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The Monstrumologist
The Monstrumologist
The Monstrumologist
Audiobook11 hours

The Monstrumologist

Written by Rick Yancey

Narrated by Steven Boyer

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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About this audiobook

Award-winning author Rick Yancey has captivated young adult readers with his popular Alfred Kropp novels, the first of which was named a Best Book for Children by Publishers Weekly and was a finalist for the Carnegie Medal. Now Yancey begins a gripping new series with The Monstrumologist. Dr. Warthrop is a scientist who tracks and studies real-life monsters. Assisted by his 12-year-old apprentice Will Henry, Dr. Warthrop discovers a pod of Anthropophagi and launches a hunt to destroy the foul beasts.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateNov 6, 2009
ISBN9781440775314
Author

Rick Yancey

Rick Yancey is the author of The Monstrumologist, The Curse of the Wendigo, The Isle of Blood, and The Final Descent. He is also the author of The Fifth Wave series. Rick lives with his wife Sandy and two sons in Gainesville, Florida. Visit him at RickYancey.com.

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Reviews for The Monstrumologist

Rating: 3.9537401811023622 out of 5 stars
4/5

508 ratings68 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Written like a classic Victorian horror and executed with exquisite prose!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Creepy, scary, gory, interesting ending. What do you think?
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Yes, my dear child, monsters are real. I happen to have one hanging in the basement. Orphan Will Henry James assists Dr. Pellinore Warthrop in his effort to hunt and destroy the Anthropophagi. These monsters have a mouth in the center of their chest, eyes on their shoulders and their brain in their "groin". Written for young adults, it's quite graphic when describing the carnage and the vocabulary is higher than most newspapers. A bit of a twist at the end of the book. :-)
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was surprisingly gross! I got sick a couple times from the *very* vivid viscera, but the story kept me hooked. I can't wait to see what happens with the young assistant; I will be reading the two sequels asap, and checking up on my Shakespeare to see where those anthropophagi come in.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The Monstrumologist was stomach turning, gruesome and gory. The descriptions in this book were so phenomenal that I would actually have to stop eating at times. The author's words paint a picture of some of the most horrifying creatures and events that I have ever read about. Not only the authors descriptions regarding creatures and events phenomenal, the descriptions provided by Will Henry of both his own countenance and feelings and those of the doctor made you feel like you were really getting to know the doctor. This isn't just a novel about gore and things that scare you, it is also about people and I felt like there was a lot of depth to the characters. I also don't ever remember reading about a character quite as evil as Kearns. His cruelty and the lack of any kind of sense of morality on his part were truly terrifying. He is more the stuff of nightmares then the monsters themselves were.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I book-talked this book and it was a hit -- mostly because of how "gross" it is. The descriptions are extremely vivid and the plotline is actually really cool. It reminds me a lot of Jackaby. I cautioned the students by saying it is not for the faint of heart!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Will Henry is an orphan. His parents died in service of Pellinore Warthrop, a monstrumologist who studies the monstrous and seeks to kill them. While Pellinore is certainly competent and passionate about the subject, he's rather self absorbed and cold, too wrapped up in himself and his subject of choice to recognize what a growing 12 year old boy needs. One day, a creature is brought to them by a grave robber that is alarming in it's implications of others. The anthropophagi hunts in packs and are never alone. Pellinore and Will take it upon themselves to hunt these creatures down before they destroy New Salem and overtake the world.The Monstrumologist has been on my reading list for a while. I had heard it's good horror, but YA horror tends to be watered down and underwhelming. This one is the exact opposite of my expectations: grisly, gory, nauseating, suspenseful, and terrifying. The anthropophagi are the start of it. They are headless, sharklike creatures with no heads, their faces on their chests, and a maw full of thousands of razor sharp teeth. Humans are their prey and they hunger. They can grow up to 7 feet tall and are faster and stronger than any human. We are knocked off the top of the food chain by these creatures. These creatures are not only physically superior, but fairly intelligent as well. Everything about them is frightening and the descriptions make them seem all the more real. The action scenes with them are unforgettable and savage. These are a creature I have not yet seen in updated in literature. I remember reading accounts of them in The Adventures of John Mandeville, The Travels of Marco Polo, and Shakespeare's plays The Tempest and Othello. I like that images of them appear in a variety of texts during different time periods because with this concept, it's easy to imagine stories within each one.The other thing that brings in the creep factor is regular people. The first instance is in an insane asylum. The level of neglect and downright torture is shocking and unfortunately based in reality. The conditions a patient was left in is sickening and one of the most disgusting things I've ever read. The other instance is Dr. Kearns, an associate of Pellinore's. Kearns is a monster hunter and will do absolutely anything to achieve his goal. He has no regard for human life and will gladly sacrifice anyone (save himself) to kill the monsters. His view of the world is explored and is predictably insane. He doesn't believe in morality, merely in what is necessary for the situation. On his off time, he is a particularly infamous figure in British history. The characters are wonderful in their flawed natures, particularly Pellinore Winthrop and Will Henry. Pellinore has major daddy issues and laser focuses on his work. Even necessities like eating and sleeping go by the wayside when he's in full swing. He's a selfish man who views emotion as weakness, but he has good intentions underneath it all. He cares for Will Henry in his own way (and rarely shows it), but when the situation is dire, he does all he can to protect Will. Will is only 12 and has enormous responsibilities thrust upon him. He feels loyalty to Pellinore because his parents believed in him and worked with him. He is intelligent and has no illusions about Pellinore's true feelings about him. His weakness is curiosity and staying with this incompetent guardian despite all evidence pointing to how dangerous it is to live with him.The prose of the novel is reminiscent of the late 1800's, but is slightly simplified to make it easier to read. The descriptions are quite vivid and lush, which can be off-putting for some weaker stomached readers. (I personally loved it.) The dark gothic atmosphere is maintained throughout and calls to mind other works of such literature. When I imagine the book, I see it in black and white with splashes of red. I rarely get such vivid images from a book, but it plays out like a film. Even though the writing is descriptive, the plots moves very well. Not at a rapid pace, but a slow and steady one. I couldn't put it down. I read the whole first half in one sitting and was hungry for more. I will definitely be picking up the rest of the series.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I wanted to like this book but the truth is that I just did not enjoy it very much. The first-person narrative was poorly rendered. The human characters were two-dimensional and too unbelievable in their behavior and motivations. And the Anthropophagi... well, they were just too weirdly silly for belief. A shiver of land-sharks of all things. Meh.To get a feel for this book; first imagine Stephen King writing explicit ultra-gore scenes in the style of H.G. Wells. Now, throw in a veritable cornucopiae of wordiness, a double dose of misogyny and a dash or two of Christian symbolism. You are now scratching the surface of the problems I encountered with this story.But... I am once again in the minority; As I write my review of this first installment in The Monstrumologist series, there are 213 total reviews on Amazon; 122 readers give it 5 stars and 58 people give it 4 stars. That is 180 out of 213 readers, (a whopping 84.5%!), that really, really like or outright love this book. I really and truly don't get it. I guess I will once again be the odd one out as I skip the sequels and move on to something that I hope will be more to my liking.Oh, one other statistic; a staggering 12 people rate the book at 2 stars or less. Ummm... make that thirteen people...
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    It took me a while to switch gears and get into this one, but it was definitely worth getting to the end and the majority of the action. Perfect for those who love blood, guts, and gore. A great horror novel.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    very graphic - definitely not for tweens & best for older teens
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Well written and compelling, this book is scary in ways that have nothing to do with monster, though they are present too.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Following the "found journal" style, The Monstrumologist follows the adventures of twelve-year-old Will Henry, an apprentice/assistant to the titular monstrumologist, a doctor who studies the bizarre, grotesque, and unspeakable creatures which populate one's nightmares.

    The doctor himself is a Sherlock-ian figure, obsessed with science and often prone to fits of mania and melancholy in pursuit of his passion, and Will Henry plays his loyal Watson. The prose and plot are more reminiscent of Lovecraft, with eldritch monsters lurking in the shadows, the salty sea captain who has seen things that leave him helpless in a sanatarium, and the British hunter, all set in 1800's New England.

    While sometimes the prose can be overbearing and color, if not purple, then certainly lavender, the story is creepy and doesn't hesitate to detail the gory bits. The monster is not a common one, but fans of history and literature will recognize them - as well as quotes by Nietzsche, Dante, Shakespeare, and the Bible sprinkled about.

    It's a horror book, but not one that will keep you up at night - unless it is in eagerness to read the rest.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    One of the better horror stories I've read in a while. Even though it falls in the category of young adult it can be enjoyed by young and old alike. It is deliciously creepy and I hated to have to put it down even for a second.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The Monstrumoligist is the first book I've read by Rick Yancey but it won't be the last. I've already put the second book on reserve at the library! The story is well crafted and the writing is beautiful. I recommend this book to fans of Victorian Gothic or horror.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    "Yes, my dear child, monsters are real. I happen to have one hanging in my basement."Rick Yancey's "The Monstrumologist" is a creepy, gothic, young-adult horror novel. The book is not for children (under 4th or 5th grade based on individual maturity). The language is smart and the themes are rather heavy.The story revolves around a doctor who investigates and studies monsters - he's a Monstrumologist. The setting is late 19th century New England. The Monstrumologist has taken in the orphan of his former assistant. It's through this young apprentice's eyes that Yancey tells his tale of mythological monsters run amuck in pre-industrial Massachussets.The doctor is quirky and obsessed. He'd probably be declared with Asbergers' Syndrome by modern therapists. He knows his monsters, but he's not so good with people, and Yancey does a terrific job at building the Monstrumologists' mystique and myth, while giving him ample room to grow over the course of the story.The doctor is quite philosophical, as he reflects on the fate of the first victim:"What once laughed and cried and dreamed becomes fodder. Fate brought him to her, but if not him, then without question the worm, a no less ravenous beast than he. There are monsters who wait for all of us upon our return to the earth, and so what can be said?"Yancey's plot is uncomplicated and a little mundane. There's good action throughout and enough gore to creep out even the most experienced adult horror reader. But Yancey does not write `down' to a young-adult audience. It's the story that qualifies "The Monstrumologist" as young adult - not the writing. The writing is gothic, and solidly evokes the time and setting of the story. I couldn't help but be reminded of Stoker's "Dracula" in terms of the very genuine context that Yancey's language invokes.In this passage, the Monstrumologist reflects on worldwide monster investigations: "Some so strange and marvelous you would think you were dreaming. Some strange and not so marvelous, as dark and frightening as your very worst nightmare. I have seen wonders that poets can only imagine. And I have seen things that would turn grown men into squalling babes at their mother's feet. So many things. So many places..."Yancey builds the story's underlying themes through smart inner monologue and wizened advice from the doctor to his young apprentice: "Fear consumes the truth and poisons all the evidence, leading us to false assumptions and irrational conclusions."I very much enjoyed this novel - the first in a series from Yancey. It's not specifically scary, but the imagery is clear and bold. A squeamish reader may want to take a pass. All others should jump in.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Set in 1888 New England, orphaned Will Henry lives with his late father’s employer, Dr. Pellinore Warthrop, and acts as his assistant. Warthrop is the Monstrumologist of the title, a scientist who studies monsters. The story opens with the night time delivery of a body stolen from the cemetery. That in itself is not startling to Will Henry, but this time, it’s different. There are two bodies; the young woman the grave robber was after, and a monster with no head and a shark-like mouth in his chest. This is the anthropophagi, a species found in Africa and no where else. What is it doing in a New England cemetery? The story unfolds with constant action in dark, fetid places: the doctor’s basement autopsy lab, open graves, tunnels underground. There is constant peril- the anthropophagi are stronger and faster than humans, and are eternally hungry. Needless to say, they are strictly carnivorous, preferring human meat to all else. Warthrop, Will Henry and the slimy, showy John Kearn, another monstrumologist, strive to find out how these beasts came to be in America and where their nest is before they can devastate the people in the area. This was one of those couldn’t put it down books for me. Not only is the mystery intriguing and the danger unrelenting, but the characters are compelling and interesting. After I finished the book, I was VERY happy to discover that it’s the first of a series- without the clumsiness that first books often have. This novel would make a great movie; Warthrop, of course, should be played by Christopher Lee. When I’d read John Kearn’s dialogue, I was hearing it in Kelsey Grammer’s voice. One note: this book is marked Young Adult, and, indeed, I would have loved it as a tween. But there is a LOT of blood and graphic violence; some parents might think twice about letting their kids read this if they are sensitive about these things.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I think it will be relatively easy to describe this book in a way that will let you know if this is something you will enjoy or not. Below are two lists of words:List OneBunniesCupcakesParty balloonsPretty pretty flowersRibbonsPuppiesList TwoA geyser of bloodRipped off limbsGouged eyesStabby stabby teethAccidentally ingesting pusClaws bursting through a torsoIf you prefer list one, with all its fun and lightness and joy, do not read The Monstrumologist. There is nothing for you there. BUT! If you find yourself compelled by list two - this is your book. This book is gross and violent and stuffed to the gills with murder and immorality and wacky monsters who would like nothing better than to rip your head off and scoop out your brain like ice cream.The choice is yours.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I won't claim Young Adult speculative fiction as my main interest, though lately, it does feel like I've been on a YA kick. I like picking it up occasionally, but it always seems like my favorite books in the genre are the ones that can be enjoyed by all ages, the ones that don't scream "YA!" the instant I open the book and meet its teenage protagonists. You know what I mean.That probably has a lot to do with why I absolutely adored this book. I wanted a change from the paranormal high school romances, and the fact that The Monstrumologist is horror, told from the perspective of a 12-year-old boy, and takes place in late-1800s New England are all big pluses. The novel is presented as the diary of Will Henry, an orphan working as an assistant/apprentice to the odd Dr. Pellinore Warthrop who is a monstrumologist, someone who studies monsters.Still, some caveats: while this book is technically categorized as YA, I still wouldn't recommend this lightly to any young reader. It contains plenty of content that are what I call the 3GRs: gross, gruesome, graphic. No question about it, if adapted completely faithfully, a movie based on this novel would get an R-rating...a solid hey-kid-how-the-hell-did-you-sneak-in-here-without-an-accompanying-adult resounding R-rating.I can't remember the last time I was this creeped out by a book. Again, here I am shocked that this is actually YA -- for two reasons, really. First, the horror aspects were extremely well done, and while the book's breakneck pace wasn't so surprising, the quality of writing and descriptiveness is of a caliber I wouldn't expect from a young adult novel. And second, maybe I'm just not savvy enough to the stuff going on in today's YA fiction scene, but I was completely blindsided at how violently and vividly gory this book was.Of course, good horror isn't only about the blood and gore. Thankfully, the author has the other factors covered too, with plenty of suspense and atmosphere-building. It always impresses me when a book can immerse me so deeply and grab me like this, as in like, wow, I'm so glad I'm not a claustrophobe too, or those last few chapters would have been even more unsettling.In fact, much of the book actually feels specifically crafted to enthrall and frighten, with a deliberate shock-factor involved perhaps, but I was still more than happy to go along with the ride. After all, I love this kind of stuff. My friends in my gaming circle will know how obsessed I am with a paranormal/horror-themed MMORPG called The Secret World, mostly for its spooky setting and atmosphere. I have to say The Monstrumologist sucked me in immediately as well, exactly because it was dripping with those very same vibes. I just eat this stuff up.Anyway, in my humble opinion, it was the monsters that made the book. Rick Yancey chose to make it about Anthropophagi, which means "people eaters"...enough said. While they're not Yancey's original creation (mythology or literature buffs will probably recognize Anthropophagi from Shakespeare), the unique spin he adds to the creatures makes them absolutely terrifying.For example, the book begins with a grave robber showing up at Warthrop's house, presenting him with the corpse of girl with a dead Anthrophage wrapped around her body. She has half her face eaten off, her throat is chewed up, and then a tiny fetus of an Anthropophagus is found in her womb. Ick, ick, ick! See what I mean about disturbing imagery and description intended to give the reader chilling thoughts? If that stuff makes you uncomfortable, I would stay away.The other factor that adds to the creepiness is the characters. I loved our main protagonist Will Henry and the narrating style the author gave him, which is believably suited to that historical period. That's another reason why this book doesn't read like a typical YA novel; not only has Yancey adapted the vernacular and vocabulary to the times, Will Henry also lacks the modern preteen/teen protagonist attitude that's so common in YA fiction.Still, as much as I adored Will Henry, compared to the rest of the cast, he was probably the most normal and boring. Dr. Pellinore Warthorp, if he were alive today, would probably have been diagnosed immediately with a personality disorder, but he was also very interesting, filled out and well-written. There are so many layers to him that I spent half the book trying to make up my mind about his character, and actually enjoyed figuring him out along with Will Henry. Then there was Kearns, who is, in a word, insane.Anyway, bottom line? I think I've found a new favorite young adult author, and his name is Rick Yancey.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    For anyone who is a true horror fan this is the perfect book for you. Will Henry, a 12 year old monstrumologist assistant-apprentice, goes into rich and often gruesome detail about his life under the tutelage of Dr. Pellinore Warthrop, a doctor of monsters. There were times where I had to stop reading before bed because Will Henry’s accounts of headless carnivorous monsters with thousands of teeth were so vivid and frightening. When I wasn’t frightened, I was repulsed and wanted to gag when Will Henry went into detail about the festering infected bodies and monsters he encountered. When I wasn’t cringing or cowering beneath the covers, I found myself laughing at the sometimes comical relationship between Warthrop and Will Henry.

    The writing was fantastic and I would hardly consider this book teen literature. I think any adult would read this book and be satisfied with the tale and Rick Yancey’s way with words. This book is comparable to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and should be considered a classic piece of gothic literature, and in time perhaps it will. If you love monsters, gore, and a great story, or want to be scared this Halloween, I highly recommend this book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I thought that this book was very well written and I think that it would be very appealing for a lot of young adults. It had a definite gothic feel to it and it was exciting. I found myself staying up way too late reading it. The monsters were pretty scary and frankly disgusting. I had some unfortunate times when I was eating while I was reading and some of the more bloody and disgusting descriptions of carnage came up. It was a little nauseating, so I would caution readers not the eat and read at the same time. The characters were well-rounded and interesting. Excellent book!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Superb horror story, one of the best I have ever read. Gruesome and terrifying.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I don't consider myself to be a horror fan-but I really enjoyed this book. The author did a fantastic job creating a cast of characters that were believable and I loved the protagonist/narrator Will Henry. The plot was fast paced and had just enough twists & turns to keep me interested. Enjoyed it so much I'm off to read book two in the series!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    When Will Henry's parents were killed in a fire, his father's employer took him in and made Will his new assistant. Will's assistance to Pellinore Warthrop exposes him to the strange science of monstrumology--the study of creatures we've only imagined. Will Henry is summoned from his bed late one night to assist on a new case: a grave-robber has found an Anthropophagus (dead, thankfully), and Dr. Warthrop, for one, would like to know how it got to New England in the first place. The answer may be closer than he dares consider.

    Gore. Gore gore gore. Many, many cringe-inducing descriptions, including one that makes me shudder at the mere recall (trust me, you'll know it when you get there) that had me shouting at the audio "AAAAHHHH! GGUUUUUH AAAAAAAAAH" in revolted horror. Suspenseful, not exactly action-packed but the hunts will hold the interest of adventure-seekers. The aforementioned GORE GORE GORE pushes this to high school, I'd say, though I can think of a couple of younger readers who'd probably love it.

    (Victorian flavor may limit some of the appeal, and my mental image of Will Henry is pretty much Luke from the Professor Layton games, though there's very little reason for it, except maybe that Will Henry wears a hat?)
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book was great beginning to end. I loved Will Henry, I loved Professor Winthrop, I loved poor, poor Malachai, and I *loved* the use of anthropophagi as the monsters - talk about breaking away from the mold. The violence was incredibly graphic, which didn't bother me all that much, but the fact that there were almost no women with speaking parts and that the dismembered corpses of the women were described in such loving detail kind of squicked me out a little. The "twist" at the end was a tad disappointing, seeing as I'd been waiting for it to come up since I heard the date at the beginning of the book, but that's a minor complaint.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This was gory... unfortunately it was the SAME gory over and over again. I wish the author had left more to the imagination - it would have been creepier. The story moved right along though and I liked the writing, usually. Some of the affectations seemed a bit... well, affected. "Reader! You will tremble to read what happened next..." and such.

    Good for younger fans of Frankenstein, Dracula, who maybe would like a little more gore.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A horror novel with a tricky determinant for age - a tween protagonist, with tween and teen concerns, with pseudo-adult gore and horror. I enjoyed reading it, though sometimes a bit verbose with its philosophy. Undercurrents of morality. [read for YA class]
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Everyone I have spoken to about this book loved it; I thought it was okay. The horror scenes, what there were of them, were excellent. Gory, gross-out, cringe-tastic scenes that would make Stephen King proud. But. There was an awful lot of over the top dialogue for my taste, a little too much philosophizing and not enough monster mashing if you know what I mean. It took me a long time to slog through this, and then I just ended up having to skim over all the boring, draggy parts. My favorite character here had to be Dr. Kearns/Cory/J.J.J. Schmidt (!) who as the unapologetic rake and monster-hunter for hire was horribly wonderful, or wonderfully horrible, however you want to look at him. Personally, I won't be reading the rest of the series--but its certainly worth taking a look at.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Will James is an orphan who finds himself serving as the assistant to Dr. Warthrop, a manic monstrumologist. When a pod of anthropophagi show up in their town of New Jerusalem in 1888, the doctor and Will James get involved in the hunt. Written as a publishing of the journal of Will James with an introduction and epilogue from the author, the book is gothic and gory. Will James is a sympathetic character. Kearns, the monster disposal specialist, has a veneer of charm and is repugnant though deadly effective, a good foil for the monstrumologist. The writing style and the language of the book tries to capture the sensibilities of someone who would have grown up in the late 1800s. Creative and dark.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The premise: ganked from Amazon.com: "These are the secrets I have kept. This is the trust I never betrayed.But he is dead now and has been for more than forty years, the one who gave me his trust, the one for whom I kept these secrets.The one who saved me...and the one who cursed me."So begins the journal of Will Henry, orphaned assistant to Dr. Pellinore Warthrop, a man with a most unusual specialty: monstrumology, the study of monsters. In his time with the doctor, Will has met many a mysterious late-night visitor, and seen things he never imagined were real. But when a grave robber comes calling in the middle of the night with a grueso me find, he brings with him their most deadly case yet.Critically acclaimed author Rick Yancey has written a gothic tour de force that explores the darkest heart of man and monster and asks the question: When does a man become the very thing he hunts?My Rating: Good ReadRating this was actually hard. For most of the book, I didn't care for it. At all. I wasn't emotionally engaged, and to me, in order for horror stories to be truly effective, they have to be able to engage the reader on some kind of emotional level. And horror-wise, this book never really engaged me on that level, especially with its main monster, the Anthropophagi. Other things freaked me the hell out, or shocked me with its darkness, so I suppose the book did get to me with some scares, though what I'll remember from this is the ending, and the arc of the relationship between Will Henry and Dr. Warthrop.And while I didn't care for this book for most of my reading, it isn't by any means a bad book. Overlooking some verbosity in parts, the writing was wonderful, and Yancey's detailed and scientific (I say scientific because it gets into the inner workings of the beast, NOT because the beast is scientifically plausible) of the Anthropophagi was just plain admirable. I highlighted several portions of the text because I felt they were well-written on a host of levels, and after giving myself a bit of distance from the book, I knew I had to rate it higher than I'd planned (and I kid you not: originally, when I first started reading, this book was a "it's a gamble" and then it progressed to "worth reading, with reservations" once I finished), because with the exception of the verbosity and the strain of my disbelief with the found-journal format, it really is a solid book and a good read. I can see why so many people are in love with it, and while I'm not one of them, I'm not going to dock points for something that's well done, regardless of my own emotional distance.That being said, despite there being a few things I'm curious about (how does the frame story progress through the series? And what about that Jack Kearns?), I don't see myself continuing the trilogy. That's okay: there's always a chance that when my TBR pile gets far more manageable that I'll give it a shot. But at this time, I'm really not that interested in continuing.But make no mistake: this is a good book!!!! If you're a fan of horror, and/or if you want to see more true horror in YA instead of horror conventions that fall in love with human girls, you don't want to miss this book. It's an easy book to recommend, despite my own disconnect.Spoilers, yay or nay?: Yay, as it's a book club selection and you can't have a proper discussion without spoilers. The full review may be found in my book blog, which I've linked to below, and as always, comments and discussion are most welcome.REVIEW: Rick Yancey's THE MONSTRUMOLOGISTHappy Reading!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I read this book as it came up in Calico Reaction's Theme Park book club. Happily, this means there are some great reviews available at her blog. Spoilers are acceptable for club discussions, but I won't give too many here.Calico asks a couple great discussion questions...The Monstrumologist is no doubt a horror story. Is the horror genre a part of your reading diet? If not, why not, and did this book encourage you to read more in the genre? What scares you personally, and did this book come anywhere close to touching on those fears? *shudder* I don't read horror.I always give the club books a "go", however, and I always knew there'd be an exception to my "I don't" conclusion. Truthfully, however, I did not read every word... I skimmed a little. In my defense, that was after I stumbled upon a graphic remembering of the horrors I'd just experienced a few pages before and it dawned on me that "this is a horror. These popping tendons are on purpose."I don't mind being frightened when I read, it just doesn't take a lot to achieve that. Heights will do it, fighting scenes... shoot, even romances will get me all worked up with shivery worry over what might or might not happen. Pathetic, maybe, but books are great at pulling me right into their drama.Horror usually likes gore. Frankly, I have to put my head between my knees (or faint) when I take kids to the dentist. I'm great in an emergency, but when the adrenaline fades, watch out!! In character... I was right there with Will Henry and the Monstrumologist when they discovered the monsters in the graveyard in the dead of the night. I had no problems with the grave digger suddenly pulled under or even his brains getting splattered everywhere (gross!) I was still filled with adrenaline as they tried to escape. But wandering through the huge house afterwards contemplating the details of that gore and brain bits... amazingly well written, too, lemme tell you!! I suddenly got all green and decided it would be ok if I didn't read EVERY word. *ahem*How do you feel the frame story of "Richard Yancey" discovering these "journals" of a William James Henry affect your take of the story itself? Did it make the story more realistic and plausible, or was it a distraction? I loved the discovery of the journals. I didn't need to know so much about who discovered them or who read them or why, etc, etc, but the author zipped through those pieces quickly and painlessly. I learned some pre-secrets, though, like Will Henry died impossibly old. This adds a great twist to the story, especially since no evidence could be found to verify anything (nice!). He did survive this month-long monster hunt, obviously, although I forgot that fact repeatedly.The journals also helps (a lot!) with swallowing the perspective. This story takes place when Will Henry's only eleven years old, which intensifies the situations he finds himself in. The story is that much richer for coming from his young perspective. I don't think I would have accepted such a young narrator if I hadn't been first introduced to him as older, if that makes sense. The journals buffer the horror with time, making it seem more reasonable even to non-horror readers. Plus, every rush of adrenaline should be preceded and followed by the complete opposite, right? To better highlight the action!En Fin...This book gripped my attention every time I picked it up to read. I could hardly set it aside. But once I did set it aside (for life, etc) I was reluctant to pick it up again. With a little space, the horror drama felt more like horror drama (think emotional juggling). But the writing was so great, so seriously great, any time I started to read, I immediately forgave Yancy for jerking my emotions around until I set the book aside again.You want a quote?! I know you do!!! Calico quoted this one, as well, so maybe I'm copying her (I do try!!) but this passage jumped out at me as incredible... as something I would not normally ever want to read and yet exactly why I was mesmerized by this writing:Pebbles and twigs dropped from my tangled hair into the basin and clogged the drain, which rapidly filled with water stained to a delicate pink from his blood.Bloody water was always slightly beautiful - what is twisted about that?!Grimacing, I plunged a hand into the fouled water to clear the clog, morbid curiousity drawing my youthful eye to the gray globs of gore floating upon the surface. It was not horror that seized my imagination so much as wonder: sixty years of dreams and desires, anger and hope, love and longing, blasted away in a single explosive instant, mind and brain. The mind of Erasmus Gray was gone; the remnants of its vessel floated, as light and insubstantial as popcorn, in the water. Which fluffy bit held your ambition, Erasmus Gray? Which speck your pride?Do you see?! Do you see how youth is mixed with fascination with gore with speculation and good writing?! Together it's that much worse and that much more gripping. I did not know brains floated. Did not want to know. It never occurred to me to wonder which bits of brains did what. When separated.Ah, how absurd the primping and preening of our race! Is it not the ultimate arrogance to believe we are more than is contained in our biology?As for the rest of this book...Will Henry is a great, muli-layered character. The Monstrumologist, the doctor, is also multi-layered. I loved their relationship. The doctor was so protective of Will Henry right from the beginning (I felt). He often claimed the boy as his assistant and nothing more, but he cared for his safety even more than for his own, so it was a gruff, un-admitted love. I didn't actually like either of them, which was weird. I didn't like anyone in the story, even if I grudgingly admitted familiarity with these two.The monsters, the Anthropophagi, were well described scientifically. I got a complete grasp of what they looked like, acted like... how they ate, why they were so vicious, how big their brains were (small!), how long their claws (long!!), their funky eyes (lidless glossy black), horrible mouths, odd bodies... everything. Seeing them through the eyes of the doctor and assistant made the whole story feel as if it should just be accepted logically, while it was anything but logical. I really enjoyed that tension.The New England setting in the 1800's was great and believable. Long enough ago to pay graverobbers for bodies in the middle of the night without (much) question. The limitations of the technology of the time added to the danger and gore (for dissecting things).I recommend this book to anyone interested in reading it after this review. I explained my sensitivities to the sight of blood, which typically keep me away from the horror genre. If someone doesn't have that issue to overcome, this book is a great read. If you do... well, it's pretty freaky-gross!! - and you might get sucked in, anyway, just like me!!!My Rating: 4 - Pretty Darn Good. The writing, I tell ya, the writing is incredible & I have no real experience to rate the scary factor. I wasn't so much scared as grossed out. In a good way (if that's possible in my world.)