The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

[Emily]

1. Why do you think the author writes the book as a journal from 1888. Do you like the story being told this way?

2. When Erasmus Gray asks Will Henry what Warthrop is a doctor of, he replies “the grotesque, bizarre, and unspeakable.” What does he mean by these descriptions?

3. What does Dr. Warthrop mean when he says to Will Henry, “We are slaves, all of us.” To what are Dr. Warthrop and Will Henry enslaved?

4. Dr. Warthrop is angered at Will Henry’s suggestion that he is responsible for Erasmus Gray’s death. Do you agree that Dr. Warthrop is responsible? Why or why not?

5. What do the contents of the trunk belonging to Dr. Warthrop’s father reveal about the relationship between the doctor and his father?

6. How does the relationship between Will Henry and Dr. Warthrop compare to the relationship between the doctor and his father?

7. Will Henry thought many times of running away from Dr. Warthrop but never did. Why do you think he stayed?

8. Why does Dr. Warthrop tell Will Henry that he has failed and betrayed him? What is Will Henry’s reaction?

9. Why does Dr. Warthrop enlist the help of Dr. John Kearns?

10. What do you think Dr. Kearns means when he says he admires the “aboriginal purity” of the Anthropophagi?

11. In what ways does Kearns believe humans and the Anthropophagi are the same? What does he think is the one significant difference? Do you agree?

12. What do you think about the way Will’s parents died? Do you think Dr. Warthrop was to blame?

13. What do you think of the way Kearn’s uses the prostitute and Will to attract the Anthropophogi? Do you think this is the only way to get their attention?

14. How do you feel about the way Malachi died? Do you feel like this was a good end to his story?

15. Why do you think Dr. Warthrop gave Will a new hat? What is the significance of Dr. Warthrop burning the contents of his father’s trunk and Henry burning his old hat?

16. How does the relationship between Dr. Warthrop and Will Henry change over the course of the story?

17. What do you think makes a good horror story? Do you feel like this book told a good horror story? What is your favorite horror story?