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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
Bella lettura, anche questa perfetta per il mese di Halloween.
4 stelline e 1/2
4 stelline e 1/2
Disturbingly, unapologetically dark and I loved every second of it. Kiersten White stayed true to the themes of “Frankenstein” while spinning its characters and twisting its plot points in horrifically clever ways. I devoured the refreshingly original layer of complexity she added to characters who are only Victor’s props in “Frankenstein”; this is particularly evident in Elizabeth, whose cold conniving defies her angelic portrayal in the original text. White had a difficult line to walk with Elizabeth — maintaining sympathy for a character who, in this re-telling, is often selfish and manipulative — but she did it with significant nuance and compelling character growth. And in doing so, she raised complicated questions about the extent to which people influence each other and the amount of complicity a person is justified in having before they’re just as guilty as the perpetrator.
The writing was sharp as scalpel blades, though there were occasional spots that I didn’t agree with certain paragraph transitions or sentence structures. In at least one place, I thought it was a little too convenient that Victor didn’t press Elizabeth to answer the question she evaded. And the ending, while overall satisfying, cut off a bit abruptly. I would have liked a little more explanation on that final scene.
Overall, deliciously dark and cunningly crafted. I’ll definitely be recommending this.
The writing was sharp as scalpel blades, though there were occasional spots that I didn’t agree with certain paragraph transitions or sentence structures. In at least one place, I thought it was a little too convenient that Victor didn’t press Elizabeth to answer the question she evaded. And the ending, while overall satisfying, cut off a bit abruptly. I would have liked a little more explanation on that final scene.
Overall, deliciously dark and cunningly crafted. I’ll definitely be recommending this.
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Frankenstein is one of my most favorite books of all time so it was really fun & interesting to experience the story from a different point of view. However, I thought the way White changed Victor's character from the original was a bit too melodramatic & unbelievable. I thought both his & Elizabeth's characters were inconsistent, their personalities shifting to match the needs of the plot which left me feeling very disconnected from them. Throughout a little over half of the book there are consistent flashbacks (usually one per chapter) that felt very fan-fiction to me (I don't know if this will make sense to anyone else but it felt like if someone that really hated John Winchester wrote Supernatural fan fiction about the boys as children). By the last third, though, I thought the novel really came into its own & had me on the edge of my seat. The writing is a bit too juvenile for my personal tastes but it did introduce some interesting ideas (one that has stuck with me: "Not being blameless is not the same as being guilty"). While I never really connected or related to Elizabeth, I was rooting for her by the end. I wish we had explored female rage a bit more but you do have some satisfying developments with her character. I'm not sure I'll ever revisit this one but I am happy to have read it.
Dark, twisty, and sinister AF. I can depend on White for dark, complicated, bad-ass female heroines.
I’ve not read the original, but now I’m tempted. A worthy retelling that I raced through at an (almost) inhuman pace. Strange, that puts me in mind of something…
4.5 stars
This solidified Kiersten White as one of my favorite authors.
This solidified Kiersten White as one of my favorite authors.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Could have be better ? Yes ! Could have been worst ? Also yes ! I only got interested in the book when Elizabeth realised what was happening but I also feel like the author rushed the ending and I would like to know what happened to Victor and what happened after that with Elizabeth , Mary and Adam
I’m probably saying a 3.5 on my scale, but more towards a 3 if I had to pick.
I’d say I was over popular retellings, but my best friend recommended this book to me and I had to read it. I liked and really enjoyed the beginning of the book, the second half got a little too, meh for me. It wasn’t as riveting, and I was starting to drift.
I think the title is misleading, as I seemed to think dark descent meant at the detriment to ones soul. Yet, it didn’t seem like she was learning about herself in the darkness but victor. I thought it was going to be about her journey into the darkness and about how she picked up the needle per se and sewed in victors footsteps. But really it was just a story about an abusive relationship.
I liked the Elizabeth of the beginning of the chapter, as a study in how abuse victims manipulate their circumstances to survive.
I also had unanswered questions and the end, like what the heck happened to Henry’s father? I would have liked to know how a character who was hunting so ardently just gave up.
All in all - it was interesting and I’d suggest the read.
I’d say I was over popular retellings, but my best friend recommended this book to me and I had to read it. I liked and really enjoyed the beginning of the book, the second half got a little too, meh for me. It wasn’t as riveting, and I was starting to drift.
I think the title is misleading, as I seemed to think dark descent meant at the detriment to ones soul. Yet, it didn’t seem like she was learning about herself in the darkness but victor. I thought it was going to be about her journey into the darkness and about how she picked up the needle per se and sewed in victors footsteps. But really it was just a story about an abusive relationship.
I liked the Elizabeth of the beginning of the chapter, as a study in how abuse victims manipulate their circumstances to survive.
I also had unanswered questions and the end, like what the heck happened to Henry’s father? I would have liked to know how a character who was hunting so ardently just gave up.
All in all - it was interesting and I’d suggest the read.