Review: The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington

Publisher: Scholastic
Published: January 1, 2013
Pages: 304
Source: For Review from Scholastic Canada
Rating: 4 Stars

Jade loves the house she's just moved into with her family. She doesn't even mind being the new girl at the high school: It's a fresh start, and there's that one guy with the dreamy blue eyes. . . . But then things begin happening. Strange, otherworldly things. Jade's little brother claims to see a glimmering girl in his room. Jade's jewelry gets moved around, as if by an invisible hand. Kids at school whisper behind her back like they know something she doesn't.
Soon, Jade must face an impossible fact: that her perfect house is haunted. Haunted by a ghost who's seeking not just vengeance, but the truth. The ghost of a girl who ruled Jade's school — until her untimely death last year. It's up to Jade to put the pieces together before her own life is at stake. As Jade investigates the mystery, she discovers that her new friends in town have more than a few deep, dark secrets. But is one of them a murderer?

In short: The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington is a tightly plotted murder mystery with relatable characters.

The Dead and Buried is my first foray into Kim Harrington's writing and I have to say it was an absolutely positive experience. Kim Harrington specializes in murder mysteries and it was with this knowledge that I entered into The Dead and Buried expecting to get a good one. Though perhaps slightly predictable, the mystery was indeed well executed. It was tightly plotted, fast paced, and often surprising. I enjoyed this The Dead and Buried quite a bit, actually; it was a breath of fresh air in the wake of some less than impressive books I've read recently.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the characters and the romance in The Dead and Buried. Not that I was expecting to hate those things or anything, but I just had been expecting character development to take a back seat to the murder mystery, considering the shortness of the book. But I found Jade to be completely relatable, mature, and level-headed and the romance to be sweet and genuine. I also very much appreciated the time that went into the development of the secondary characters. It was these aspects of The Dead and Buried that I enjoyed most, even more than the well thought out mystery, and that's what surprised me. I was also surprised at how un-annoyed I was with all the high school drama; I usually HATE that stuff.

I can't say The Dead and Buried is a book that is particularly memorable or left much of an impact on me. But do I care much about that when what I got out of it was an entertaining mystery with relatable characters? Not particularly. Kim Harrington has herself a new fan in me!

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Review: Dr. Frankenstein's Daughters by Suzanne Weyn

Publisher: Scholastic
Published: January 1, 2013
Pages: 250
Source: For Review from Scholastic Canada
Rating: 3 Stars

A new generation is creating a monster....

Giselle and Ingrid are the twin daughters of Doctor Victor Frankenstein, but they are very different people, and when they inherit his castle in the Orkney Islands, Giselle dreams of holding parties and inviting society -- but Ingrid is fascinated by her father's forbidden experiments.

In short: I had fun with Dr. Frankenstein's Daughters by Suzanne Weyn, but ultimately, I wanted a story with a little more substance.

Set sometime after the events of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Dr. Frankenstein's Daughters tells the story of, well, Dr. Frankenstein's orphaned twin daughters, Giselle and Ingrid. The girls - complete opposites in personality - inherit Castle Frankenstein on a remote island in Scotland. Beautiful and shallow Giselle takes on life as the new Baroness of the castle while intelligent and ambitious Ingrid takes up in her father's footsteps in performing secret experiments. Life is not so great, however, as the girls are soon plagued by the news of mysterious murders in the area. I had fun with Dr. Frankenstein's Daughters for the most part, despite a few quibbles. I particularly loved the historical cameo appearances - the most notable of which was Mary Shelley, naturally. That was pretty clever.

Chapters alternate between Giselle and Ingrid's point of view, told in diary format. The diary-style story device was probably my main criticism of Dr. Frankenstein's Daughters. There were often lengthy scenes of dialogue included in their diary entries and that seemed odd for someone who is supposedly recording their thoughts of events after the fact. The entries just didn't sound like someone writing in their diary. There was really no purpose for this particular story device and the author, Suzanne Weyn, could have easily written the story without it and accomplished the same thing.

I was also a little disappointed because Dr. Frankenstein's Daughters wasn't what I expected it to be, though I realize that's a bit unfair. I had been expecting Frankenstein's Monster to be a major part of the story and make many appearances, but he only does once in a flashback. I was hoping for more of a scary gothic horror vibe, like in the original Frankenstein, but instead the story seemed geared more towards a younger age group, specifically younger girls. Ultimately, I prefer books with a little more substance, but I would recommend Dr. Frankenstein's Daughters to gothic horror fans of a younger age group.

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Review: Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

Publisher: HarperCollins

Published: April 24, 2012

Pages: 320

Source: For Review from HarperCollins/Edelweiss (Thank you!)

Rating: 2 Stars

Everything is in ruins. 
A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them. 
So what does Araby Worth have to live for? 
Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all. 
But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does. 
And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

In short: Though I really wanted to like Masque of the Red Death by Bethanny Griffin, I couldn't get past the seriously TSTL protagonist.

Though I have not read The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe - and so cannot speak to the specifics of how well this book was adapted - I think Bethany Griffin manages to replicate the dark and creepy atmosphere present in all of his stories quite well in her own adaptation. Death and horror are present in abundance in Masque of the Red Death, as is inevitable in a story where a horrific plague has decimated the population. There were also some elements of steampunk, which combined with the dystopian-horror genre, created these sort of strangely and darkly beautiful images of ladies in corsets and porcelain masques and steam carriages and hot air balloons.

Unfortunately, and though I really, really wanted to like Masque of the Red Death because it very much seemed like my kind of book, I found much more fault with it than I liked it. The plot was a bit too reminiscent of The Chemical Garden Trilogy (Wither, Fever) by Lauren DeStefano. A dystopian world with a population decimated by illness, a girl with a twin brother and a scientist parent trying to find a cure, ways of avoiding the reality of life for the rich and complete hopelessness for the poor, and an overall dark and dismal atmosphere. I read so many dystopians that admittedly, many of them start to blend together, but I was still looking for more originality in Masque of the Red Death to really make it a great read.

The worst offense of Masque of the Red Death though is protagonist, Araby, who is Too Stupid To Live in the biggest and baddest way. Some of her TSTL moments include - but are not limited to - blindly following and betraying her family for a guy she just met without questioning who he is or what his motivations are, accepting a drink from the seriously evil Prince Prospero without thought and ending up poisoned, and falling for a guy who in one moment is holding her suspended over croc-infested waters, threatening her life, and in the very next second is confessing his love for her. I wanted a heroine to root for, to take control of the situation and to independently think on her own, and though I got a few glimpses of that girl, she was sorely lacking throughout the majority of the novel.

I really dislike writing negative reviews for books where the popular opinion is overwhelmingly positive; it makes me feel like maybe I am missing something, maybe I got this wrong. Still, I stand strong in my dislike of Araby, who pretty much ruined the novel for me. If I had to recommend Masque of the Red Death to anyone, I would say it may be liked by fans of Lauren DeStefano's Chemical Garden Trilogy. And of course, I recommend reading other reviews because even though Masque of the Red Death wasn't the book for me, it clearly was for most reviewers.

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Review: The Isle of Blood (The Monstrumologist #3) by Rick Yancey

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Published: September 13, 2011

Pages: 558

Source: Bought

Rating: 4.5 Stars

When Dr. Warthrop goes hunting the "Holy Grail of Monstrumology" with his eager new assistant, Arkwright, he leaves Will Henry in New York. Finally, Will can enjoy something that always seemed out of reach: a normal life with a real family. But part of Will can't let go of Dr. Warthrop, and when Arkwright returns claiming that the doctor is dead, Will is devastated--and not convinced. Determined to discover the truth, Will travels to London, knowing that if he succeeds, he will be plunging into depths of horror worse than anything he has experienced so far. His journey will take him to Socotra, the Isle of Blood, where human beings are used to make nests and blood rains from the sky--and will put Will Henry's loyalty to the ultimate test.

In short: The Isle of Blood by Rick Yancey supplies yet another terrifying monster, but most importantly, provides the reader with thoughtful and developed characterization.

Will Henry and the Monstrumologist are back and this time the monster they are hunting is the Typhoeus magnificum, the father of all monsters. Infection caused by the magnificum results in zombie-like humans, whose skin rots and grows protruberances, and whose appetite becomes insatiable, often leading the individual to consume their own bodies if no human meal is in reach. It is a terrifying and disgusting monster - and I would expect no less from Rick Yancey, who in the past has brought us the likes of the Anthropophagus and the Wendigo.

As well done as the horror aspect and the monsters are in The Monstrumologist Series, the real life aspect and the characters are truly what makes these books, which I fear is not something I've sufficiently gotten across in my previous reviews for this series. After all, if all these books entailed were monsters and gore, they really wouldn't have very much substance at all and I would have no interest in reading them. As it is, the character development in The Isle of Blood was the best part of the novel, with both Will Henry and the Monstrumologist evolving significantly, yet naturally.

One thing that I love about this series are the cameos of real life historical figures. Jack the Ripper and Bram Stoker have significant roles in The Monstrumologist and The Curse of the Wendigo, respectively. In The Isle of Blood, Jack the Ripper is back in all his horrible and cruel glory. Arthur Conan Doyle also takes part in the story during a critical scene. It's super fun to see the many ways Rick Yancey comes up with to somehow integrate these cameos into the story.

Though I did have some minor problems with the pacing, The Isle of Blood is a magnificent addition to the Monstrumologist Series. I know I mention it every time I write a review for this series, but they really are some of the best written books I've ever read. The imagery created with Rick Yancey's words  is achingly beautiful. Add to that the fact that the writing just seems to get even better - more poetic - with each book, if that is even possible. I'm already looking forward to the newly announced fourth book in the series!

Previously, My Reviews for The Monstrumologist and The Curse of the Wendigo.

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Review: The Curse of the Wendigo (The Monstrumologist #2) by Rick Yancey

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: September 19, 2010

Pages: 448

Source: Won from YA Book Shelf (Thanks!)

Rating: 4.5 Stars

While attempting to disprove that Homo vampiris, the vampire, could exist, Dr. Warthrop is asked by his former fiancee to rescue her husband from the Wendigo, a creature that starves even as it gorges itself on human flesh, which has snatched him in the Canadian wilderness. Although Warthrop also considers the Wendigo to be fictitious, he relents and rescues her husband from death and starvation, and then sees the man transform into a Wendigo. Can the doctor and Will Henry hunt down the ultimate predator, who, like the legendary vampire, is neither living nor dead, whose hunger for human flesh is never satisfied? This second book in The Monstrumologist series explores the line between myth and reality, love and hate, genius and madness.

In short: The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey does not hold back the horror and gore in this superb and gag-inducing sequel in the terrifying series.

So begins a new adventure with Will Henry, assistant monstrumologist, and his master and certified monstrumologist, Dr. Warthrop. Last time, in The Monstrumologist, the monster of the story was a well studied and known humanoid beast. This time, in The Curse of the Wendigo, the monster is the Wendigo, a vampire-like beast that is just a silly myth, not worthy of actual study because it doesn't exist, so says the doctor. Vampires aren't real and to believe they exist would be making a mockery of the monstrumologist profession. Or so the doctor thinks.

Though the Wendigo isn't exactly like a vampire as we know it, it is a similar monster. Though I have been impressed in the past by authors of the myriad vampire novels out there and their ability to create distinct vampire lore to distinguish themselves, now after having read The Curse of the Wendigo, they pale in originality. Rick Yancey has written the most creative vampire-esque novel I've ever read with The Curse of the Wendigo. 

Also, if possible, Yancey has created a monster even more terrifying than the one he wrote in The Monstrumologist! Imagine a beast that pulls out his prey's eyeballs and feasts on its heart. One with a perverse sense of humour that rips off one prey's face and places it over top of another, and scoops out the bowels of another to write messages on the wall. I really love that Rick Yancey just goes for it, you know? He really doesn't hold back and present a watered down monster for fear of turning away readers. He brings on the gore, blood, and feces in gag-inducing amounts. I can appreciate that. Even if lots of the scenes made me want to throw up my lunch.

I'm not sure I would like this particular brand of horror if it were set in a modern setting. But the gothic Victorian backdrop makes a perfect and creepy setting for a plot that is so horrific. And the setting is so perfectly described too. The Monstrumologist takes place entirely in New England but in The Curse of the Wendigo, we get to see two more 19th century locations: the untamed and desolate wilderness of Canada, and New York City as it was at the end of the 1800s. I'm not a huge historical fiction fan, but did I ever find these settings fascinating to read! Isn't learning about history fun when you're learning it by way of a well written fiction novel?

The same things I loved about The Monstrumologist, the well developed characters and the exquisite writing, are also present in The Curse of the Wendigo. However, I didn't like The Curse of the Wendigo quite as much as its predecessor because of some pacing problems. Other than that, it is a strong and compelling addition to a terrifying and brilliant series. Not sure if this series is for you? I'd recommend trying out the first book The Monstrumologist. Don't worry, it can be read as a standalone as each book chronicles a different set of adventures for Will Henry.

The third and final book in the series, The Isle of Blood, is set to be released September 13, 2011.

Previously, my Review of The Monstrumologist.

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Review: The Monstrumologist (The Monstrumologist #1) by Rick Yancey

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: September 22, 2009

Pages: 454

Source: Won from YA Book Shelf (Thanks!)

Rating: 5 Stars - Super Crazy Awesome!

These are the secrets I have kept. This is the trust I never betrayed. But he is dead now and has been for nearly ninety 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 starts the diary of Will Henry, orphan and assistant to a doctor with a most unusual specialty: monster hunting. In the short time he has lived with the doctor, Will has grown accustomed to his late night callers and dangerous business. But when one visitor comes with the body of a young girl and the monster that was eating her, Will's world is about to change forever. The doctor has discovered a baby Anthropophagus—a headless monster that feeds through a mouth in its chest—and it signals a growing number of Anthropophagi. Now, Will and the doctor must face the horror threatening to overtake and consume our world before it is too late.

In short: The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey is a masterpiece, a thrilling horror with exquisite writing and terrifying monsters.

Monsters are real and some of them come in the form of headless seven foot tall hominoids with thousands of razor-sharp teeth in their stomachs, called Anthropophagi. Oh, how refreshing to read about monsters that want to rip you to shreds rather than the more romantic fare that we are so used to in YA these days! The Monstrumologist is horror at its best: terrifying and thrilling, enthralling and unputdownable, despite the absolutely nightmarish horror of the events.

I don't often comment on the writing in books but I simply must do so for Rick Yancey's writing. The Monstrumologist is definitely the best written book I've read this year. The prose is mesmerizing and rich and portions of it left me in complete awe. With a few well crafted phrases, Rick Yancey can paint a horrifying image that becomes imprinted in your brain and follows you long after you finish reading. There are a few terrifyingly gorgeous images from The Monstrumologist that I will never, ever forget.

I wouldn't say the writing style made The Monstrumologist an easy read, however. Taking place in Victorian New England, there were quite a few words and terms that went over my head. I needed to read The Monstrumologist with a dictionary in my other hand. I don't see this as being a negative point though. I love feeling challenged and I love that Rick Yancey didn't dumb down his writing and in the process, patronize the reader.

I was also very impressed with the attention to detail with regards to the biological aspect of The Monstrumologist. Coming from a science background, I often nitpick instances in books where there are scientific falsities that the author failed to research when writing. I am happy to report that I found nothing of the sort to nitpick in The Monstrumologist. Rick Yancey's knowledge of evolutionary adaptations and anatomy was evident, of which I was very appreciative.

And lastly, the characters in The Monstrumologist were brilliantly written, perfectly developed, and completely intriguing. I loved the dynamic between the monstrumologist, Dr. Warthrop, and his twelve year old assistant, Will Henry. The Monstrumologist is told as if written from Will Henry's journal and follows Will Henry and Dr. Warthrop's monster hunting adventures together. They have two very different personalities that often warred (Dr. Warthrop is egocentric and obsessed with his work and Will Henry is sweet and brave and honourable) but you could tell they care for each other deeply as they are the only person in each other's life.

Overall, The Monstrumologist was absolutely fantastic (and other people must agree because it won a Printz Honour award)! Certain passages left me awed and breathless, they were so well written and horribly horrifying. I highly recommend The Monstrumologist to fans of horror and historical fiction. I can't wait to read more of Will Henry and Dr. Warthrop's monster hunting adventures in the sequel, The Curse of the Wendigo!

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