The Monstrumologist (Monstrumologist, #1)

by Rick Yancey

[Angie]

I don't normally read Horror, but since this was book of the month for a group I'm in, I picked it up. I have to say that The Monstrumologist is the most gruesome thing I have ever read, but I liked it. It tells the tale of Will Henry, a twelve year old orphan, who is assistant to Dr. Pellinore Warthrop. Warthrop isn't a normal doctor, but actually studies monsters. One night, a strange package is delivered to his home, and upon opening it, a very disturbing surprise is unveiled. It's a dead carnivorous primate wrapped around a dead human girl. And she's pregnant with it's demon spawn, which is still alive. That first chapter is disturbing and really sets the tone for the rest of the book. What follows is a monster hunt, as Will Henry and Dr. Warthrop try to figure out how this monster got there, how many there are, where they're hiding, and ultimately eradicate them.

Like I said, The Monstrumologist is gruesome. There's blood and guts and insane amounts of violence in every chapter. This put me very much out of my element, but the story wouldn't have worked without it. I survived though, and ultimately I'm glad I read it, because the story was super interesting. The focus is on the monster known as Anthropophagi. It's kind of human, but not really. It's distantly related, and actually preys on us exclusively. There are tons of detailed descriptions of this beast, so it was all too easy to picture it and its violent hunting/feeding actions. I felt like I got a crash course in every aspect of this species: anatomy, biology, ecology...everything! It was all very well done, and never felt info-dumpy. I just wish there had been some sketches included to complement my imagination.

There's not really much that I can say without giving away too much of the plot. It's a pretty simple monster hunt, but there are lots of creepy surprises and twists along the way. One other thing that I will mention about The Monstrumologist is that I liked how it was written as kind of a diary. There's a prologue of the author and how he came upon it, followed by "the contents," and then there's an epilogue about how the author did research about the people and events included in the diary. I thought this was a very nice touch, and upped the creepy factor because it made Will Henry's story feel like so much more than fiction.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.