Darker fantasy definitely has its place in YA guy lit. One of the best within this subgenre over the last few years is definitely Rick Yancey’s The Monstrumologist. Honestly, it is amazingly awesome. The book even won the 2010 Michael L. Printz Honor Award.
The story itself follows the lead Will Henry and his tutor Dr. Warthrop. The two are a team who work to track down monsters called Anthropophagi and try to control the rise in the monster population. They attempt to save the lives of humans who have been made as hosts to the Anthropophagi fetuses that will soon eat their way out of the human’s body. This premise alone was enough to draw my attention.
The style of the writing itself is a truly wonderful take on gothic adventure. However, rather than being a little bit intense and overbearing like historical gothic adventure literature, The Monstrumologist is a very fast and easy read. It is truly a page turner if there ever was one!
Bring It to Life (BITL)!
Make Will’s key!
While I won’t spoil anything about this key, I will say that Will finds one. Yet, it clearly is not just a standard key. The best way to celebrate this book is to decorate a fantastical key of your own.
Antique-looking keys can be found at most stores for decoration. They look great on their own but can be combined to create a work of art. Spray painting them to a stunning color is the easiest way to make them special. Here are some ideas to get you started!
YA Awesomesauce 