The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! đ
jean_atlas's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Body horror, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Violence, Kidnapping, Blood, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Abortion, and Suicide
Minor: Vomit
milesjmoran's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Medical content, Child death, Blood, Violence, Body horror, Suicide, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Medical trauma, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, and Death
kyy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Gore, and Body horror
leighsnerdlife's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Gore
the_one_krissy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
In a nutshell, this is the tale of Dr Warthrop, a monstrumologist, and Will Henry, his assistant/apprentice/ward, who discover their home town is plagued by monsters and have to do something about it. Sounds simple enough, and it kind of is, except the book starts with the very gruesome discovery of one of these Anthropophagi and its victim, quickly followed by the autopsy of said monster.
And let me tell you I was shaking in my boots and fighting to keep my dinner down before I was fifty pages into this book. Rick Yancey does not skimp on the grisly details, and the monsters infesting the town are aggressive ravenous beasts and absolutely terrifying. At times I had to put this book away for a while because it was making me physically ill.
Not that it isn't a good book, because it is. Just... a bit heavy with blood and gore.
Both main characters are likable, poor Will Henry in particular. The monstrumologist is the archetypal manic-depressive mad scientist, whose work is his life and who seems able to function without food and sleep indefinitely. He's fond of raspberry scones, though, which instantly endeared him to me.
Plot-wise this was a rather straightforward monster tale - not too complicated, although it did have a bit of depth as far as the main characters were concerned. A strong three stars, I think, but I'm frankly undecided if I'll continue with this series. Maybe, once my stomach has stopped churning.
Graphic: Violence, Gore, and Blood
bumblebeefarts's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Gore, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
iamastraythought's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Gore, Murder, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Abandonment
michelle_leitheoir's review against another edition
2.5
For at least the first half, I found Dr. Warthrop to be completely and utterly unlikable. I could not imagine a single reason that Yancey could present that would make me care about what happened to his title character at all. He was cold and unfeeling and emotionally abusive to Will Henry, who had no choice but to put up with it, seeing as how he was a 12-year-old orphan. I thought that made Warthropâs behavior especially reprehensible - not only that he would behave that way, but that he would behave that way to someone when he knew they had nowhere else to go. Plus, being harsh and insulting and making someone feel like you couldnât care less about them, only to reel them back in with soothing words (like Warthropâs favorite, âYour services are indispensable to me,â) is classic abuse. Even that line indicates Warthrop didnât value him - itâs Will Henryâs services he valued, not Will Henry himself.
Oh! I almost forgot his constant insistence that Will should be thankful to him, and that he refused to accept any responsibility for mistakes that had quite a dear cost. My âabusive and manipulativeâ alarm bells were ringing loud and clear.
But at the same time, there wasnât much about Will Henry that compelled me, either. Granted, I doubt I would be much more than a mopey doormat if I had been orphaned at a young age and taken in by my parentsâ emotionally abusive employer, too, but I had a hard time finding a good connection point with him.
Honestly, the first half of the book just seemed like an excuse to get some super gory, massively gross monster attacks on paper. I did my best to find a story under all the dismemberments and blood, but I had a hard time finding one.
But then. THEN. Will Henry found his voice, stood up to Warthrop, and BAM, we had some compelling character development. I do wish that the relationship between Will Henry and Warthrop had gotten warmer than it did, but finally the emotional abuse was ending, and Will Henry showed that he could stand up for himself and set some boundaries. They finally started to seem like a team, which was important when the maverick Kearns shows up to upset the delicate balance of the investigation.
By the way, Kearns was the best thing about this book. Definitely a ghoul and a scumbag, but he managed to bring a dry levity that this book badly needed.
So I definitely saw improvements by the end of the book. Itâs just . . . eh, I donât know, not my brand of horror? I like things a little more on the âmoody, atmospheric, and spookyâ end of things. Or at least, much farther away from the âBOOGIDY BOO SCARY MONSTER EAT HUMANS OM NOM NOMâ end of things than this book was. Between that and the emotional abuse that I canât quite forgive or ignore, this is only a 2.5/5 for me, and Iâm honestly kind of relieved that I didnât care enough about these characters or this story to continue with the series. Felt like a good standalone anyway.Â
Graphic: Violence and Gore
velvetvoid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Emotional abuse, and Gore
jume's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I love this book! Its entire series is lovely, but this really started my gothic horror obsession. The prose is very elegant, and by the end of the series it only gets better. The characters are so layered, it's awesome. Read it if you're interested in such subjects! But if not, I don't think it'll really appeal to you so much as it did to me.Â
Graphic: Gore