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katharina90's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.0
Uncomfortable and cringey. Not just problematic but also poorly written with unlikeable characters and terrible dialogue. I came very close to DNF'ing but I'm stubborn.
Can't for the life of me figure out how any of this got approved, but I suspect it's yet another novel where readers are just not bothered by sexual violence and breeches of consent as long as they're being committed by a female character. Disturbing.
Also not sure why the author chose to write this pseudo-historical fiction in which not a single character acts appropriately for the Georgian setting. Just do a modern retelling then?
Can't for the life of me figure out how any of this got approved, but I suspect it's yet another novel where readers are just not bothered by sexual violence and breeches of consent as long as they're being committed by a female character. Disturbing.
Also not sure why the author chose to write this pseudo-historical fiction in which not a single character acts appropriately for the Georgian setting. Just do a modern retelling then?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Body shaming, Sexism, Sexual assault, Classism, and Death
Minor: Stalking, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
Theft/sale and mutilation of corpses. Complete disregard for consent. Objectification of bodies. Dehumanization and human chattel/pet vibes.cgreenstein's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I could not get over the premise of the book. The idea of creating an ideal person for yourself specifically so that you can marry them and live out your fantasy imaginings? It's too manipulative for me. And while I appreciate that Angelika did mature over the course of the book, I don't understand why Will was attracted to her beyond the basic "she's pretty." She didn't share any of his values or priorities, and she resurrected him and made him out of body parts without his consent, and then when he was in immense pain and complete shock at being alive and having no memories, her move was to try to pressure him into physical intimacy that he said he didn't want. It's hard to root for a romance heroine who behaves like that.
I've read a number of other reviews that objected to the faith vs. science themes in the book, and I actually appreciated the attempt at pulling those into the narrative. I have objections to the details and the framing and the implications and other things about the way it was done, but given that this is a Frankenstein retelling, those tensions (which do not have to exist at all, as science and faith are wholly compatible, but that's a topic for another book review) belong in the narrative. The Frankenstein homage would be incomplete without them. Also, a ton of modern people are religious, but modern books that aren't explicitly Christian tend to either ignore religion or cast it as a negative force where believers are either destructive or duped, and I liked that this book acknowledged that religion isn't a joke, that it does exist, and that there are smart and kind people who believe in God.
But yeah this book was not my thing. I loved Sally Thorne's first and third novels, so I'll read her next book for sure, and it's okay that I really did not like this one.
I've read a number of other reviews that objected to the faith vs. science themes in the book, and I actually appreciated the attempt at pulling those into the narrative. I have objections to the details and the framing and the implications and other things about the way it was done, but given that this is a Frankenstein retelling, those tensions (which do not have to exist at all, as science and faith are wholly compatible, but that's a topic for another book review) belong in the narrative. The Frankenstein homage would be incomplete without them. Also, a ton of modern people are religious, but modern books that aren't explicitly Christian tend to either ignore religion or cast it as a negative force where believers are either destructive or duped, and I liked that this book acknowledged that religion isn't a joke, that it does exist, and that there are smart and kind people who believe in God.
But yeah this book was not my thing. I loved Sally Thorne's first and third novels, so I'll read her next book for sure, and it's okay that I really did not like this one.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual harassment
pagebypaigebks's review against another edition
4.0
“I feel like I live in a crack between worlds, and sometimes I feel like I might die inside it.”
I'd like to thank HarperCollins Canada for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
I've also posted this review on Instagram and my blog.
Instagram Post
Blog Post
Content Warnings: violence, death, mentions of sexual harassment
The classic Frankenstein is so intriguing, with its moral and ethical commentary and exciting sci-fi elements. That's why I was excited to read a more romantic take on this well known story. I had a lot of fun reading this! Angelika starts off as a very unlikeable character, but I enjoyed seeing her grow as time went on. I found myself enjoying her character more and more, and her quirks were what made her loveable! The mystery of who Will truly was before he died was an exciting subplot. Seeing Angelika, Will, and Victor uncover bits and pieces of Will's past life really picked up the pace of the story. Overall the romance was fun to read about but I wasn't a huge fan of the love triangle. Will and Angelika's chemistry also felt a bit like it came out of nowhere but looking past that, they were really cute together! The writing flowed nicely and I felt that the beginning of the book was particularly strong. I listened to the audiobook and definitely recommend it, the narrator does a great job of capturing the essence of each character. A cute and romantic retelling of the gothic classic.
I'd like to thank HarperCollins Canada for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
I've also posted this review on Instagram and my blog.
Instagram Post
Blog Post
Content Warnings: violence, death, mentions of sexual harassment
The classic Frankenstein is so intriguing, with its moral and ethical commentary and exciting sci-fi elements. That's why I was excited to read a more romantic take on this well known story. I had a lot of fun reading this! Angelika starts off as a very unlikeable character, but I enjoyed seeing her grow as time went on. I found myself enjoying her character more and more, and her quirks were what made her loveable! The mystery of who Will truly was before he died was an exciting subplot. Seeing Angelika, Will, and Victor uncover bits and pieces of Will's past life really picked up the pace of the story. Overall the romance was fun to read about but I wasn't a huge fan of the love triangle. Will and Angelika's chemistry also felt a bit like it came out of nowhere but looking past that, they were really cute together! The writing flowed nicely and I felt that the beginning of the book was particularly strong. I listened to the audiobook and definitely recommend it, the narrator does a great job of capturing the essence of each character. A cute and romantic retelling of the gothic classic.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Violence
Minor: Sexual harassment
markedwithanm's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Death, and Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Pregnancy
Minor: Death of parent and Infertility
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