THE ISLE OF BLOOD

The second sequel to Yancey's 2010 Printz Honor Book, THE MONSTRUMOLOGIST, brings listeners back into the point of view of Will Henry, now 13, loyal assistant to aberrant biologist Dr. Pelinore Warthrop. Set in 1889, the novel has a darkly Victorian feel, casting the hunt for the most gruesome of monsters as a scientific quest. Steven Boyer is a master narrator. Although he uses accents sparingly, he captures listeners with his reading agility, even taking a comic turn as Will and his adult cohorts try to free Warthrop from a lunatic asylum. By making the challenging language perfectly clear in context, Boyer smoothes out what could be a bumpy ride. M.M.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2011]