Monstrumologist (by Richard Yancey)

The thing that I liked best about this book was that it had violence- but well-explained violence. Though not a book for those with a small vocabulary (or no dictionary), for the experienced reader, this is a must-read horror story. The first in what is at least a trilogy, "The Monstrumologist" creates believable fear. I rated this book Pause for age 12. A friend of mine, of that age, loved this book, was able to understand it, and was not fazed by the violence- but I also wouldn't recommend this to some of my more squeamish adult friends. This book is not for those without a strong stomach! No expense is spared in describing the feasts of the headless Anthropophagi, but it seems to me that this is the only vice, violence. There is little sexual content; the only real sexual content is the prostitute that Kearns, Cory, or the Ripper, whichever guise he goes under at the moment, uses as bait for the Anthropophagi. In fact, her profession is only mentioned in passing, as Kearns' explanation for his actions- "She is only a woman of the streets." This book is one of the finest of its genre, referring both to its YA status and horror. With the rarest of devices, believable horror, this monster story makes one ask again if monsters are real. Yes, my dear child, monsters are real. I happen to have one hanging in my basement.