Book Review: Monsterland: A Journey Around the World’s Dark Imagination by Nicolas Jubber
Genre: Non-Fiction – Horror – History - Folklore
Age: Adult
Format: ebook
This is the second book I’ve read from Nicholas Jubber, with the first focusing on fairy tellers (such as Anderson, the Grimms, and lesser-known names), so I was definitely intrigued by what Jubber explores in Monsterland, and curious if it would have a similar approach. It both does and doesn’t; both books examine the topics and introduce them with a story, but whereas in The Fairy Tellers it felt like Jubber was very much on his own exploration, unearthing information and conducting the odd interview about the individuals he was writing about, Monsterland feels more of a community affair.
Both books deal with folklore, but in Monsterland we take a fairly deep dive into the geographical and social context that gave rise to specific monsters, from giants to vampires to Godzilla. Jubber breaks down the history behind these monsters, then focuses in on particular areas, drawing attention to how the landscape has shaped the folklore passed on through generations. And he gets involved in the communities he’s writing about, participating in festivals or making the most of his time by talking to what seems like anyone who’ll give him the time of day.
It's an excellent combination of travel and history writing, and Jubber brings these places to life in such a way you can almost see the monster travelling through. There’s a lot of context and reasons behind the creation of these monsters, and it’s clearly an area Jubber is enthusiastic about. I love reading about the context behind horror, and considering the way society at the time influences the horror we consume. Jubber does a brilliant job here of expanding on exactly that, from the origins of giants in the south of England to the creation of Frankenstein and Godzilla, and the specific influences that gave rise to all these monsters.
If, like me, you’re always intrigued about why we’re scared of the things we’re scared of, yet drawn to them all the same, and why we celebrate the monsters who serve as antagonists in many stories, you’ll definitely enjoy Monsterland, and find it well worth checking out as I did.
Review by Elle Turpitt
Twitter: @elleturpitt
Bluesky: @elleturpitt.bsky.social
I received this ebook from Scribe UK for review consideration.
