Giants and dragons and oni’s, oh my!

Nicholas Jubber leads the reader on an immersive global tour hunting the monsters that haunt our nightmares in Monsterland.

Each chapter begins with a short traditional folk story that introduces one of twelve mythical monsters, and the place and people to whom they belong.

Starting in Cornwall, England among the giants, Jubber then takes us with him to a village in Bavaria that worships a dragon; to Japan’s capital to visit the shrine of a beheaded ogre; to the Scottish Orkney Isles in search of Selkies; to a controversial ceremony in Morocco to exorcise the Jinn; to Louisiana in the USA to learn the legend of the rougarou; to Mexico to celebrate the Day of the Dead; to listen to stories about vampires in Croatia and Serbia; to understand the history of the Haitian Zombie; to the Swiss castle that inspired Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; to Prague where the term ‘robot’ was coined; and finally to Hiroshima where Godzilla was born in the shadow of the Atomic bomb.

I enjoyed traveling with Jubber who writes eloquently of his experiences in the places that he visits. I found the history of the monsters among the various cultures, some whose roots are centuries old, some more recent, to be interesting. I learned that universally, monsters express people’s fears, and desires, from storms to strangers, escape to success. They are a way to explain the inexplicable, from sudden death to missing socks, they are the things we can’t control like mental health issues, or a means of diverting responsibility for mistakes or misfortune. Monsters are essentially distorted images of ourselves, and they are one of the things that makes us human.

Part travelogue, part cultural history lesson, part psychosocial analysis, Monsterland is an illuminating and fascinating journey into the darkness of humanity. Highly recommended if your interest is piqued by any of these subjects.

With reservations, I enjoyed Nicholas Jubber's previous book, The Fairy Tellers, a delve into the people responsible for bringing us the odd assemblage we know as fairy stories – and, in many cases, the people responsible for ripping them off and stealing the credit. And you can see exactly how a book about monsters, and the stories behind them, might have felt like the perfect follow-up, but at the same time there's an unease, isn't there? Not so much over the teeth and claws, but an awareness that this is a larger and less manageable theme, a tougher one to corral. Jubher adopts a perfectly sensible organising principle: four sections look at big beasts, shapechangers, the undead, and modern monsters, with three examples of each. But it can't help feeling pat in some places, arguable in others, and by the end even his own kids are openly dissing his selection. And, alas, one is inclined to side with them. The Fairy Tellers, as a project of the early 2020s, was necessarily more of a research gig, but before that, Jubber was largely a travel writer. When he gets back on the road here, though, what becomes apparent is that he doesn't seem terribly good at it. Partly I mean that in purely practical terms; he keeps on turning up when places are closed, failing to call ahead, or in one instance thinking he's booked a place at a hotel which was in fact wrecked by a hurricane some time previously. Worse than that, though, when he goes somewhere I've been, I don't get that delighted thrill which should result if you're in good hands, an alloy of pleasant familiarity with a new angle or insight. Rather, I feel disappointment at a take at once sillier and flatter than I could manage myself. Yes, Shinjuku has neon and sleaze, but the Blade Runner clichés here could never clue you in that you're just as likely to find senior citizens doing a traditional dance under Godzilla's watchful head. And when he talks about Kyoto as "an artificial vision, a re-creation of past glories, like the luminous painted faces of the geishas gliding between the shuttered wooden houses of the Gion Quarter", I became actively annoyed. Things burned down; people liked them as they were, so they rebuilt them on much the same lines. Would he say the same of Bath, or Notre-Dame, because they weren't replaced with some ugly new concrete?

And this is the broader problem here too, received opinions insufficiently examined. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if this happened to be your first time thinking about these themes, but I'm not sure who would be in that position; how many people are going to pick up a book about monsters without having already encountered basic notions like the monster as debased form of the gods of the old religion, or a dramatisation of fears of the other? Yes, you probably can't address this topic without a glance at that damp post-volcanic summer in the Villa Diodati, but either find something new to add, or at least hurry it up. I don't even want to pick up on the little glitches, like when he doesn't query the fan saying "Nobody messes with Gojira" despite decades of content based around everyone doing exactly that, or the passing mention of "the steel-clawed Wolverine", because the problem runs deeper. Every so often, thank heavens, Jubber does hit on something novel, or else I'd likely not have persevered. The dragon chapter is a highlight, with a visit to the Bavarian town of Furth im Wald, which in legend was menaced by such a beast but has now taken him as a mascot and focus for the community, complete with a grand parade and what sounds like a very impressive mechanical replica. Similarly, when he investigates jinn, Jubber ends up as a fairly rare outside presence at an esoteric Sufi rite, and offers a fascinating dispatch from a hidden world. Even the chapter on robots, while I'm not totally sure it belongs here, offers the horribly appropriate detail that Karel Capek's brother Josef, who suggested the old Czech word that would be taken up around the world, himself died as a dehumanised labourer in the Nazi camps (also, that the fascists turned up to arrest Karel even though he was already dead, and refused to believe that he was; good to know their supposed efficiency was a myth that time around as well). Maybe more time and more thought could have given us a book with more like this, which I wouldn't hesitate to recommend. But the exigencies of modern publishing means that instead they're gems scattered amongst some fairly by-the-numbers stuff.

(Netgalley ARC)

I must admit that I did not read this book all in one go. I have been dipping in and our of it when I had a spare moment inbetween other tasks. This was probably the best way to read this book and keep it fresh. The research seems impecable and I learnt a lot. Great bedside book if you do not suffer from nightmares.

I have reviewed Monsterland for book sales and recommendation site LoveReading.co.uk

I have chosen it as both a LoveReading Star Book and a Liz Pick of the Month.

Please see the link for the full review.

I expected to find this book interesting, but to find something fascinating and so enjoyable was a pleasure!

I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher. This is part travel, part history and explores monsters across different countries, their origin stories, how they’ve influenced popular culture and how their myths have spread.

We explore vampires, giants, dragons as well as Oni, robots, Frankenstein. Looking at not just monsters from folklore, but those created by humans. I was primed to like this as I do enjoy tales of monsters, but the author has brought this strikingly to life. This was absolutely fascinating. We see the author’s own travels as he investigates these tales in the lands they originate from. Often, not where they have become popularised, but where their roots are.

Whether you’re a fan of monsters, enjoy travel writing or just want to learn more about this subject, this is a thoroughly enjoyable read.

A book that does exactly what I expected of it, and exactly as well as I'd hoped. Our author knows of monsters – and goes in search of them, whether they be terrifying giants, mighty dragons or hellish ogres – and that's just the first part of this book. Of course he doesn't literally go in search of them – he's not still there, overlooking Orkney coastlines in hope of a selkie offering herself to him; he has to insist to someone in Louisiana he's not actually hoping to spot a rougarou. But he went to find the storytellers who keep the legends of these beasties alive, and the people who see these characters in their wayside shrines and statuary – and shop windows. He knows of monsters, I declared, but we all do – these are so well-known to us, they're a part of our nature. But it could be a part we are in danger of losing touch with, and – if perhaps we're of a particular Christian mindset – they could be something we want to stamp out. Seeing what it's like to live with these monsters in the corner of our mind if not our eyes, in all different parts of the world, is the purpose of this book.

So yes, he visits a Cornwall full of dents from striding giants, and mounds where they've settled down for a very long sleep. He meets a Bavarian dragon, and in Kyoto follows mountain trails once trod by oni in all their creepy guile. Jinn turn up, as do Mexican ghosts, and vampires – and a certain monster birthed in a thunderstorm on the shores of Lake Geneva. All told it's a very clever mix of travel documentary, exploration of the world's monsters, and a look into the power of storytelling – with the help of anything from a kind of griot to Shelley and the author who gave us robots. This definitely leans towards being monstrously good.

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