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jocelyn73c's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
emzhay's review
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Transphobia, Ableism, Child abuse, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Murder, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Outing, Lesbophobia, and Sexism
Minor: Incest
atlasshrugged's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Blood, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, and Racism
aresfultz's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
abbie_'s review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
3.0
I felt like I needed something a little easier to read in the early days of January, when my brain was mushy from work, so I turned to some fantasy/horror-esque fiction in the form of this queer biracial retelling of Frankenstein! It delved deeper into themes of identity & belonging than I expected, but at the same time, didn’t go quite deep enough to be satisfying. It was an enjoyable read in that it was entertaining, but it hasn’t stuck with me hugely.
The main part that does stick with me now, three weeks after finishing it, is the disbelief I felt at one of the main turning points of the novel. Dr Frank has perfected her embryo and is almost ready to implant into Hannah, when she realises her now-evil (again, a bit lacklustre in the development there) brother has fertilised it. Blinded by her ambition, she lies to Hannah and implants it anyway, putting a piece of Ezra into her partner without her consent?!?! Hello?? This seems so out of character. Like you just spent months creating this embryo, literally just do it again. The risk vs reward is not adding up here. I know that the ‘monster’ (Ash in this case, the nonbinary offspring created by Dr Frank) needed motive to become so, but lord it was hard to suspend my disbelief there.
I did really like the little peek into Indonesian culture, specifically with regard to Bugis society where there are five recognised genders. The gender identity aspects of the novel were the most compelling, along with the limits of scientific research, ethics, and how far people are willing to go in the name of ambition.
A little forgettable, sometimes questionable, not mad I read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Body horror, Transphobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Ableism, and Abandonment
Sexual violence here refers tospacey_ghost's review against another edition
3.0
Had me at “queer biracial Frankenstein”!!! Blended all the elements of the original story perfectly with modern science. Very good discussions on identity and family trauma. The ending felt a bit rushed right in that last chapter but otherwise, very solid read
eyelit's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
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
3.75
haleysheridan's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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
3.25
lizshayne's review
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I love Frankenstein but I don't always like Frankenstein and it is somewhat unfair to this book that some of the places where I think it is least successful is in the places where it feels beholden to Frankenstein. The gender bending is deeply fascinating - both in the number of bad fathers that carries right on the legacy of Frankenstein - and in the shift from creation without a mother in the original to creation without a father.
And I appreciate that it does not, as a book, want easy answers to the messy question of the queer relationship with the monster. And there is still something very strange to me about characters familiar with Frankenstein and then making the same stupid mistakes. RIP Vic but I'm different indeed.
My biggest critique is the subplot with Ezra, which I suppose is necessary for the betrayal aspect of the story but adds so little other than to give a space for Ash to act out the very real murder monstrosity of the original and this book--like Shelley's, come to think of it--is ENTIRELY unprepared to grapple with the enormity of murder and what it means to go on.
I do, however, appreciate that this book and I appear to agree that the turning point in the text is when Frankenstein is asked to make the monster a partner. Community, people.
And I appreciate that it does not, as a book, want easy answers to the messy question of the queer relationship with the monster. And there is still something very strange to me about characters familiar with Frankenstein and then making the same stupid mistakes. RIP Vic but I'm different indeed.
I do, however, appreciate that this book and I appear to agree that the turning point in the text is when Frankenstein is asked to make the monster a partner. Community, people.