The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey

The Curse of the Wendigo is the second book in the Monstrumologist series and it succeeded in being even more disturbing than its predecessor. Young Will Henry, assistant and constant companion to the eminent Doctor Pellinore Warthrop, ends up in situations that would be exceedingly harrowing for a grown man, let alone a twelve-year-old. This story is told through his eyes based on a series of journals he wrote as a very old man. The language and prose is indescribably beautiful and vibrant, creating visuals that linger in the mind. Some of the visuals aren’t so pretty. As with the first book, Mr. Yancey does not spare the reader the nasty elements. Despite his penchant for gory description, he keeps the suspense level taut so that there is always a feeling of unease as the reader progresses in the novel. The monster that they seek is a bloodthirsty killer of man with no respect for life and a perverse bent that had me questioning how this book would go over in a junior high school library.

The setting is elegantly and realistically (sometimes nauseatingly so) depicted, immersing the reader in the late 19th Century and hosting a number of real life figures. I was pleasantly surprised to see a young Algernon Blackwood, the writer of the famous story “The Wendigo”, make an appearance. It was readily apparent that Mr. Blackwood’s short story was a strong influence on this novel, and Mr. Yancey did it justice. He expertly captured the evocative imagery, with its titular creature and its relationship with the soul-deep isolation of the wild and how it can change a man’s heart, mind, and body in terrifying ways. Admittedly, this story takes a much more gruesome turn than the original but that plays well in this tale of dark emotions and the struggle against the hopelessness of obsession and lost.

Will Henry makes this book a brilliant piece of fiction. His viewpoint is one of a child, but a child who is no stranger to violence, brutality, and horror. Will exhibits a steadfast devotion to the irascible, arrogant, and often blind-sighted Dr. Warthrop. Because of Will’s love for the doctor, the reader can feel more sympathetic to a man who is typically quite overbearing and aggravating and whose actions often complicate the situations that Will and he end up facing. Will impressed me very much, as he did in The Monstrumologist. He is a very brave young man, with a good heart, showing a keen sense of intelligence and perceptiveness. I admired him so much as I read this story. I found myself wanting to give him a hug and holding my breath as he went from one dangerous situation after the other.

Humor in the interactions of Dr. Warthrop with Will and their relations with others adds lightness to a story that was almost too dark at times with its brutal violence and shocking imagery. It was a welcome relief to laugh and to enjoy the moments of levity when they came.

The Curse of the Wendigo is not a book for the timid. It is dark both in a spiritual and philosophical way and it had some very disturbingly violent scenes and unsettling depictions of how life truly was back in the 19th century for the desperately poor of New York City. I found myself eagerly turning pages as I read but also dreading some scenes, because I knew that Mr. Yancey wouldn’t spare me the ugly details. Despite that fact, I highly recommend this to readers who enjoy a tale of horror with an engaging cast of characters. Will Henry and Dr. Warthrop will certainly entice me back for more of their horrifying adventures.

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (September 13, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416984518
• ISBN-13: 978-1416984511

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Books in the Monstrumologist series in the order they should be read:
The Monstrumologist
The Curse of the Wendigo
The Isle of Blood
The Final Descent

The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey