A review by kamckim
The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

4.0

This book about hunting Anthropophagi in 1880s New England is perfect for teaching elements of the gothic novel, especially if you enjoy reading Poe. At first, I couldn't figure out why the book had been a Printz honor book, but the further you get into the book, the more apparent it becomes that Yancey is doing what all good gothic novelists do (think, FRANKENSTEIN). He is posing questions about science and ethics, about the very nature of human beings, about empiricism and the short comings of rationality. The plot does well as a straight-forward narrative, but also reveals layers of meaning about what it means to be a monster. Very solid read.