Monstrumologist: A Not-So-Young Adult Book Full of Victorian Horror

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So while sitting here at my desk, procrastinating from doing any work this morning before class, I started thinking about things to write to you all about. I almost wrote half a post about my current struggle with my fitness goals, but then thought to myself two things: One, like I mentioned in my last post, I feel that we're not at that stage in our relationship yet, dear reader. And two, how cliche to being spewing my woes, grievances, and shortcomings to the world without so much as a warning or an introduction. Again, fair reader, we may get to that stage in our journey in time, but not now. I feel that I have spared you a great deal, and/or have, with hope, provided you with a much more entertaining read than that figment of a post. So without further ado, I present to you The Monstrumologist.

Rick Yancey's eighth (I think) book The Monstrumologist, is by far one of the most extraordinary tales of the macabre. The series of books (for which there are three already written and a fourth concluding volume on the way) centers around a young Will Henry, orphan and assistant to the leading expert in his field, Dr. Pellinore Warthrop. The book, primarily set in the Spring of 1888, opens like a true Victorian novel; it is comprised of a story within a story. We actually begin in 2007 when William James Henry passes away and folios apparently written by the deceased are discovered and perused by an author (I think we are meant to think that Rick Yancy is the author that reads the fortuitous find). We, the readers, then dive into the first three folios chronicling Will Henry's earliest days with the doctor. The folios are written in first person past tense, as if Will is looking back on his time with Warthrop (I personally wonder what has made him take the time to reflect upon his journeys with the doctor in his present). I would like to take a moment though and briefly discuss the job/role of a monstrumologist.

"Yes, my dear child,  mosters are real. I happen to have one hanging in my basement." 

The stuff of fairytales is indeed out there! As much as modern society tries to cover it up, monsters are in fact hiding under our beds, lurking in the graveyards, and preying on unsuspecting travelers in dark wooded areas. It is the job of these esteemed monstrumologists to find them out, study them in the greatest detail, and document them all in the name of science. I think what strikes me as very genuine about Warthrop is Yancy's portrayal of him as truly a man of science.  While he is able to become clouded by emotion (especially when memories of his father are concerned), he attempts to distance himself as much as possible from belief to instead rely solely on logic and evidence. 

“Our enemy is fear. Blinding, reason-killing fear. Fear consumes the truth and poisons all the evidence, leading us to false assumptions and irrational conclusions.” 

Evidence is of utmost importance to Warthrop, and rightfully so! He is at heart a pure scientist, not to be swayed by assumptions, judgements, and feelings. AND YET! As the second part of the definition describes, he must eventually encounter these monsters.

“There are times when fear is not our enemy. There are times when fear is our truest, sometimes only, friend.” 

Because he is dealing with living things, things that feel, that react, that have all the assumptions, judgements, and still a rational sense of preservation, Warthrop must accomodate and account for what he lumps together in one great word, "Fear." 

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The monster that this book mainly focuses on is the ancient Anthropophagus (anthropophagi for the plural: second declension masculine plural .... ima nerd). Anthropophagi have appeared in the works of Herodotus and Shakespeare among others. They are described by the former as wild and savage cannibals, and by the latter as "men whose heads do grow beneath their shoulders" (Othello Act 1, Scene III). Shakespeare also mentions them in Merry Wives of Windsor, but both times he actually is referencing a legendary creature (also a non-fictional Nubian tribe described in the late Roman histories) called the Blemmyes. This creature is described as a headless human with it's face on it's chest and eyes placed in the shoulders. Shakespeare combines this creature with the accounts of anthropophagi (who were described as drinking out of the skulls of their enemies and wearing the scalpes on their chests.... not unlike a head in their chest, eh?) and created what Yancy horrifically brings to life in The Monstrumologist.

I've never actually been scared to read a book. I'd like to report that I'm still not! But boy does this book give you the heebyjeebies every so often. Very gruesome accounts of everything.... but gruesome in a good way! I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a little Victorian horror on their reading palate every so often. And while I do say that it has a Victorian feel to it, please note that because it's a modern book, it is streamlined and reads smooth. 

Also, the book won the Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature.... which is beyond me. I love this book and would love to share it with my kids.... eventually. BUT! And I strongly stress this: This is not a kids book. This is a book for kids in high school. Maybe mature middle schoolers. Dunno, I do think that with all the gore (not too much but just enough to make it sufficiently horrific) and mature themes of death and such.... not too 13 or 14 year old appropriate. But that's just my opinion.

At the end of the day, I'd say read it and tell me what you think! 

Title: The Monstrumologist

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: Sept. 22, 2009

Page Count: 448

ISBN-13: 978-1416984481

Rating: 9 (out of 10)

[Edit: sorry I've been MIA for a bit.... had finals last week (GAH!) and finally had some time to write and finish this post. Hope it was worth the wait! I'm going to be trying to put something up here about once a week now, so check in every so often!]

[Edit: Oh! And thank you to +Jennifer Eichorn for recommending this book/series to me!]