--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One lesson I learned from 'The…" description: "\"One lesson I learned from 'The Monstrumologist' was never to get too attached to your own characters. That's harder in practice than in theory. At the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/rick-yancey-831_attached_one-lesson-i-learned-from-the-monstrumol_1594438.jpg" --- # One lesson I learned from 'The Monstrumologist' was never… ![“One lesson I learned from 'The Monstrumologist' was never to get too attached to your own characters. That's harder in practice than in theory. At the end of the third book - which coincided with the end of my contract - I was an emotional wreck. I mourned Will Henry and Warthrop.” quote by Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/rick-yancey-831_attached_one-lesson-i-learned-from-the-monstrumol_1594438.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/rick-yancey-831_attached_one-lesson-i-learned-from-the-monstrumol_1594438.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/rick-yancey-831_attached_one-lesson-i-learned-from-the-monstrumol_1594438.jpg) > “One lesson I learned from 'The Monstrumologist' was never to get too attached to your own characters. That's harder in practice than in theory. At the end of the third book - which coincided with the end of my contract - I was an emotional wreck. I mourned Will Henry and Warthrop.” [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attachment to fictional characters can become emotionally intense, especially when a series ends. **In simple terms:** Losing characters feels like personal loss. Key Takeaway Allow yourself grief but keep perspective. Themes attachment fiction emotional health Mood melancholic thoughtful Type literary emotional When to use this quote - reading a series - writing fanfiction - creative workshops Key Concepts character empathy narrative closure Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate fictional from real grief? - Can this attachment inspire deeper storytelling? A Different Perspective Some may argue that fictional bonds are harmless. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attached](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attached/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) [Contract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contract/) [Emotional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional/) [Emotional Wreck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional-wreck/) [End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Harder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harder/) [Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/henry/) [Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learned/) [Learned Monstrumologist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learned-monstrumologist-6049759/) [Lesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lesson/) [Lesson learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lesson-learned/) [Monstrumologist Attached](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monstrumologist-attached-6049758/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/own/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) [Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory/) [Third](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/third/) [Too](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) [Wreck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wreck/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [I was an emotional wreck even as a young child, fearful and tearful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/i-was-an-emotional-wreck-even-as-a-young-child-fearful-and-tearful/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“Snap to, Will Henry!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/snap-to-will-henry/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [I cut myself to numb the pain that you left me in. 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I've always loved the Olympics, be it the summer or the winter Olympics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryn-terfel/when-i-watch-the-olympics-i-become-such-an-emotional-wreck-i-ve/) [Bryn Terfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryn-terfel/) > [Dont worry about me, please. Really I'm F. fucked up I. insecure N. nervosa E. emotional wreck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/broken-soul/dont-worry-about-me-please-really-i-m-f-fucked-up-i-insecure-n/) [Broken Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/broken-soul/) > [The first time we did cavalry charge I was so breathless with excitement I nearly fell off the horse. I actually saw stars in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/the-first-time-we-did-cavalry-charge-i-was-so-breathless-with/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [Dad was just an emotional wreck. He was drinking a lot of the time, he was smoking a lot of pot. And because he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-osbourne/dad-was-just-an-emotional-wreck-he-was-drinking-a-lot-of-the-time-he/) [Jack Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-osbourne/) > [“She was disappointed in herself for being the typical girl. She never wants to be that girl. That girl…is an emotional wreck. That girl…was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iesha-s-walker/she-was-disappointed-in-herself-for-being-the-typical-girl-she-never/) [Iesha S. Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iesha-s-walker/) > [I'm the father of two boys and two girls, so I'm more an emotional wreck than a mushball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-wahlberg/i-m-the-father-of-two-boys-and-two-girls-so-i-m-more-an-emotional/) [Mark Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-wahlberg/) ## More by Rick Yancey > [“Don't you get it yet? The minute we decide that one person doesn't matter anymore, they've won."..."Beneath a sky crowded with a billion stars.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/don-t-you-get-it-yet-the-minute-we-decide-that-one-person-doesn-t/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [The way we learn to write is the way we learn to talk: We listen to others and start mimicking speech, and that's how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/the-way-we-learn-to-write-is-the-way-we-learn-to-talk-we-listen-to/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [I have a very low tolerance for boredom and often think I would have missed out on books entirely if Id grown up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/i-have-a-very-low-tolerance-for-boredom-and-often-think-i-would-have/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [There are things that are too terrible to remember, and there are things that are almost too wonderful to recall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/there-are-things-that-are-too-terrible-to-remember-and-there-are/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [I've loved sci-fi and speculative fiction since I was a kid. It was inevitable I'd try my hand at it at some point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/i-ve-loved-sci-fi-and-speculative-fiction-since-i-was-a-kid-it-was/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [“I can’t leave him. I made a promise.” I start to explain it, but I don’t even know how to begin. How do I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/i-can-t-leave-him-i-made-a-promise-i-start-to-explain-it-but-i-don-t/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [“That's my big problem. That's it! Before the Arrival,guys like Evan Walker never looked twice at me, much less shot wild game for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/that-s-my-big-problem-that-s-it-before-the-arrival-guys-like-evan/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [I'm one, too," he said. "What?" He spit a wad of blood and mucus into the dirt. "A virgin." What a shock. "What makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/i-m-one-too-he-said-what-he-spit-a-wad-of-blood-and-mucus-into-the/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [Good God, man, what is that smell?" He eyed with disgust the doctor's filthy cloak. "Life," answered the doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/good-god-man-what-is-that-smell-he-eyed-with-disgust-the-doctor-s/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [“He drops into the room, landing on the balls of his feet like a cat. I'm in his arms in the time it takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/he-drops-into-the-room-landing-on-the-balls-of-his-feet-like-a-cat-i/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [“All things do happen for a reason... . Is this not the foundation of our faith? 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Said his prayer with him. “‘Now I lay me down to sleep…’” To me, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/i-brought-sammy-inside-and-put-him-to-bed-said-his-prayer-with-him/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [A moment comes in war when the last line must be crossed. The line that separates what you hold dear from what total war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/a-moment-comes-in-war-when-the-last-line-must-be-crossed-the-line/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) [Explore all 342 Rick Yancey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) ## More Attached quotes > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [“With no name attached to it, the place somehow declared itself nowhere and everywhere at the same time”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-p-knave/with-no-name-attached-to-it-the-place-somehow-declared-itself-nowhere/) [Adam P. Knave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-p-knave/) > [“Sometimes, we are so attached to our way of life that we turn down a wonderful opportunity simply because we don't know what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/sometimes-we-are-so-attached-to-our-way-of-life-that-we-turn-down-a/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“For the creator must be a world for himself, and find everything within himself, and in Nature to which he has attached himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/for-the-creator-must-be-a-world-for-himself-and-find-everything/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [I don't want to get attached to anyone anymore. It only destroys me in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-want-to-get-attached-to-anyone-anymore-it-only-destroys-me-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I definitely feel more attached to Kolkata than anywhere else in India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-guha/i-definitely-feel-more-attached-to-kolkata-than-anywhere-else-in-india/) [Isa Guha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-guha/) > [“When you think it is you who are doing something, that is when you get attached to how it all works out in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-viljoen/when-you-think-it-is-you-who-are-doing-something-that-is-when-you-get/) [Edward Viljoen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-viljoen/) > [I get emotionally attached to someone if I talk to them on the street corner for five minutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/i-get-emotionally-attached-to-someone-if-i-talk-to-them-on-the-street/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [People always leave as soon as you get attached.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-always-leave-as-soon-as-you-get-attached/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I farm - there is something visceral about being attached to the land. 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I do my own laundry most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-lerner/i-farm-there-is-something-visceral-about-being-attached-to-the-land-i/) [Sandra Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-lerner/) > [The problem with getting attached to someone: When they leave, you just feel lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-problem-with-getting-attached-to-someone-when-they-leave-you-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/when-one-tugs-at-a-single-thing-in-nature-he-finds-it-attached-to-the/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [I'm a big advocate of a work-for-pay setup rather than an allowance that isn't attached to chores - it's a great way to impart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/i-m-a-big-advocate-of-a-work-for-pay-setup-rather-than-an-allowance/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [The longer we stay in Hell, the more we become attached to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-longer-we-stay-in-hell-the-more-we-become-attached-to-it/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I'm very attached to my family and protective of them and miss them, and that situation, my connection with that can make me become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-cliff/i-m-very-attached-to-my-family-and-protective-of-them-and-miss-them/) [Jimmy Cliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-cliff/) [Browse all 425 Attached quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attached/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One lesson I learned from 'The Monstrumologist' was never to get too attached to your own characters. That's harder in practice than in theory. At the end of the third book - which coincided with the end of my contract - I was an emotional wreck. 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