Review – A Taste for Monsters by Matthew J. Kirby (4/5 stars)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction
Length: 352 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Release Date: April 24, 2018
ISBN-13: 978-0545817905
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Borrowed from Library
Rating: 4/5 stars
“It’s London 1888, and Jack the Ripper is terrorizing the people of the city. Evelyn, a young woman disfigured by her dangerous work in a matchstick factory with nowhere to go, does not know what to make of her new position as a maid to the Elephant Man in London Hospital. Evelyn wanted to be locked away from the world, like he is, shut away from the filth and dangers of the streets. But in Joseph Merrick, the Elephant Man, she finds a gentle kindred, who does not recoil from her, and who understands her pain.When the murders begin, however, Joseph and Evelyn are haunted nightly by the ghosts of the Ripper’s dead, setting Evelyn on a path to facing her fears and uncovering humanity’s worst nightmares, in which the real monsters are men.”
Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book that I borrowed from the library.
Story (4/5): This was a very unique and well done historical fiction novel with some supernatural elements. I enjoyed the interesting and different characters and watching them solve the mystery behind Jack the Ripper’s killings. There are ghosts in this book, so there is a supernatural theme to it as well.
Characters (4/5): I really loved the unique characters in this book. Both Evelyn and the Elephant Man are somewhat tragic characters that are endearingly human. They are really the feature of the story. The side characters are less well filled out.
Setting (4/5): The majority of the book takes place in the London Hospital, although we do get to venture into the streets of London at certain points. It’s a dark and dreary setting that fits the tone of the book perfectly. I thought it was well done.
Writing Style (4/5): I always enjoy Kirby’s writing style; it’s engaging and easy to read. I enjoyed this book and the writing flowed well, I was completely engaged in the story the whole time and had trouble putting this book down.
My Summary (4/5): Overall this book is well written and engaging and I whipped right through it. I would recommend if you are interested in historical fiction set in London during the Jack the Ripper killings.
