The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

Do you like bloody, visceral gore? Do you like your horror with a touch of effluvia, offal, disembowelment, and the (semi-frequent) decapitation?

Neither do I. I am neither a fan of the horror genre nor a fan of the gothic, Victorian-era novel.

But Rick Yancey’s The Monstrumologist has changed my mind.

It is 1888 and Will Henry is an apprentice to the enigmatic and irascible Dr. Pellinore Warthrop. Doctor of what, you ask? Well, Will Henry has been instructed to tell you that the doctor is a doctor of philosophy. In truth, however, he is a doctor of something darker, something much more terrifying. He is a Monstrumologist—one who focuses his life and learning on the study of creatures not generally accepted by science. Monsters.

It is 1888 and when twelve-year old Will Henry has finally become accustomed (or as accustomed as one can be) to his guardian’s grotesque profession, there appears a new threat that will plunge Will Henry and the Doctor into a maelstrom of danger, carnage, and fear. It is a threat with thousands and thousands of shark-like teeth. A threat with no head. A threat with claws that can puncture the hardest bones in a human body. A threat with the name of Anthropopagi: Human eaters.

Will Henry and Doctor Warthrop must confront the enemy (the true enemy) and the ghosts of history before they can stop the impending bloodbath that will befall their town. They must venture into the lair of the ultimate predators. Predators that only eat humans. They must survive--or die a most horrific death.

Rick Yancey has written a book that will enthrall young and old alike. The Monstrumologist is thrilling and horrific, exploring the moments and ways in which humanity crosses over into monstrosity. And amidst all the gore, the fear and the monstrosities, The Monstrumologist is also ultimately about the relationships between fathers and sons—and the sins that we inherit from our families.

If you think you won’t like it: give it a try. This is an excellent book with an excellent story. The violence and gore is not gratuitous, and you might learn some new vocabulary words (I certainly did). It goes without saying that fans of horror and gore will love this book, but all readers will definitely be hooked by this fast-paced gothic novel.

And there's even a sequel in the works!
(Just this: If you are easily spooked, do not read it before bedtime.)

Rick Yancey's Website

Yancey, Rick. The Monstrumologist. New York: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 2010.