Book Review -- Curse of the Wendigo

Title: Curse of the Wendigo
Author: Rick Yancey
Genre: YA/horror
Pages: Hardback, 424
Published: 2010
Opening Lines: "The reader was a retired middle school English teacher whose mother had come to live at the facility in 2001."

"As apprentice to Dr. Pellinore Warthrop, Will Henry has a life dedicated to the pursuit of monstrumology: the study of monsters. But when Dr. Warthrop is informed that his old mentor Dr. von Helrung is trying to prove the existence of the mythical Wendigo, He Who Devours All Mankind, a creature that starves even as it gorges itself on human flesh, Will's world is plunged into fresh turmoil.

"Will and Dr. Warthrop must traverse the desolate wastelands of Canada . . . and in the process may discover a truth far more terrifying than even they could have imagined."

~ Jacket copy

Thoughts: After getting this from the library, I was sad to discover that it is the second in a series. However, unwilling to wait until April for Monstrumologist to be returned to the library, I decided to read it anyway. And, honestly, I didn't feel as though I was missing anything. The first book might have given some back story to Will Henry, but I never felt lost.

After reading the prologue, I was not sure what to expect with this book. Either way, I was extremely surprised! The book follows Will Henry, who is orphaned and left to live with his father's mentor. The doctor is a monstrumologist and studies "mythical" creatures. Even after reading the book, I'm not quite sure how the doctor differentiates between the myth of the Wendgio, vampire, werewolf, and zombie and actual creatures. *shrug* After being approached by an old friend, the doctor and Will set out to Rat Portage to find the doctor's best friend, John Chanler.

This book was creepy! I'm not sure any other way to describe it. It was good, enthralling, riveting, engaging, and very, very creepy. Not only does it delve deeply into the myth of the Wendigo, but also into human nature. I'm excited to read the Monstrumologist, but I'm afraid it will not be as good as this book. I hope Rick has more books in the works, but I guess it depends on the folios left.

Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Currently: Black Magic Sanction by Kim Harrison
Pages: 6023
Horror/Urban Fantasy Challenge: 13/24
Current Progress:

19/50 books