Title: The Monstrumologist

Author: Rick Yancey

Genre: Young Adult, Horror

Publisher: Simon & Schuster (US & UK)
Publication Date: September 2009 (US)/October 2009 (UK)
Hardcover: 448 pages (US)

Stand alone or series: First novel in what appears to be a planned trilogy (or at least duology)

How did I get this book: Review Copy from the publisher

Why did I read this book: On a totally superficial note, the US cover won me over instantly. I saw it in the bookstore, hadn’t heard anything about it and immediately was drawn to its eerie vibe. When I read the blurb, I was even more convinced that I needed to read this book. Stat.

Summary: (from Amazon.com)
These are the secrets I have kept. This is the trust I never betrayed.

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?

Review:

The Monstrumologist is a tale within a tale – it is the posthumous story of a man named Will Henry, who claims to have been over one hundred and thirty years old before he died. After his passing, a collection of his meticulously detailed journal are discovered in his retirement home, and interested in discovering more about the strange man who was Will Henry, the director of the home passes the journals along to a local author – The Monstrumologist is the publication of the first three of Will Henry’s journals.

Our story proper begins in 1888, in the small New England city of New Jerusalem. Twelve year old Will is an orphan after the untimely death of his mother and father in a perilous blaze. With no where else to turn, he is taken in by his father’s former employer, Dr. Pellinore Warthrop, monstrumologist. Life with Warthrop is anything but easy, as the self-absorbed doctor makes many, at times impossible demands of his young apprentice. But one fateful night when the caretaker from the local graveyard comes seeking the doctor’s help, life for young Will Henry plunges into a blood-drenched nightmare of unfathomable monstrosities. The caretaker brings the monstrumologist “an abomination” – the cold, dead remains of a recently buried young woman…in the claws and fangs of a dead, unspeakable monster. The creature, an Anthropophagus, is one that is very familiar to the monstrumologist from his studies, though Will has never seen such a creature before. Tall and muscular, the anthropophagi are humanoid in form, save that they are headless – their small flat eyes are on their shoulders, and their torsos are dominated by a mouth of razor sharp, sharklike teeth. As for the anthropophagi’s sole source of food? Human flesh. The doctor and Will soon learn that New Jerusalem is infested with an unthinkable population of the anthropophagi – who are native to the African continent and not to be found in the New World, according to all of Warthrop’s studies – and it is up to them to figure out not only how the monsters reached the Americas, but also to stop them before they multiply and devour the good people of the town.

I have never read Rick Yancey’s work before, though he is a well established author of young adult literature, best known for his Alfred Kropp titles. As such, I wasn’t sure what to expect from The Monstrumologist, besides its promising premise and admittedly gorgeous US cover. And, what can I say? I was blown away by this book. Not only is The Monstrumologist a superior horror novel with immense crossover appeal, packing in enough gore and viscera (but never in a cheesy or overly-gratuitous way) to please the horror following, but also telling a damn fine story with wonderful plot developments, deep characters, and impeccable world-building.

At first glance, The Monstrumologist seems a straightforward, Monster-of-the-Week special. And, to a superficial extent, it is. The overall conflict of the book is pretty simple – unthinkably dangerous, ravenous monsters must be stopped before they take over the east coast, boy and doctor fight to stop the spread. And yet, this brief synopsis does The Monstrumologist a grave disservice. For this novel is also a tale about a lonely, desperate boy looking for a mentor and stability, just as it is also the story of a man so damaged and egotistical that he puts his own theories and studies before the greater good. It would have been easy for Mr. Yancey to have written this book as a ‘boy finds a father figure in an aloof man who is only aloof because his own father was distant’ sort of story – but he doesn’t. Mr. Yancey’s characters go beyond this simplistic trope, daring to create layered, at times unlikable (even repulsive) characters. One such character is the monstrumologist himself, Pellinore Winthrope. A man so set on his own opinions and absorbed in his own ego and rightness, his decisions cost the town of New Jerusalem dearly – and yet, Mr. Yancey shows humanity and sympathy for this character, revealing his childhood and his own need to exonerate his name from the legacy of his past.

The most intriguing character, of course, has to be the narrator – young, keen, observant Will Henry. As the journals were written when Will was a much older man, his twelve year old voice is colored by his older self. But surprisingly, this strengthens his narrative as it blends his innocent naivete with older, wiser foreshadowing. It also makes him an unreliable narrator at times, as readers wonder whether or not his memories are tainted by later events. As a young man, Will Henry is a hero the caliber of the Harry Potters and Oliver Twists of the literary realm – he captures your heart, your sympathies, your dreams and fears by virtue of his honesty and his bravery in the face of hopelessness. Young Will Henry’s loyalty and open trust is something to be admired by readers of all ages, and I was instantly smitten with him.

As for the writing and the story itself, Mr. Yancey has a gift for detail and a writerly authority that is rarely seen in young adult novels. He manages to bring 1888 alive, embracing the Victorian Era language and ideals fully in The Monstrumologist. Mr. Yancey manages to capture an understanding of the current science and sentiments of the era, as the monstrumologist and his colleagues discuss eugenics, classic theology and literature. Of course, there are also the horrific elements and bloodthirsty horror fans will not be bored at all with this novel. There are enough bloody descriptions to sate and engage even the most reluctant reader – but as the best works in the genre do, underlaying all the gore, Mr. Yancey gives a strong, beating heart to this story.

Simply put, this is one of the best horror novels I’ve read this year, and I cannot wait for more Will Henry. If only the next collection of his journals were published already…In the words of the monstrumologist, snap to, Mr. Yancey! Snap to.

Notable Quotes/Parts: From the first chapter:

ONE
“A Singular Curiosity”

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.

I can’t recall what I had for breakfast this morning, but I remember with nightmarish clarity that spring night in 1888 when he roused me roughly from my slumber, his hair unkempt, eyes wide and shining in the lamplight, the excited glow upon his finely chiseled features, one with which I had, unfortunately, become intimately acquainted.

“Get up! Get up, Will Henry, and be quick about it!” he said urgently. “We have a caller!”

“A caller?” I murmured in reply. “What time is it?”

“A little after one. Now get dressed and meet me at the back door. Step lively, Will Henry, and snap to!”

He withdrew from my little alcove, taking the light with him. I dressed in the dark and scampered down the ladder in my stocking feet, putting on the last of my garments, a soft felt hat a size too small for my twelve-year-old head. That little hat was all I had left from my life before coming to live with him, and so it was precious to me.

He had lit the jets along the hall of the upper floor, though but a single light burned on the main floor, in the kitchen at the rear of the old house where just the two of us lived, without so much as a maid to pick up after us: The doctor was a private man, engaged in a dark and dangerous business, and could ill afford the prying eyes and gossiping tongue of the servant class. When the dust and dirt became intolerable, about every three months or so, he would press a rag and a bucket into my hands and tell me to “snap to” before the tide of filth overwhelmed us.

I followed the light into the kitchen, my shoes completely forgotten in my trepidation. This was not the first nocturnal visitor since my coming to live with him the year before. The doctor had numerous visits in the wee hours of the morning, more than I cared to remember, and none were cheerful social calls. His business was dangerous and dark, as I have said, and so, on the whole, were his callers.

The one who called on this night was standing just outside the back door, a gangly, skeletal figure, his shadow rising wraithlike from the glistening cobblestones. His face was hidden beneath the broad brim of his straw hat, but I could see his gnarled knuckles protruding from his frayed sleeves, and knobby yellow ankles the size of apples below his tattered trousers. Behind the old man a broken-down nag of a horse stamped and snorted, steam rising from its quivering flanks. Behind the horse, barely visible in the mist, was the cart with its grotesque cargo, wrapped in several layers of burlap.

The doctor was speaking quietly to the old man as I came to the door, a comforting hand upon his shoulder, for clearly our caller was nearly mad with panic. He had done the right thing, the doctor was assuring him. He, the doctor, would take the matter from here. All would be well. The poor old soul nodded his large head, which appeared all the larger with its lid of straw as it bobbed on its spindly neck.

“‘Tis a crime. A bloody crime of nature!” he exclaimed at one point. “I shouldn’t have taken it; I should have covered it back up and left it to the mercy of God!”

“I take no stances on theology, Erasmus,” said the doctor. “I am a scientist. But is it not said that we are his instruments? If that is the case, then God brought you to her and directed you hence to my door.”

“So you won’t report me?” the old man asked, with a sideways glance toward the doctor.

“Your secret will be as safe with me as I hope mine will be with you. Ah, here is Will Henry. Will Henry, where are your shoes? No, no,” he said as I turned to fetch them. “I need you to ready the laboratory.”

“Yes, doctor,” I responded dutifully, and turned to go a second time.

“And put a pot on. It’s going to be a long night.”

“Yes, sir,” I said. I turned a third time.

“And find my boots, Will Henry.”

“Of course, sir.”

I hesitated, waiting for a fourth command. The old man called Erasmus was staring at me.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” the doctor said. “Snap to, Will Henry!”

“Yes, sir,” I said. “Right away, sir!”

I left them in the alley, hearing the old man ask as I hurried across the kitchen, “He is your boy?”

“He is my assistant,” came the doctor’s reply.

You can read a full excerpt online HERE.

Additional Thoughts:

In addition to being one gorgeously written book, The Monstrumologist comes in a beautiful package. Not only is the US cover gorgeous, but the inner pages of the book are occasionally decorated with beautiful illustrations (this applies to the UK version as well, though the cover is lamentably different). Check out some of the art:

Really cool stuff. And, equally cool is the book trailer, below:

There’s also a lovely book website to check out, HERE.

Verdict: Absolutely recommended to readers of all ages and genre preferences – there’s enough goodness here to go around for everyone.

Rating: 8 – Excellent

Reading Next: The Harrowing by Alexandra Sokoloff

Giveaway Details:

Courtesy of Simon & Schuster UK, we are giving away FIVE copies of The Monstrumologist and The Hollow by Jessica Verday. Each winner will receive a copy of BOTH books. The contest is open to residents of the UK, United States and Canada and will run until Saturday, October 31st at 11:59 PM (Pacific). In order to enter, tell us what monster you’d fearlessly face down to save the world. Good luck!

For the past few months, we have been including in our weekly stash an “On our Radar” section for books that have caught our eye and attention; books we heard of via other bloggers, directly from publishers, and/or from our regular incursions into the Amazon jungle. This is how the Smugglers’ Radar was born and because there are far too many books that we want than we can possibly buy or review (what else is new?) we thought we could make it into a weekly feature on its own – this way YOU can tell us which books you have on your radar as well!

On Ana’s Radar:

After reading Rosemary and Rue by Seannan McGuire , I realised I wanted to read more UF. I saw this series by Adrian Phoenix and it looks good – anyone has read it?

Karen Mahoney has been raving about Nina Kiriki Hoffman and I can’t wait to give this author a try. I have this one:

Gypsum LaZelle is a misfit in a family of spellcasters-she possesses no magical ability whatsoever. Until the day when she becomes gravely ill, and discovers that her Transition has occurred at last, bestowing upon her a strange and frightening power.

And of course, a couple of YA books:

Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

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 War throp, 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 gruesome 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?

Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

Sydelle Mirabil is living proof that, with a single drop of rain, a life can be changed forever. Tucked away in the farthest reaches of the kingdom, her dusty village has suffered under the weight of a strangely persistent drought. That is, of course, until a wizard wanders into town and brings the rain with him.

In return for this gift, Wayland North is offered any reward he desires—and no one is more surprised than Sydelle when, without any explanation, he chooses her. Taken from her home, Sydelle hardly needs encouragement to find reasons to dislike North. He drinks too much and bathes too little, and if that isn’t enough to drive her to madness, North rarely even uses the magic he takes such pride in possessing. Yet, it’s not long before she realizes there’s something strange about the wizard, who is as fiercely protective of her as he is secretive about a curse that turns his limbs a sinister shade of black and leaves him breathless with agony. Unfortunately, there is never a chance for her to seek answers. Along with the strangely powerful quakes and storms that trace their path across the kingdom, other wizards begin to take an inexplicable interest in her as well, resulting in a series of deadly duels. Against a backdrop of war and uncertainty, Sydelle is faced with the growing awareness that these events aren’t as random as she had believed—that no curse, not even that of Wayland North, is quite as terrible as the one she herself may carry.

On Thea’s Radar:

Ditto to Ana regarding Adrian Phoenix’s books, as well as The Monstrumologist!

From Libba Bray, author of the bestselling Gemma Doyle books (of which I’ve only read and loved A Great and Terrible Beauty – I know! I know, I need to finish the series already) has a new novel out, called Going Bovine. And I’ve bought it, and it’s sitting, staring at me on my TBR pile.

Can Cameron find what he’s looking for?

All 16-year-old Cameron wants is to get through high school—and life in general—with a minimum of effort. It’s not a lot to ask. But that’s before he’s given some bad news: he’s sick and he’s going to die. Which totally sucks. Hope arrives in the winged form of Dulcie, a loopy punk angel/possible hallucination with a bad sugar habit. She tells Cam there is a cure—if he’s willing to go in search of it. With the help of a death-obsessed, video-gaming dwarf and a yard gnome, Cam sets off on the mother of all road trips through a twisted America into the heart of what matters most.

I’m a huge Fables fan, and it’s one of the few comics I shell out for monthly. And, author Bill Willingham has a standalone prose novel in the Fables universe coming out this month…

A new stand-alone FABLES NOVEL from award-winning and wildly acclaimed author, Bill Willingham.

This story stars Peter Piper and his incorrigible brother Max in a tale about jealousy, betrayal and revenge. Set in two distinct time periods, prepare to travel back to medieval times and learn the tragic back-story of the Piper family, a medieval-era family of traveling minstrels. Then, jump into the present to follow a tale of espionage as Peter Piper slowly hunts down his evil brother for a heinous crime, pitting Peter’s talents as a master thief against Max’s dark magical powers.

Based on the long-running and award-winning comic book series FABLES, PETER AND MAX is its own tale. Readers don’t have to be familiar with the comics to fully enjoy and understand this book.

Then there’s a completely new author who I’ve been meaning to try (ever since reading some fabulous reviews for her Dreamdark books), and she has a new book coming out called Lips Touch. LOVE the cover. Sounds a little more frilly and romancy than I’m used to, but I’m willing to give it a shot…

Three tales of supernatural love, each pivoting on a kiss that is no mere kiss, but an action with profound consequences for the kissers’ souls:

Goblin Fruit: In Victorian times, goblin men had only to offer young girls sumptuous fruits to tempt them to sell their souls. But what does it take to tempt today’s savvy girls?

Spicy Little Curses: A demon and the ambassador to Hell tussle over the soul of a beautiful English girl in India. Matters become complicated when she falls in love and decides to test her curse.

Hatchling: Six days before Esme’s fourteenth birthday, her left eye turns from brown to blue. She little suspects what the change heralds, but her small safe life begins to unravel at once. What does the beautiful, fanged man want with her, and how is her fate connected to a mysterious race of demons?

And this next one has my name all over it:

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

And finally, I really, really need to buy this immediately:

The long-awaited new novel from Margaret Atwood. The Year of the Flood is a dystopic masterpiece and a testament to her visionary power.

The times and species have been changing at a rapid rate, and the social compact is wearing as thin as environmental stability. Adam One, the kindly leader of the God’s Gardeners—a religion devoted to the melding of science and religion, as well as the preservation of all plant and animal life—has long predicted a natural disaster that will alter Earth as we know it. Now it has occurred, obliterating most human life. Two women have survived: Ren, a young trapeze dancer locked inside the high-end sex club Scales and Tails, and Toby, a God’s Gardener barricaded inside a luxurious spa where many of the treatments are edible.

Have others survived? Ren’s bioartist friend Amanda? Zeb, her eco-fighter stepfather? Her onetime lover, Jimmy? Or the murderous Painballers, survivors of the mutual-elimination Painball prison? Not to mention the shadowy, corrupt policing force of the ruling powers . . .

Meanwhile, gene-spliced life forms are proliferating: the lion/lamb blends, the Mo’hair sheep with human hair, the pigs with human brain tissue. As Adam One and his intrepid hemp-clad band make their way through this strange new world, Ren and Toby will have to decide on their next move. They can’t stay locked away . . .

By turns dark, tender, violent, thoughtful, and uneasily hilarious, The Year of the Flood is Atwood at her most brilliant and inventive.

And that’s it from us today! Let us know what books you’ve got on your radars!