This last volume of the splendidly gruesome Monstrumologist series depicts sixteen-year-old Will Henry rebelling against the authoritarian rule of his mentor and sometimes nemesis Dr. Pellinor Warthrop more than ever before. Through the last three books, Will has continued to spiral down, down, down into a personal darkness from which he believes there is no salvation. Now a stone cold teenager, Will Henry has to fight to feel anything at all, except when it comes to his childhood sweetheart Lilly Bates. When they meet again as teens, he is instantly smitten, and not pleased to be distracted from his courting by Dr. Warthrop’s new obsession with yet another believed-to-be-extinct monster. But Will can never forget the secret that has dwelled in his blood since the beginning, which casts a shadow on his current bond with Lilly. Soon he is embroiled in a convoluted scheme that ends up turning all his relationships to ash, including the one that has defined him his entire life: his complicated connection to Warthrop. After breaking apart in the most spectacular manner, Will and Warthrop meet one last time, each uncertain about his life and legacy and if the world is big enough to contain them both. This concluding title of the Monstrumologist epic is disappointingly thinner than it’s predecessors in plot and page numbers. The beginning is a bit confusing, as it shifts forward and back in time from the events that lead to Will and Warthrop’s break to their final meeting. In addition, Warthrop’s attempts to secure his latest biologically aberrant prize initially devolves into a shaggy dog mystery that is sometimes difficult to follow. However, once yet another beloved character is killed off, the plot becomes clearer and Yancey pulls off a neat slight of hand identity trick near the end that left me both impressed and very, very relieved. And while the ending feels a little too neat, it also feels absolutely true. I am deeply sorry to see Will Henry and Dr. Warthrop go, as this is without a doubt one of my favorite book series of all time. To follow their horrific adventures from the beginning, start here, go there and there and end here when The Final Descent comes to a library, bookstore or e-reader near you.
I can’t wait until this book comes out! I have been waiting impatiently for almost 8 months now. I think it was your blog originally that I first heard of the books but I never got around to them until just this year and I must agree with you; this is absolutely my favorite series of all time! Thank you so much! I didn’t think anything could top The Hunger Games for me but these book were too amazing! I hope I’m not disappointed by the end. I feel your pain on not wanting these beloved characters to go!
Funny I was just thinking about this book today, wishing that I had it in my hands already, and then I saw that you had posted your review which; this will definitely hold me over this final week of waiting lol. As soon as I’m out of class Tuesday morning I will be dashing to my nearest Barnes & Noble to get my hands on a copy!
The ending was sketchy and confusing. Basically he just made the whole thing up? He isn’t actually William James Henry? >_>
The “author” of the journals was Will Henry, while the real author Yancey wrote as though he had “discovered” Will Henry’s writings. I think Yancey was saying at the end that it was impossible to know the real Will Henry, but that there was a part of him in all of us.
I sort of agree with what Confused said. I didn’t quite understand the ending myself. Was his name really William James Henry? Or did he steal Lilly’s husband’s name? I understood the whole meaning of there is a monster inside all of us, but that still didn’t help clear some stuff up.
The book itself was amazing. Sad, horrific, surprising. I had so many emotions towards Will throughout the book. From sad to angry and feeling betrayed just by how much he had changed from the first one. But mostly though, I just felt really, really sorry for him. Having the life he had, the things he had to put up with and endure. The terrible things he’s seen and had to do. I honestly don’t blame him for turning into what he had become. Its just sad how lonely his life was as well as doomed to live a very long one on top of that. I actually got teary eyed and wanted to do nothing more but to hug the poor guy. :C
Overall I did find a few of the chapters confusing to follow and the identity twist at the end did throw me off. The repeated quotes did get annoying from time. But I did like the book and found everything being put to an end nice and evenly. I give the book 4 stars out of 5.
What happened to Dr. Warthrop? did Will Henry kill him? What happened to the giant snake? What happened????