published by Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, 2010
464 pages
approximate age level: 12+
Printz Honor Book
12 year old orphan Will Henry is the assistant to Doctor Warthrope, a scientist in a small New England town in the late 1800s. But Will isn't learning about physics or chemistry as his master is a monstrumologist – a studier of monsters. When one night a grave robber stumbles upon the corpse of a hideous beast and brings it to Warthrope, Will finds himself suddenly preparing for a battle that pits the Doctor against a group of Anthropophangi, headless monsters with stomachs full of thousands of razor sharp teeth and a taste for human flesh. But the Anthropophangi have never before been seen in North America, so how have they appeared in the Doctor's town – and why?
The Monstrumologist is a beautifully written horror and mystery that teems with tension and abounds in creepiness. There is enough action to keep those with short attention spans entertained, but Yancey pays plenty of attention to characterization, setting, and language, making this a pleasing read for more discerning readers. Will is a great narrator, and by seeing the events through his eyes we are not only drawn into the story through our attachment to him as a character, but we also share his emotions and reactions – confusion, fear, surprise, terror – making for quite an intense and riveting reading experience. Don't be surprised if the hair stands up on the back of your neck and you find yourself looking over your shoulder more than once while reading. Boys will love the gross-out gory scenes (of which there are plenty), but the eerie mystery is also a big draw that will keep teens turning the pages. Fans will want to follow up with the sequel, The Curse of the Wendigo.
Read-alike suggestions:
The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey
The Last Apprentice Series by Joseph Delaney
The Enemy by Charlie Higson
No comments:
Post a Comment