The Foundling (Monster Blood Tattoo Book #1)

It's been almost a month since I wrote an article. The reason- Life caught up to me and wasn't going to let me go. But I did get to read. Quite a bit. About this book, it's way better than the title sounds. Take it from me.

Honestly, if there's anything I'm really into, it's either monster hunting or alien attacks. Don't know why it appeals to me, but that's just how I am. Hey, I'm also into a few books about necromancy and some of the whole Angel and Demon fad.

The cover-

Rossamund is a boy with a girl's name. For all his years at the orphanage, he was always teased that his parents thought he was a girl and that he was a weakling just like a girl. Until the day where he was requested by the army to be a lamplighter, lighting the candles at night around the army camps.

Leaving the Orphanage is hard enough, but Rossamund is stuck trying to navigate in unfamiliar territory with his only guide, Fransitart the groundskeeper. 

When he is to board a boat that will take him to a town near to his destination, Rossamund meets a girl also headed for a destination in that area. Her name is Europe, a traveling monster hunter. Well, the trainer of a monster hunter. The real hunter is her partner who could be considered part monster himself.

They together make a duo that kills monsters that are bothering humans. They have a job to take care of in a forest in the province where the boat reaches. 

After finishing a fight and Europe's partner dead, Rossamund accidentally finds out her real identity. In truth, she is nothing like a monster hunter. In fact she has a more powerful role than he could have ever imagined. And since her partner has died, Rossamund is in for a very different occupation.

While traveling with Europe on their various quests, Rossamund is in for the ride of his life, finally realizing that "some people can be downright lethal."

Movie Rating- Rated PG-13 for violence and some disturbing scenes

My thoughts-

One of the most thought provoking monster novels I have ever read. The details are a little hard to grasp when you are beginning the book, but once you are probably half way through the book, you start to understand the amazing ways of Rossamund's world. 

And the last hundred pages are all an Explicarium which explains the workings of the land of the Half-Continent, giving answers to most of your questions throughout the book.

Rossamund is a really interesting character. He and Europe really do make the best team. They are pretty much exact opposites and their fights are what make the book very light at times. But the majority of the book was meant to be a scary novel meant for Halloween time with a very deep meaning.

What I must say is that you are provided with illustrations of the characters and the monsters, so it is actually a bit easier to picture the characters the way the author pictured them. Honestly, the monsters look way scarier when they are drawn than what I imagined. And I never imagined Europe to be the age she is. And Rossamund is described to be older, but in his picture, he looks like a little kid. I finally understand the ripping out hair that some authors might feel like doing when they find that everyone imagines the same character differently. That's why some provide illustrations. But never before have I seen a whole world laid out for me in this way.

I can't wait to get the other books in this series, but I put it on my hiatus list for a while because I have a lot of books to read, both for school and outside of school. And honestly, the stack of books on my desk is like a tower now. I don't even think it could be called a stack. And I bought a few more books to add to my library of a room and plan to buy some more tomorrow. More reviews on those coming up when life decides to let go of me (aka, when I actually manage to finish all my homework and studying. Which is just about never. Hey, I often struggle to find time to write during the day).