The Dreadful Fate of Jonathan York: A Yarn for the Strange at Heart

By Kory Merritt

Jonathan York has led a boring life – a pointless degree from the community college, a lackluster job at the General Store, and never any desire for something more exciting. But when fate leaves him stranded in a sinister land,
he finds himself seeking an adventure of his own. Along the way he encounters ghoulish thieves, ravenous swamp monsters, a dastardly ice cream conspiracy, and a necromancer bent on human sacrifice.

In this beautifully illustrated, four-color novel, Jonathan York's life takes a decidedly spooky turn!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
• Release date: Oct 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781449474348

Kory Merritt

Kory Merritt is a former public school art teacher from western New York who enjoys reading weird stories, looking for strange wildlife, and drawing creepy monsters. In addition to teaching, Kory previously worked as an illustrator for the online game franchise Poptropica and its spin-off book series.

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Reviews for The Dreadful Fate of Jonathan York

[elizajane_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

OCT 06 - The art is the best thing about this profusely illustrated picture book for older kids. It's creepy and hauntig, a bit scary and gross at times, certainly disturbing and the creatures are the stuff of night mares. I liked it, the colours, dark and cool, purples and blues matched the gothic atmosphere. The story, on the otherhand is somewhat winded taking a long time to get to any point. The whole first part up to where Jonathan can't come up with a story, I struggled with finding it boring and tedious almost wanting to not finish the book. It would hardly have changed the plot had the book started with Jonathan sitting there without a story to tell and the same events would have followed. Thisis where it picked p for me and I started to enjoy the swamp creatures and the antics. There is a moral; Jonathan starts off as a timid person afraid of living and after his adventure he has gained self-confidence and a new joy for live.

[pennylane78 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The Dreadful Fate of Jonathan York by Kory Merritt is quirky, fun, and original. With bits that reminded me of Jim Henson's dark side, Tim Burton, Roald Dahl, and Shel Silverstein, it was right up my alley!

I loved the story-telling, the drawings, the characters, it all breathes life into this imaginative tale of Jonathan York, a man who, has led such a boring life, that even when told all he needs to pay for a room for a night is a story cannot think of one to tell. As he sets out on his own adventure, he meets deliciously devious creatures, overcomes obstacles and learns something about himself. If you are a little strange and quirky yourself, or just love books with strange creatures, you must pick up this book!

[montzaleew · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Dreadful Fate of Jonathan York is a delightful graphic story of a boring man that never has any excitement. He goes for a walk and gets lost in a swamp. He meets odd fellows and finds a place to sleep but the price to stay is a story. He doesn't have a story because his life is a bore. He is kicked out and the adventures begin. Very clever and imaginative. Drawings are too cute. All around, a very great story. Received this book for a honest review from NetGalley.