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A review by stephen_arvidson
The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey
5.0
Easily one of the best books—and unquestionably the best series—I’ve ever read, The Monstrumologist is a throwback gothic-style horror tale and first in an unputdownable quadriology. Dark and exceeding gruesome, the narrative is conveyed in the found-journal style of a diary authored by Will Henry, abject orphan and 'indispensable' assistant to an eccentric doctor, Pellinore Warthrop; his uncanny specialty: hunting monsters. Set in 1880's New England, a miserly grave robber consults Dr. Warthrop after discovering the interred corpse of a young woman partially consumed by a deceased Anthropophagus—a hulking, headless monstrosity from The Histories of Herodotus with eyes atop its shoulders and a hideous mouth in its chest cavity. Realizing that the monsters have somehow made their way to the Americas from Benin, and that their numbers are steadily increasing, Warthrop and his young apprentice find themselves faced with the abhorrent task of eliminating these bloodthirsty grotesqueries before the body count rises.
A crimson-stained cornucopia of viscera-slicing drama that's all the flavor of Sherlock Holmes, Indiana Jones, H.P. Lovecraft, and Stephen King, The Monstrumologist is full of rich characters, vivid descriptions, eloquent prose, and gore…lots and lots of gore. If that’s not enough, the monsters are undoubtedly the stuff of nightmares. While the story contains elements of YA fiction—namely, the pre-adolescent adventures of a plucky young orphan boy with admirable courage and surprising resourcefulness (it doesn’t get more YA than that, right?)—on the other hand, this tale contains detailed depictions of gruesome death, maggoty decay, and savage mutilation—incredibly graphic and unsuitable for neither younger readers nor the faint of heart, although older teens and adults with a penchant for the macabre will definitely savor this literary feast of horror!
The Monstrumologist is not only deliciously scary, but also a promising launch to a horrific series. I myself was practically drawn to this story from page one, the prologue of which transports readers into the world of Monstrumology through the framework of a “found journal”—much like a found-footage horror flick but without all the shaky camera work. Interestingly, this stirring work of fiction reads almost like a lost autobiography of Will Henry’s time with Dr. Warthrop, learning the finer points of this lesser known, under-the-table scientific field. Who would’ve thought there’s no money to be made from monster-hunting?!
Readers will delight in the raving, obsessive Dr. Warthrop with his Sherlockian brilliance and irascible egomania; his eccentricities make him almost likeable, though some readers might have misgivings about his questionable treatment of Will Henry, his young apprentice-assistant. Author Rick Yancey also includes a compelling Victorian-era setting and even throws in references to actual persons and lore that helps to blend the line between fact and fiction. Additionally, themes of morality are brought into play as the characters are forced to work alongside “John Kearns”, a psychopathic megalomaniac whose dark sense of humor makes him almost as terrifying as the creatures they’re hunting. This book is quite unlike most other YA works with shallow characters and superficial plot-lines.
Simply put, The Monstrumologist is a tense, exhilarating ride through a crimson curtain of offal, effluvia, and viscera. Squeamish readers need not apply. If you’re not exactly a fan of the horror genre, Rick Yancey’s imaginative series is sure to change your mind.
A crimson-stained cornucopia of viscera-slicing drama that's all the flavor of Sherlock Holmes, Indiana Jones, H.P. Lovecraft, and Stephen King, The Monstrumologist is full of rich characters, vivid descriptions, eloquent prose, and gore…lots and lots of gore. If that’s not enough, the monsters are undoubtedly the stuff of nightmares. While the story contains elements of YA fiction—namely, the pre-adolescent adventures of a plucky young orphan boy with admirable courage and surprising resourcefulness (it doesn’t get more YA than that, right?)—on the other hand, this tale contains detailed depictions of gruesome death, maggoty decay, and savage mutilation—incredibly graphic and unsuitable for neither younger readers nor the faint of heart, although older teens and adults with a penchant for the macabre will definitely savor this literary feast of horror!
The Monstrumologist is not only deliciously scary, but also a promising launch to a horrific series. I myself was practically drawn to this story from page one, the prologue of which transports readers into the world of Monstrumology through the framework of a “found journal”—much like a found-footage horror flick but without all the shaky camera work. Interestingly, this stirring work of fiction reads almost like a lost autobiography of Will Henry’s time with Dr. Warthrop, learning the finer points of this lesser known, under-the-table scientific field. Who would’ve thought there’s no money to be made from monster-hunting?!
Readers will delight in the raving, obsessive Dr. Warthrop with his Sherlockian brilliance and irascible egomania; his eccentricities make him almost likeable, though some readers might have misgivings about his questionable treatment of Will Henry, his young apprentice-assistant. Author Rick Yancey also includes a compelling Victorian-era setting and even throws in references to actual persons and lore that helps to blend the line between fact and fiction. Additionally, themes of morality are brought into play as the characters are forced to work alongside “John Kearns”, a psychopathic megalomaniac whose dark sense of humor makes him almost as terrifying as the creatures they’re hunting. This book is quite unlike most other YA works with shallow characters and superficial plot-lines.
Simply put, The Monstrumologist is a tense, exhilarating ride through a crimson curtain of offal, effluvia, and viscera. Squeamish readers need not apply. If you’re not exactly a fan of the horror genre, Rick Yancey’s imaginative series is sure to change your mind.