The Nature of Monsters

by: Clare Clark

Published by: Harcourt Books

Reviewed by Diana Bocco

The novel, set in 18th-century London, follows the story of a young pregnant girl who is sold by her mother to work with an eccentric researcher. As Eliza finds out later, her master is not only a strange man –He’s also a sadistic predator who will stop at nothing to test his scientific theories.

I don’t normally read historicals, so I approached The Nature of Monsters with a skeptical eye. By the end of Chapter 1, however, I had forgotten the setting of the book and was completely enraptured by the story.

Eliza, the main character, is the perfect voice for the book. Born in poverty and in a rural setting, she is marveled by the things she sees in the big city, and the author makes sure we get to experience those sensations along with Eliza.

The book is raw at times and some sections are so vivid with violence and rage that I was tempted to skip them just to avoid the mental images. On the other hand, we are also shown kindness and beauty and softness, and it’s in the contrasts like this that the book becomes so memorable.

My strongest memory, however, is of the city itself. Maybe because I was in London recently or maybe because the author is just brilliant, but it’s the memory of the dark, damp, menacing streets that stayed with me long after I finished reading the book.

Armchair Interviews says: If you love historical fiction, or if you just love extraordinary writing, give this book a chance.