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.

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*

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.

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.

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.