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inkwellimps's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
2.75
I wouldn't recommend it to people who are fans of the original book. As a derivative work, I wasn't expecting to be so far astray from the original--Victor in particular I was very bothered by. To give one example early on in the novel,
I do genuinely believe there's a lot that could be said about Elizabeth, or anyone in her position, as someone taken in as a parentified only daughter (as Victor's parents seem to treat her in the original), but I don't think this book is the book to do it. I was eagerly anticipating how White would handle (spoilers for the original book)
For being billed as “The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein”, the majority of the novel portrays Elizabeth as a victim. The darkness in question is mainly Elizabeth trying to make herself appealing to Victor and ||convincing herself she is responsible for Victor’s murders via not knowing he was committing them||. She is rather hastily comforted by a side character, Mary, that she is not at fault. Shortly before this, Mary straight up tells Elizabeth that she is a victim.
I did try to give this novel a chance as its own isolated narrative after getting over that initial surprise, but beyond what it borrows from Shelley, I found it to be mediocre. There was a small moment I was genuinely invested around the 3/4 mark where it is revealed that
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexism, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Child death, Confinement, Body horror, Child abuse, and Death
Minor: Medical content
A few of the "child abuse" instances involve religious abuse.bookb1itch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, Medical content, and Blood
Minor: Forced institutionalization
jomarie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Gore, Forced institutionalization, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Blood, Death, Mental illness, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Pregnancy and Murder
murielreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
At this point simplemente denme la lista de compras del súper de Kiersten que yo la leo a encantada
Graphic: Death, Murder, Blood, and Body horror
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Minor: Toxic relationship and Grief
booksofautumn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Confinement, Gun violence, Murder, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Violence, Abandonment, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Physical abuse, and Toxic friendship
saeruh's review against another edition
3.5
There was just some things I think this book really lacked. Firstly for being a book trying to tell Elizabeth’s story/life rather than the original story’s main character, Victor, I still found that much of the book revolved around him which makes sense since he’s the villain of this one (and also the original Frankenstein but that’s a whole other point). I really wanted to get to know Elizabeth much more in-depthly. I also did not like the ending, I felt like leaving how Elizabeth survives Victor up to the reader’s imagination was lazy. I also felt like much more of the horror aspects could have been featured in this.
However somethings I did like were how funny Mary was in the few chapters (it was a nice dissolving of tensions) and the family/companionship bond formed between Elizabeth, Mary, and Adam by the story’s end. I did really like Elizabeth and her tenacity, I just wish we maybe saw more of her not thinking of Victor and his family.
Moderate: Abandonment, Animal death, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Medical content, and Forced institutionalization
andrikkk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Classism, Deadnaming, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Sexism, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Gore, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Gun violence
Minor: Drug use