The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey Book Review

The Monstrumologist

The Monstrumologist is the first book in a series written by Rick Yancey. Taking place in 1888, the novel chronicles the events of Will Henry, the twelve year-old apprentice to Doctor Pellinore Winthrop. Winthrop is a/the Monstrumologist. That is to say, he studies creatures of unusual design all of which have a taste for human flesh. While Will is portrayed as an innocent boy, Winthrop is a character that reminded me a bit of Sherlock Holmes. He is detached from human emotions and always obsessed with his work.

The story is told from Will Henry’s point of view, but is explained to  supposedly be a journal entry written by a presumably adult Will as he remembers and reflects upon his adventures with the doctor. The novel also has a very small modern day storyline about a man who read Will Henry’s journal. It is a cool gimmick, and does a good job of adding depth to the universe Yancey has created.

Since the story takes place in the 17th Century, one would expect that the language of the novel would be quite different than that used today. Yancey delivers, and the result is a beautiful book with some of the best writing I’ve ever experienced in youth fiction. The old-timey style of writing really sets the tone and mood of the book, making it the great horror book that it is.

The main monsters featured in this novel are the Anthropophagi, which in all likelihood you have never heard of. Anthropophagi (auto-correct hates me right now) are ape-like creatures with mouths on their bellies and eyes on their shoulders. They also don’t have heads. If this isn’t enough detail for you, don’t worry. Yancey describes them in a more expansive and vividly horrifying way throughout the book.

Speaking of details! This novel is all about details, especially since the goal is to “scare” the reader. Yancey holds up his end of the bargain yet again, providing gruesome and gut wrenching details that will surely make you squirm. This was a pleasant surprise, considering the novel is classified as “young adult fiction.”

I enjoyed reading The Monstrumologist, however, the middle section of the book did not grab my attention as much as the rest. I give The Monstrumologist an 8/10. It’s a good book if you want a chilling story, just beware of reading at night.