By Kate Genet
I feel like I’ve just been sprinkling five-star reviews here and there lately, but when it comes to books, I’m actually pretty hard to please. It’s been great to read some great books over the past few weeks, and Correa’s Monster Hunter International is no exception.
This book is a lot of fun. I’ve read quite a few novels that try to inject a wry, witty humor into the narrative, and believe me, it’s a lot harder to do that than you think. This book does it. The story is told from the perspective of the protagonist as he first faces the horror of his sleazy boss turning into an angry werewolf, and then discovers that not only werewolves exist, but a plethora of other monsters exist. And where there are monsters, there are organizations to fight them.
Like I said, it was a great adventure. I guess the story could have been written dark and melancholic, but it was well written in a more humorous way. Not to say there weren’t plenty of heart-pounding action scenes to keep you on the edge of your seat.
The characters are great. As the story progresses, we get to know them better and better, just as you would a real person, bit by bit, and this gradual unveiling works well – not only do we, the readers, get to know these characters, but they are also busy discovering themselves – the new monster hunters are quickly learning their abilities and what is important to them.
Monster Hunter International is the kind of book that makes you want to enter the world and become a part of it. I fully believe that I would be pretty useless if I held a sword, or anything sharp that wasn’t used to cut bread, but I wanted to be a new Monster Hunter recruit. I wanted a sense of camaraderie, a sense of solidarity, and I wanted to support my friend as he fought against the Vampire Master. That’s what this book is all about.
This book is long, but it was a breeze to read. There was a lot of story in there, and it didn’t feel out of place or drag. Even though I was biting my nails while reading, I still had a great time. The good news is that this is the first in a series of books, so I’m pretty sure my new best friend will go on to save the world a few times so I don’t have to worry about beasts and ghosts. On the other hand, I think I might want to be a monster hunter. What about you? Read the book and see for yourself.
Order yours here.
score:5/5
