Club Monstrosity by
Jesse PetersenBefore I begin, I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a Netgalley advanced copy of this kooky little book which certainly doesn't hide its intentions to provide pure and unadulterated comedic entertainment. It's quite cheekily successful at it too, if I may say so myself! This book will be available on April 29, 2013.
The basic premise behind Club Monstrosity is the question, What if all the monsters and paranormal creatures that have ever been featured in our favorite books and movies are actually real and living in secret amongst us? Our protagonist Natalie is one such monster -- a Frankenstein's Monster, in fact -- living in New York City. Twice a week, she gets together with other monsters in her Monstofelldosis Anonymous support group in a church basement to talk about all the difficulties faced by your average everyday misunderstood monster, just trying to make it in the big city.
Within their little circle are characters like Dracula AKA Drake the vampire, Kai the Egyptian princess mummy, Alec the fun-loving werewolf, Dr. Jekyll and his brother/other self Mr. Hyde, and Linda the swamp creature. Perhaps unsurprisingly, meeting topics typically revolve around trying to blend in as normal people and not freak out the populace -- that is until one day when their usual group leader Bob the Blob goes missing and Ellis the Invisible Man turns up dead, killed by an angry mob in the same way his character meets his end in the H. G. Wells classic. Suddenly, Natalie and the other monsters find themselves hunted, targeted by a killer bent on taking out their kind by using their own "stories" against them.
Books like these are my go-to for a fun-filled, laugh-inducing read. They may fall short on character development and descriptions (for example, this one seems particularly fond of using the adjective "stupid" a lot) but they make up for that with action and humor. Right from the start, the book boldly plays up the monster tropes and references with plenty of pop culture jokes, often putting the characters in deliciously ironic situations. Natalie the Frankenstein's monster, for example, works at the city morgue as an autopsy assistant. I mean, that's pretty awesome and just the right amount of twisted at the same time.
Whether it's fairy tale re-tellings or in this case providing a satirical take on our beloved literary and movie monsters, I always enjoy it when I see authors attempting different and imaginative spins on classic concepts. All in all, this was a funny and entertaining murder mystery starring a motley crew of eccentric characters, with even a romance thrown in for those who enjoy a cute little love story. Recommended for paranormal fiction fans who are looking to take a break with something fun, easy and light-hearted.
Final verdict:
4 of 5 stars
