A Taste for Monsters

A Taste for Monsters

By Matthew J. Kirby

"I woke up next to a dead woman. A black fly rested on her open left eye, straddling her lashes ..." With an opening like that how could I resist? I am a fan of history, strong female leads and horror; A Taste for Monsters has it all.

Set in 1888 London our lead, Evelyn, is out of work and on the streets after becoming disfigured in a fire at the matchstick factory where she worked. Looking for a place to hide from the cruel streets she gets a job working at a hospital as the caregiver for Joseph Merrick, otherwise known as the Elephant man. While most people turn from her disfigurement in disgust, Evelyn finds a kindred spirit in Mr. Merrick. 

A combination of historical fiction, horror and mystery this tale of a young woman in the late 1800's intertwines historical facts with spirits and haunting that bring the unlikely pair into the folds of the Jack the Ripper murders.

This story does not shy away from the harsh realities of London's White Chapel district in the late 1800's; prostitution, desperation and death are all on display in the streets. Kirby describes the plight of a woman without position and the cruel treatment of a man with a life threatening disfigurement. As these themes lend themselves to a dark and layered story, this book is not for the faint at heart.

Author Matthew J. Kirby is the winner of the PEN Literary Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature and the Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery.

Book of the Month - June - Front Lines

By Michael Grant

In this alternate history set during World War II, a court decision makes women subject to the draft and eligible for service.  Not just desk jobs, either – they’re going to be on the front lines. This doesn’t mean that everyone is thrilled with the idea, though – there’s still a huge amount of sexism among the general public, and among the troops as well.

Front Lines is told from the viewpoints of three female characters: Rio Richlin is a white teen from a small town in Northern California.  Frangie Marr is a black teen from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Rainy Schulterman is a Jewish teen from New York City.  Each of the three has their own reasons for enlisting in the army, and the book follows them from their days State-side before enlisting, all the way through to the battle of Kasserine Pass in Tunisia.  

Very readable, at times heartbreaking, this is a powerful story of war, and also a commentary on gender expectations and race issues during the early 1940s.  At first glance it seems like a long book – it is 548 pages, after all – but it’s a quick read, and you’ll find yourself turning the pages to see what happens next.  One thing to note, though, there is some language used that may be offensive to some readers – racial slurs and derogatory language towards women.      

Other books like Front Lines: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys