Monsterland by Nicholas Jubber is a fascinating exploration of mythical creatures and the legends behind them. Jubber’s unique blend of historical research and personal travel experiences brings these monsters to life, from giants in Cornwall to ogres in Kyoto.

The writing is informative and engaging, making complex myths accessible and enjoyable. This book delves into why these creatures captivate our imaginations and what they reveal about human nature.

Overall, Monsterland is a must-read for fans of mythology and cultural history. Nicholas Jubber offers a captivating journey into the dark and mysterious corners of our world, making it a treasure for readers.

Wasn’t sure what I was getting into here before starting this and I’ve got to admit that from the cover I was expecting something a bit lighter, and in a really good way I was glad I was surprised.

Nicholas Jubber takes us on an expedition around the world to visit the sources of some of the most enduring monster myths, if not the sources at least to places where the monster myth is lived and breathed.

From Cornwall to Kyoto, Nicholas explores the local myths, customs, and festivals that surround a dozen of the worlds monsters, new and old. Looking at their development and dissemination and how they have been embraced and what this means about the human psyche.

As I said at the start I was expecting something lighter but I’m so glad it wasn’t just a quick survey of monsters of the world and it was this more in depth exploration which mirrors Nicholas’ personal journey where he became as involved as he could in the communities and festivals surrounding his research often taking part in the festivals.

This was such a wonderfully written exploration and journey that I really took my time to get the most out of it, absolutely loved this book and the worlds that Nicholas took to.

I’ve had ‘The Fairy Tellers’ by Nicholas on my shelf for such a long time and this has certainly encouraged me to bump it up the TBR pile.

I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jubber's passion for monsters and how they came to be, and what they evolve into is the essence of this book.
It was nice to read about some familiar, and unfamiliar monsters in a vast geographical selection.
The narrative style is engaging, and the structure, although a bit chaotic for my tastes, generally fit the themes well.

I enjoyed this book but have to admit, at times it felt a bit hard going. It’s a lovely mix of folklore and monsters from different countries and cultures so it did interest me but could feel “long” at times. I’d say give it a go and see how you find it.

I did not finish this book, while the premise was interesting the format was too distracting for Me. I will not publicly publish the review.

Thank you to the author and publisher for giving me access to this book.

This book was an excellent find that delivered beyond my expectations.

It isn't a randomly selected collection of monster-related tales linked by a handful of words by the author.

Instead, you are taken on an immersive journey, trekking across multiple countries and through different societies and peoples, all in the name of learning about some of the world's monsters.

Rather than a generic white/western overview, this book offers more of a local view of the monsters. The well-researched and author-experienced context, in addition to relevant historical grounding, enriches our understanding of these monstrous entities.

The reader is led along organically but with enough space to consider the role of humanity's ugliness and depravity upon the existence of monsters. Or furthermore, to consider who the monsters really are in the world.

Additionally, this book discusses the shift in the types of monsters across history, from naturally occurring to the more modern automaton and robot-based.

I would heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in monsters, and I would love to see more of this content from the author. There are plenty of monsters in the world to be written about, after all.


*I received an advance reader copy for free, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review*

Well written book encompassing a great deals of stories about monsters and how they reflect humans' fears and imagination. The author uses examples, coming from different parts of the world, making possible to compare how certain figures are viewed by various culture (the dragon for example).

The structure is helpful, allowing to pick up the book and read one part before letting it aside for a few days without being lost.

The book can be a little tiring to read at times, but I think it is mainly because it concey a lot of information while using a rather fiction's prose (whiwh is good). If you know a lot about folkore and mosnters already, I don't think this book will teach you anything new but it is still an interesting read.

A lovely variety of folklore and monsters from different countries and cultures. An enjoyable read, although it did get a little hard going