Goodreads Summary These are the secrets I have kept. This is the trust I never betrayed. But he is dead now and has been for nearly ninety 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 starts the diary of Will Henry, orphan and assistant to a doctor with a most unusual specialty: monster hunting. In the short time he has lived with the doctor, Will has grown accustomed to his late night callers and dangerous business. But when one visitor comes with the body of a young girl and the monster that was feeding on her, Will's world is about to change forever. The doctor has discovered a baby Anthropophagi--a headless monster that feeds through the mouthfuls of teeth in its chest--and it signals a growing number of Anthropophagi. Now, Will and the doctor must face the horror threatenning to overtake and consume our world before it is too late.
Title: The Monstrumologist (The Monstrumologist #1)
Author: Rick Yancey
Pages: 434
Genre: Horror
Audience: Adult/Teen
Source: library (Becky); library (Randi)
Rating: 5 (Becky) I'd keep this book in a secret oubliette;
3 I'd friend this book on Facebook just in case I ever need any assistance taking down some Anthropophagi (Randi) I'd help you!
“Yes, my dear child, monsters are real. I happen to have one hanging in my basement.”
This book was stunning and if you like horror at all, you should read it. I should note that while I like stories with Gothic elements, I don't read a ton of horror; when I do, I tend toward Stephen King-type stuff. There were heavy Gothic elements and thematic ties to Frankenstein. Though I did love Frankenstein... The first 150 pages are mostly setup for the atmosphere and characters. Honestly, it took me forever to read this. I just wasn't invested in any of the characters. Unlike most gothic horror, though, this one was awash with blood and violence. No joke. This is not for the weak-stomached. Seriously. I don't gag easy, but there was more than one place in this book where I almost puked a little. It's that gross and graphic. Me too! Isn't it Awesome? The richly imagine Anthropophagi, originally from Shakespeare, were heart-stoppingly horrifying. See, I wasn't so scared of the monsters themselves. Well, truly the book didn't scare me at all. There may be something wrong with you... The gore on the other hand was a bit much for me. It grossed me out too, but it made sense for the story. Touche. If you like graphic horror, definitely consider reading this. The book has its merits, but all in all, it just wasn't for me. (Funny...Becky told me when I started reading it that she didn't know if I was going to like it because it didn't seem like my kind of book. And I had the nerve to be slightly offended! That'll teach me to try to prove her wrong!) ;)
“We are the hunters---and we are also the bait.”
The characters were marvelous. Meh... You shut your Patch-loving mouth! HAHAHAHA. I love you. :) The dubious motives behind the monstrumologist's actions were fascinating, and his relationship with Will Henry was both one of dual dependence and a sort of father-son bond. But did they even like each other? I love the complexity. I don't think they even know that. Which I found kind of annoying. Though the constant "You are indispensable to me, Will Henry" was kind of cute. Kearns is no less interesting, although much more obviously evil. He is often called a monster, yet you can't help but wonder about his backstory and rationale. Kearns is a total creep. Especially at the end.... *DUNDUNDUN* The noted absence of women in this story is a little annoying but I was glad the author didn't try to cram a romance where it didn't belong. All the women in this book die. For reals. There was one who lived :). To be fair, most people die in this book. Are you talking about the old coot up at Motley House? LOL. NO! That makes two.
“There are times when fear is not our enemy. There are times when fear is our truest, sometimes only, friend.”
I'm a sucker for darkly poetic language, and on that score this book delivers. Phrases like "trapped in the amber of my memory" appeal to my romantic side. Honestly, the writing quality of this book is why I gave it a 3 rating. LIES. I mean that I would have given it lower had it not been for the writing, silly! I was kind of ambivalent throughout the entire thing. Had it not been for a Twice-Baked Thursday post, I doubt I would have made it past the first 100 pages. Some people might call it purple prose, but I call it atmosphere, and it is my favorite part of any story. This book delivers it in spades. I would love to get this on audiobook. Yeah, you definitely can't knock the writing of this book. It completely fits with the setting - 1888 New England (presumably).
In a final note, I'm not really sure why this is classed as a teen book. The main character is a child (12), and the book is very graphic and horrifying. Many people die in gruesome detail and there is torture and murder all over the place. Same! I could see this appealing to some kids, but I think most would pick it up unaware of the graphic violence and gore and be completely disappointed. Or be covered in puke because they couldn't choke it down.
Ok, I like Becky' thoughts on this and while Randi had some issues..it isn't enough to put me off..excellent twiced-baked guys..adding to my list
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