh. Cue the duo's journey to the cold wintry North, wherein Warthrop and his faithful apprentice encounter Jack Fiddler, a Native shaman and the last person to see Chanler alive. While Fiddler puts forward a paranormal scenario for Chanler's disappearance, Warthrop is convinced of a more scientific explanation despite strong evidence to the contrary. His obstinate commitment to the rational is contested by his own mentor, Dr. Abram von Helrung, who is about to propose that the Monstrumology Society accept mythological creatures as genuine. Desperate to save his friend from a wretched demise and protect his profession from certain humility, the Monstrumologist and his orphan apprentice will learn the hard way that “life is shit” (No joke, that's one of the book’s underlying messages!)
There are far more characters populating this book than in the first, ranging from the fictitious to the historic, but all of them are vivid and compelling. Like its predecessor, Curse is brimming with adventure, introspection, and existential crises—both for Dr. Warthrop and Will Henry. While the first book focused on the sins of the father, this delectably disturbing second act underscores the fall of the prideful. I especially admired how this novel closely examines the human psyche, posing the unsettling question: How far must man go to hunt monsters, and how does man prevent from becoming one himself?
Ever since reading Algernon Blackwood’s 1910 novella “The Wendigo”, I’ve found the titular creature far more fascinating than any other stock monster (eat your hearts and move over, vampires and werewolves!)—and the malefactor that stalks the pages of this book is nothing short of terrifying. Yancey’s treatment of the Wendigo monster contains a deferential yet cheeky nod to Blackwood's tale, but his interpretation is both chilling and original. It should be worth noting that Mr. Blackwood himself makes a brief character cameo in the novel.
To say that Mr. Yancey’s writing is brilliant would be a sore understatement; the man possesses an uncanny gift for writing horror with spellbinding prose and unflinching brutality. Easily my favorite of the four books, Curse is so littered with skewered corpses and disembodied organs that horror fanatics will find themselves wanting more long after finishing this evocative and extremely dark thriller.
abaugher's review against another edition
awesome!!! loved it, crazy historical horror.
rkking's review against another edition
4.0
Like I said with the previous book, Monstrumologist, I'm enjoying just how dark and visceral this series actually is. It's categorized as YA, as the protagonist is only 12 years old, but these books can easily fit on the shelf along with the 'big boy' horror greats.
My only issue with the first book was in Rick Yancey's choice to use a very obscure monster. It still worked well, but I wasn't as invested. This time around it's very different. The Wendigo is a monster/creature of myth with powerful resonance and fear that surrounds it. It makes for excellent horror tales, and this time around is no different.
The book is kind of split in two, taking place first in the north Canadian wilderness, where the desolation and outright power of the empty tundra was a character unto itself, followed by New York city, complete with filthy alleys, tenements, and the downtrodden that plagued 1800s big cities.
The protagonist, Will Henry, has evolved enough to hold some of his own agency, and therefore the books won't be propped up by his scientist master alone anymore. Will makes for a fine narrator, and the story deals with heartbreak and sheer abandonment of hope in very effective ways.
I'm also still hooked in with the books' prologues and epilogues. I still can't fathom where those are headed, and look forward to finding out.
Great Victorian horror with a taste of penny dreadful/pulp dark fantasy that I'm really enjoying. Recommended.
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My only issue with the first book was in Rick Yancey's choice to use a very obscure monster. It still worked well, but I wasn't as invested. This time around it's very different. The Wendigo is a monster/creature of myth with powerful resonance and fear that surrounds it. It makes for excellent horror tales, and this time around is no different.
The book is kind of split in two, taking place first in the north Canadian wilderness, where the desolation and outright power of the empty tundra was a character unto itself, followed by New York city, complete with filthy alleys, tenements, and the downtrodden that plagued 1800s big cities.
The protagonist, Will Henry, has evolved enough to hold some of his own agency, and therefore the books won't be propped up by his scientist master alone anymore. Will makes for a fine narrator, and the story deals with heartbreak and sheer abandonment of hope in very effective ways.
I'm also still hooked in with the books' prologues and epilogues. I still can't fathom where those are headed, and look forward to finding out.
Great Victorian horror with a taste of penny dreadful/pulp dark fantasy that I'm really enjoying. Recommended.
Join the RK King readers' list for an exclusive FREE short story, plus inside info, musings, promos and more: RK King Writes