The Curse of the Wendigo (Monstrumologist)

It was with great delight that I started to read The Curse of the Wendigo, the sequel to Monstrumologist that I read a few months ago. I love to read Gothic horror and this series has become a favorite for me and I was curious to find out what Dr. Warthrop and Will Henry would face this time?The first book introduced to Dr. Warthrop and Will Henry and we got to learn the basic fact about them, their background history, why Will live and work for Doctor Warthrop. In The Curse of the Wendigo, we learn more about Dr. Warthrop's past and I have to admit I was taken aback by how tragic his past is. I found that getting to know him more also made at I felt more for him and his struggle in this book to save an old friend acuter. As usual, Rick Yancey's manage to add in horror elements in a good way in the book. However, I didn't feel the same discomfort as when I read the first book, but there was the occasional unpleasant scene.I think The Curse of the Wendigo is an amazing book, so incredibly good and beautifully written. Yancey has an ability to write so that I suddenly have to take a pause up in the middle of the story just to re-read a beautifully written sentence. Yancey ability to write, together with imagination to come up with such a great story makes the book so incredibly good.Now I just want to say one thing: Read this and the previous book. You will not regret it!

Saga stupenda, molto più da adulti che molti libri horror "da adulti" che ho letto. E ne ho letti parecchi. Non fidatevi se cercando l'autore trovate che scriva libri per giovani adulti, magari "the fifth wave" che non ho nessuna intenzione di leggere sì, questa saga no, è meravigliosa.

As expected

Wenn man mit lesen startet kann man nicht mehr aufhalten. Sehr gutes Buch. Bleib bitte schreiben Rick Yancey, nicht aufhalten!

If you thought Yancey could not possibly up the creepy vibe from "The Monstrumologist", you thought wrong."The Curse of the Wendigo" continues Will and Warthrop's adventures (after a slight time lapse, of course) as Warthrop is enlisted by a former paramour to find her husband, who was also Warthrop's "friend" (as much as anybody can be his friend) and fellow student of monstrumology. Cue the duo's travels to the north, where they encounter the legendary Wendigo, a being that divides monstrumology between those who believe certain creatures should be included in the study while others (like Warthrop) vehemently deny their existence.Like its predecessor, "The Curse of the Wendigo" offers quite a bit of adventure, introspection, and existential crises, both for Will and Warthrop. While the previous book focused on the sins of the father, this one definitely emphasizes the fall of the prideful. You also find out quite a bit about Warthrop's past and meet quite a cast of characters, ranging from the fictitious to the historic. As always, Yancey astounds with his descriptions, captures your imagination with the plot, and blankets a philosophical piece in the garb of a youth horror novel. There is quite a bit to be gleaned from and ruminated over, and you'll find yourself wanting more after you finish. (Or perhaps wanting less, if the gore scares you off!)

Picked this up as a Daily Deal, even though I had not read the first one. It reads perfectly well as a standalone. I had my doubts about it - I thought 'Monstrumologist' sounded a little silly. Despite a well written start I became even more irritated at the passing mention of a senior monstrumologist named 'Von Helrung'. Major eyeroll there - is this author seriously going to try to slip a ripoff character of Van Helsing past horror readers? It was a brief mention however, and the story in the Canadian backwoods was exciting enough that I quickly pushed my concern aside. The interaction of Will Henry and the Doctor is fantastic, and the Doctor is quite an original character. Its a tight rope to walk, to write a prominent character that is deeply flawed and very difficult to like, but Yancey does it well.About halfway through the book however, 'Van Helrung' comes to the fore. Without ruining it for the reader - I was floored when I realized just how Yancey fit him into the universe of this novel. Suddenly this book became everything that I had wanted but did not get out of the disappointing 'Anno Dracula'. The original Dracula is one of my all-time favorite stories, and Yancey's writing and universe is the closest I've ever come to finding a modern successor to Stoker and Blackwood. I'm also a huge fan of historical fiction, even when its more fiction than historical, and it was a pleasure to find that even the most minor names in his story were actual people, and done seamlessly with a minimum of contrivance. As if that's not enough, the thrilling final hunt reminded me of another favorite book, Perdido Street Station. His handling of the Wendigo itself contains both a reverent and a cheeky nod to Blackwood's story, but is also an original and chilling new interpretation.I loved the book. I loved the blend of horror and historical fiction, it hit all the right notes for me. Despite an extremely dark story there's a really human element to his writing and the relationships in it, which is either missing or clumsily done by most authors in this genre. Real horror is magnified when you actually care about the characters! For classic horror fans, I highly recommend checking this series out. I greatly look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Will Henry has lost his family, but the Monstrumologist, Dr. Pellinore Warthrop took him in. Will Henry's father was Warthrop's assistant, and after his death the doctor kept Will Henry on as his assistant. While it might not seem like a young teen would be the best assistant, Will Henry is the only person in Warthrop's life who truly cares about him... even if he isn't thrilled about all the monsters. In Rick Yancey's sequel to The Monstrumlogist, The Curse of the Wendigo, Will Henry and Warthrop aren't trying to find a monster. They are trying to convince everyone it doesn't exist...When Warthrop's best friend and arch nemesis goes missing, Warthrop agrees to go to Canada to find John Chanler. Chanler was sent by the head of the Monstrumology Society, Dr. von Helrung, to find tangible proof that the Wendigo truly did exist and have it entered into the list of existing monsters. Warthrop knows the Wendigo is just a myth, but nonetheless, Chanler has still gone missing. He and Will Henry set off to find the missing scientist only to find themselves lost in the wilderness and being hunted by something that neither of them can explain. They find Chanler, but returning to civilization is no easy feat.When they finally find their way back to the town, Warthrop refuses to admit anything was hunting them. He convinces Will Henry it was all dehydration and exhaustion playing tricks on their minds, but Will Henry can't forget those yellow eyes. Chanler is returned to his wife in New York City and Warthrop and Will Henry head to the same city for the annual Monstrumologist convention. But went they find Chanler being kept under guard in von Helrung's house, not a hospital, Warthrop accuses the old scientist of losing his mind and endangering Chanler's life. What they don't expect is for Chanler to quickly devolve into more beast than man. Can you still question the existence of a Wendigo when it is rampaging through the city and hunting your own apprentice? Dr. Pellinore Warthrop can!When I try to describe Dr. Pellinore Warthrop, I always find myself claiming him to be a male Temperance Brennan, from the television show "Bones". He isn't heartless, he is just very scientific and logical, to the point of seeming to be without emotion. In the first book, however, it became very clear that he cared very much for the orphan boy he took in. In this book, that fatherly devotion grows to the point where Warthrop even considers sending Will Henry away to protect him from the dangerous profession of Monstrumology. In fact, the relationship between the young apprentice and the doctor is what makes me love this series so much. Warthrop doesn't care much about the lives of other people, but he would do anything to keep Will Henry safe- even send away the only person he actually cares about. And sometimes, when Warthrop is describing something very clinically, and Will Henry is struggling to maintain his composure and not laugh out loud in front of the doctor, I found myself cracking up! The very dynamic between the two is hilarious.I think this is a good series for most junior high through high school students. It is set at the turn of the century, so the historical aspects of New York City at that time are very interesting (giant piles of horse poo from the carriages!). There is certainly some violence with the rescue and escape of John Chanler and Will Henry always seems to find himself in grave danger, much to the irritation of Dr. Warthrop. There are some times when the story slows a little bit, so a stronger reader with a little stamina might be necessary. Still, these are great books that have a subtle humor that will keep you sniggering and giggling right along with Will Henry!

Best book I read all year. This is a great series each book can stand alone but the character development grows with each book. This is book 2 and even greater than book 1. It is gripping and exciting centering on the wendigo a form of vampire. The doctors past regrets and love lost are exposed in this book. Read it you will love it.

It is hard to ruin the Wendigo, and Rick Yancey doesn't try to. This book felt very X-files to me, with a plausible yet deniable brush with the mystical that may or may not have been related to science. The grueling trek through the forests while being hunted by the mythical beast (or maybe just paranoia) is bleak and wonderfully poignant. Curse of the Wendigo is a fantastic and horrifying read that you can't help but enjoy while being summarily disgusted and revolted by the actions of the books antagonists and protagonists alike.

I liked this book quite alot. It asked a number of deep philosophical questions and talked about emotions and concepts that you don't expect to find in such a book. If you liked the first book in the series, give this one a shot. I don't think you'll be disappointed. I won't bore you with a plot summary as I know other reviewers are fond of doing that. The only real problem I had with this book was not the book itself. This book, again, lacked chapter demarcations, but it had section demarcations. I prefer every Kindle book to be formatted with chapter demarcations. If you like this sort of genre, have at it with this book. It's quite a rollercoaster of an experience. I can't wait to read the next book.

Although I really enjoyed "The Monstrumologist" I believe "The Curse of the Wendigo" is a better novel because the main characters, Will Henry and Dr. Warthrop, are more developed and carry the bulk of the plot. Will`s intelligence and sense of humor proclaim him to be a worthy and truly "indispensable assistant" as stated by his master. And Dr. Warthrop proves he is more human and sensitive than "The Monstrumologist" led readers to believe. I did become a little bored with the excessive (to me anyway) time spent in the woods. I am looking forward to the next book of the series.

After reading "The Monstrumologist" I had to pick up Yancey's sequel. I found the first book to be fresh in its combination of Victorian horror, suspenseful thriller, and scientific pursuit. "The Curse of the Wendigo" carries on some of these focuses from the first book but offers new atmospheres that may not be well accepted by all fans of the first book. Gone is the gloomy fog laden house/cemetery and in its place this new novel offers both wilderness and city settings in its place. There new settings do fit with the narrative but for me did not offer the same charm as that of the original.The action of the book is still there (if a bit more spread out) and while the horror is not quite as "in your face" there is plenty to commend about it. From surprise cannibalism to time racing autopsies, this book will still make you wince! Also the character development continues especially with the doctor if not as prominently with Will Henry (looks like Yancey could be saving him for the final book). In addition, the book offers much more than the first about Monstrumology and even visits the headquarters of its society. The biggest problem I had with this sequel is that its focus on science was not nearly as prominent as in the first book. I really enjoyed the fact that Warthrop is a scientist and does not buy into the mystical and instead looks towards evolution. Very rarely does a horror book build in science to explain and expand on the presence of the monsters within its pages. That said, "Curse of the Wendigo" does not do this and instead leaves the reader to move into the realm of the mystical by focusing on a condition that is never explained. Warthrop is faithful to his science and denies the supernatural qualities of the curse to the end, but looks foolish for doing so by the book's finish. My own science background made this change very annoying. Overall though "The Curse of the Wendigo" is well worth the read if you enjoyed the first of the series.

I love this series. This book is cold and brutal, but beautifully written. Full of rich, colorful characters and nauseating violence. Probably my favorite of the four novels.

The second book of one of my favorite series ever! As usual, get out your dictionary because the author's vocabulary is vast. I would highly recommend all of the books in this series, however, this one in particular left me with a couple unanswered questions. To be fair, I have noticed this about all of his books; he tends to leave a smidgen of wiggle room for your imagination to fill...but, Rick Yancey, I have no imagination, else I would be writing books instead of reading them!

Fantastic sequel to The Monstrumologist. It's not really a stand alone novel though, so if you have not read the first book, start there. There is not as much action at the beginning of the novel, which might bother some readers, but you get to really know the monstrumologist's background. I found it facinating.There is horror, but it is not as gory (in the first half) as The Monstrumologist. Throughout much of the novel the horror is psychological, which I like. Once it turns bloody, Yancey does not let up or follow the unwritten rule that children or innocents don't die. He goes for broke.As in the first novel, this book is not for those that like their reading "easy." The word choice, grammar and sentence structure may be challenging for some. Plus, since Yancey puts in lesser known historical figures and facts, the less well read may be lost.Now....do I really have to wait a year for part III?

If you're reading this you've likely already read The Monstrumologist, so a commentary on the general awesomeness of the characters, prose, etc is likely unnecessary. I can't see how anyone who read the first would be on the fence regarding the decision to read the second, but if you just want an "is it as good?" heads-up, I will tell you that the first book is a mere introduction compared to the second. I don't mean that as a disparity in quality. A good chunk of the first book was an establishing of the characters and their world, what drives them and so forth, leading up to a dose of adventure.Curse of the Wendigo leaves the gate at full speed, with all of the beauty and grace of the first at its most gripping moments and then some. The heavy characterization of the first book really allows Yancey to dive into the thrill ride; but not to worry, the exploration of his characters gets even deeper treatment along the way. If the first book is 80% development and 20% adventure, the second flips those figures, and in the most delightful way. And if you thought the first book was graphic, this one has enough gore to fill a slaughterhouse. No disturbing brutality is spared, but the violence serves a purpose; it's visceral, not clinical or just there for the gross-out factor. The scenes of horror not meant to discomfort the stomach, but the heart and mind.I pre-ordered the third, and it can't be released soon enough.I own an e-reader, but I choose to read these in hardcover because of the beautiful cover art, inside and out, as well as the little illustrations on random pages. The style of this series just demands real paper, and possibly candlelight.