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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’m impressed by historical fiction’s ability to retread the same ground over and over again for hundreds of years and never have anything new to say. Being boring has never been more of a skill.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The author did an excellent job weaving in historical fact with fiction while expertly working in Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" in a way that would make Shelley proud. This modern re-telling honors the strength and affection of women and their place in science. If you want a feminist, queer retelling of Frankenstein with dinosaurs (and you do), look no further.
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Kudos to the author for a concept like “a Frankenstein sequel with dinosaurs, and sapphic” and crafting such a sumptuous tale of women on the margins of their own lives and their own brilliance.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
dark
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I feel the very first thing you must know is its SLOW, put me to sleep slow if I started the audiobook before bed. Sometimes I did it intentionally just to go to sleep (and that's not a good thing) but...BUT...I did enjoy the main character. I was rooting for her the whole time. People have mentioned the sapphic relationship and I feel it was very realistic for the time. Not much happens, but a lot of pining in the head, very few overly romantic scenes but it's subtlety there. At times, Mary and Maisie were the only thing kept me hanging on. As far as Frankenstein is concerned, each chapter had quotes from Mary, Percy Bysshe Shelley, even Lord Byron's poems popped up, so it was atmospheric. Our main character is distantly related to the Frankenstein family and comes across Victor's writings and is inspired to do the same, only closer to dinosaurs, her field of study, than humans. So it does have some interesting concepts, but also a lot just went over my head. I would try the author again, I hope she dives more into atmosphere, gothic vibes, and more sapphic relationships. All three of those were done well but were very subtle. Give us more!
Easily one of the best Frankenstein “spin-offs” I’ve ever read. Gothic. Feminist. Queer. Donosaurs. Yet, struggled with pacing and, while beautifully written, should have been much darker at times.
“Frankenstein, but like, with dinosaurs?”
C.E McGill’s spark of an idea, as they touch on in the afterward, actually fleshes out to be a beautiful and seamless but complex narrative in “Our Hideous Progeny.”
The Victorian tale of the great niece of Dr. Frankenstein forging her way into the scientific community while combating the impossibilities of the female societal role. It’s queer and beautiful. I love the sci fi elements meeting a historical fiction forbidden romance.
I love this truly unique spin on a classic tale.
C.E McGill’s spark of an idea, as they touch on in the afterward, actually fleshes out to be a beautiful and seamless but complex narrative in “Our Hideous Progeny.”
The Victorian tale of the great niece of Dr. Frankenstein forging her way into the scientific community while combating the impossibilities of the female societal role. It’s queer and beautiful. I love the sci fi elements meeting a historical fiction forbidden romance.
I love this truly unique spin on a classic tale.
(april book club pick) 3.5☆
on paper this should've been the perfect book for me, but there was just something a little lacking. one of the main problems i had with reading was the extremely slow start, the main "idea" of the plot takes a good while to be set in motion and then it races to the ending quite quickly. the constant rehashing of the ways in which women scientists (and indeed women in general) were treated also grew a bit tiresome, as once the setting was fully established, i feel like most readers would already have a good understanding of the societal pressures and rules of that particular time period and it started to get a little repetitive for me.
i did love the prose however; it was definitely an enjoyable read, and despite her questionable ethics, i did find myself rooting for mary throughout. i did also appreciate the sapphic representation, but personally, i feel like this story could also have benefited from not having a romance at all.
all in all, i did enjoy reading this although i do wonder if i would've read this in autumn/winter my feelings would be different, as i think this would've been the perfect read for that dreary type of weather and i do believe atmospherics can play a part in my enjoyment of media.
on paper this should've been the perfect book for me, but there was just something a little lacking. one of the main problems i had with reading was the extremely slow start, the main "idea" of the plot takes a good while to be set in motion and then it races to the ending quite quickly. the constant rehashing of the ways in which women scientists (and indeed women in general) were treated also grew a bit tiresome, as once the setting was fully established, i feel like most readers would already have a good understanding of the societal pressures and rules of that particular time period and it started to get a little repetitive for me.
i did love the prose however; it was definitely an enjoyable read, and despite her questionable ethics, i did find myself rooting for mary throughout. i did also appreciate the sapphic representation, but personally, i feel like this story could also have benefited from not having a romance at all.
all in all, i did enjoy reading this although i do wonder if i would've read this in autumn/winter my feelings would be different, as i think this would've been the perfect read for that dreary type of weather and i do believe atmospherics can play a part in my enjoyment of media.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes