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lesserjoke's review against another edition
4.0
After a little bit of a bumpy start, this Frankenstein retelling quickly settles into itself and by the end proves nearly as remarkable as the Mary Shelley classic. Author Kiersten White's primary inspiration is to present the familiar horror narrative from the perspective of Victor Frankenstein's adopted cousin Elizabeth, offering a plausible and compelling take on what this character could have been doing behind the scenes of the original tale. It reminds me somewhat of Megan Shepherd's Madman's Daughter trilogy about Juliet Moreau, but with a much closer relation to the base text in question.
This version of Elizabeth Frankenstein is every bit Victor's equal, a calculating antiheroine who is both drawn and repulsed by his mad science, and she only becomes more interesting as the book progresses and the reader slowly realizes that White is recasting Shelley's protagonist as an unreliable narrator. Thus, this story ultimately asks not only what the seemingly dainty maiden of the classic novel is up to when Victor is not around, but also what Dr. Frankenstein's own motivations might be in how he presents his version of events to the world.
The result is strong enough that it could probably stand fine on its own, but it is best read as an interrogation and feminist critique of the patriarchal values of the original storyline. White places a great deal of emphasis on how women are often brought up in the expectation that they will subsume themselves in a man's desires, and her counter-narrative represents an important reclamation of the space for Elizabeth and the other female characters to pursue their own interests. It's thrilling and insightful in equal measures, and a valuable contribution to the Frankenstein mythos.
This version of Elizabeth Frankenstein is every bit Victor's equal, a calculating antiheroine who is both drawn and repulsed by his mad science, and she only becomes more interesting as the book progresses and the reader slowly realizes that White is recasting Shelley's protagonist as an unreliable narrator. Thus, this story ultimately asks not only what the seemingly dainty maiden of the classic novel is up to when Victor is not around, but also what Dr. Frankenstein's own motivations might be in how he presents his version of events to the world.
The result is strong enough that it could probably stand fine on its own, but it is best read as an interrogation and feminist critique of the patriarchal values of the original storyline. White places a great deal of emphasis on how women are often brought up in the expectation that they will subsume themselves in a man's desires, and her counter-narrative represents an important reclamation of the space for Elizabeth and the other female characters to pursue their own interests. It's thrilling and insightful in equal measures, and a valuable contribution to the Frankenstein mythos.
lissypol's review against another edition
4.0
The dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein really takes the whole Frankenstein series and gives it a twist. It really gives the female characters in the book a voice and gives the book a feminist spin. The main character has a strange-kinda borderline domestic volience relationship with the main character. The guy is ready to snap, but the main character relies very much on him. It's a very interesting book. Overall, a great novel to have on your shelf.
shadowykittenwizard's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Child death, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Stalking, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
dalinarsreads's review against another edition
2.0
where is the dark descent of elizabeth that i was promised.
coco_lolo's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars.
I read this more on a whim than anything, but I didn't expect to actively enjoy The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein so much. I'd only read White's The Conqueror's Saga before this, but she's definitely an author I'll continue to read from.
I adore Frankenstein, and while the author did make a few changes when adapting the text for her novel, I felt how inspired she was by Mary Shelley's original book. And most of the changes she made worked for me. Elizabeth Lavenza was one of the most fascinating YA female narrators I've read from in a while: she was manipulative, calculating, and all so human, and I loved seeing how she perpetually considered which outcomes would be the best for her as her world changed. Through Elizabeth, White explored how difficult it was for women during this time period, and she successfully conveyed this without ever becoming preachy. The story itself was extremely intriguing—I didn't have a problem with the pacing like some readers—and I liked the juxtaposition of past and present. While the story wasn't ever slow, it really picked up in the last third, and I flew through these chapters to see what the outcome would be. Aside from Elizabeth, the character Mary was a delight, and White's take on both Victor and the monster were interesting; I also loved the little found family we got.
My only real quibbles would be that Elizabeth seemed too smart at times—I didn't find it believable how quickly she came to the correct conclusions regarding Victor's work—and the fact that White overused exclamation points. It definitely added to the drama of the story (which is also the case with the original), but this is an issue I continuously have with White's writing, as it often makes dialogue too overdone. Aside from these issues, this was a solid standalone I wouldn't mind reading again.
I read this more on a whim than anything, but I didn't expect to actively enjoy The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein so much. I'd only read White's The Conqueror's Saga before this, but she's definitely an author I'll continue to read from.
I adore Frankenstein, and while the author did make a few changes when adapting the text for her novel, I felt how inspired she was by Mary Shelley's original book. And most of the changes she made worked for me. Elizabeth Lavenza was one of the most fascinating YA female narrators I've read from in a while: she was manipulative, calculating, and all so human, and I loved seeing how she perpetually considered which outcomes would be the best for her as her world changed. Through Elizabeth, White explored how difficult it was for women during this time period, and she successfully conveyed this without ever becoming preachy. The story itself was extremely intriguing—I didn't have a problem with the pacing like some readers—and I liked the juxtaposition of past and present. While the story wasn't ever slow, it really picked up in the last third, and I flew through these chapters to see what the outcome would be. Aside from Elizabeth, the character Mary was a delight, and White's take on both Victor and the monster were interesting; I also loved the little found family we got.
My only real quibbles would be that Elizabeth seemed too smart at times—I didn't find it believable how quickly she came to the correct conclusions regarding Victor's work—and the fact that White overused exclamation points. It definitely added to the drama of the story (which is also the case with the original), but this is an issue I continuously have with White's writing, as it often makes dialogue too overdone. Aside from these issues, this was a solid standalone I wouldn't mind reading again.
cjsowles's review against another edition
5.0
much to think about, at a loss for words at the moment.
faith_a_writes's review against another edition
5.0
My favorite book of this year. This was incredible. Reverent to the source material and yet completely its own. Terrifying. So well-written.
My favorite classic rewritten into my favorite book of 2022 (so far).
My favorite classic rewritten into my favorite book of 2022 (so far).