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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
female rage, vigilante justice, don't come between a woman and her creature, only One man that doesn't suck but it's probably only because of racism, I've never read of a more useless husband.. and they were roommates! (upset they never kissed /:)
ps Victor IS a wimp
pps I usually skip or skim authors notes, but this one is worth reading
ps Victor IS a wimp
pps I usually skip or skim authors notes, but this one is worth reading
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
“A monster is simply something . . . irregular, isn’t it? Something strange?”
Gothic vibes and feminine rage—what more could you ask for? The women in this story are trapped in suffocating Victorian roles, and their frustrations feel so real that I couldn’t help but feel angry on their behalf. Mary challenges societal norms with a fierce determination that has you rooting for her, even when her choices veer into morally grey territory.
Much like the original Frankenstein, this book poses the question: What is a monster? Who’s truly monstrous? Is it us? The stitched-together creature? Or the oppressive systems of society?
Gothic vibes and feminine rage—what more could you ask for? The women in this story are trapped in suffocating Victorian roles, and their frustrations feel so real that I couldn’t help but feel angry on their behalf. Mary challenges societal norms with a fierce determination that has you rooting for her, even when her choices veer into morally grey territory.
Much like the original Frankenstein, this book poses the question: What is a monster? Who’s truly monstrous? Is it us? The stitched-together creature? Or the oppressive systems of society?
"But I have never been a sensible soul. I have only, ever, always, been angry."
"Every man is Shakespeare when he's the only one in London with a pen."
To anyone looking for reviews to see whether to DNF (because I almost did), please don't, keep going, it's so worth it.
Basically my only critique of this book is that it was too slow to get into, but if you're picking this up you probably like classics, so hopefully that won't bother you too much.
Mary Frankenstein is the great-niece of good ol' Victor Frankenstein. She would be an established scientist, if the sexist societies in the 1850's would allow her, and she definitely has the knowledge and a love of fossils. When her husband, Henry, continues to get them into debt, and causing scenes at the scientific society events, they know they need something big to make a comeback. It's then that she finds her great-uncle's old letters and notes he hid from the world, and they set off trying to follow in his footsteps.
This is one of the only historical fiction books I have read recently that actually makes something out of the oppression women go through. I've been very tired of reading 'feminist' books where it's just women suffering for 400 pages. Mary is angry, she's loud, she's unapologetic, and she refuses to let men decide her fate. I love her. This book does not make excuses for Henry, it doesn't pull punches with how horrible he can be to all of the women in his life (and he's one of the 'good' ones!)
Segway in to his sister, Maisie (my love). This is one of the best treatments of chronic illness I've read, and one of the few that hasn't made me angry to read it. We see how everyone has let her down, and her strength and stubbornness in continuing to push through pain everyday. Her and Mary's friendship coming together through their loneliness is beautifully done, and had me teary a couple of times.
This is an excellent retelling. It captures the grotesque fascination, the humanity, the loneliness, the need for friendship, the scientific obsession, and the question of god and life that Frankenstein did, so beautifully.
Wholeheartedly recommend.
Thank you to doubleday books for my review copy.
"Every man is Shakespeare when he's the only one in London with a pen."
To anyone looking for reviews to see whether to DNF (because I almost did), please don't, keep going, it's so worth it.
Basically my only critique of this book is that it was too slow to get into, but if you're picking this up you probably like classics, so hopefully that won't bother you too much.
Mary Frankenstein is the great-niece of good ol' Victor Frankenstein. She would be an established scientist, if the sexist societies in the 1850's would allow her, and she definitely has the knowledge and a love of fossils. When her husband, Henry, continues to get them into debt, and causing scenes at the scientific society events, they know they need something big to make a comeback. It's then that she finds her great-uncle's old letters and notes he hid from the world, and they set off trying to follow in his footsteps.
This is one of the only historical fiction books I have read recently that actually makes something out of the oppression women go through. I've been very tired of reading 'feminist' books where it's just women suffering for 400 pages. Mary is angry, she's loud, she's unapologetic, and she refuses to let men decide her fate. I love her. This book does not make excuses for Henry, it doesn't pull punches with how horrible he can be to all of the women in his life (and he's one of the 'good' ones!)
Segway in to his sister, Maisie (my love). This is one of the best treatments of chronic illness I've read, and one of the few that hasn't made me angry to read it. We see how everyone has let her down, and her strength and stubbornness in continuing to push through pain everyday. Her and Mary's friendship coming together through their loneliness is beautifully done, and had me teary a couple of times.
This is an excellent retelling. It captures the grotesque fascination, the humanity, the loneliness, the need for friendship, the scientific obsession, and the question of god and life that Frankenstein did, so beautifully.
Wholeheartedly recommend.
Thank you to doubleday books for my review copy.
Close, but no cigar....
While this is a well written book, the story falls short of being good. The author does a good job of character development, but gives us a weak plot.
The relation to Shelley's "Frankenstein", is over hyped and while a clever idea, falls short.
The book did keep me reading, in hopes of something worthwhile, but never delivered.
Not sure I would recommend it.
While this is a well written book, the story falls short of being good. The author does a good job of character development, but gives us a weak plot.
The relation to Shelley's "Frankenstein", is over hyped and while a clever idea, falls short.
The book did keep me reading, in hopes of something worthwhile, but never delivered.
Not sure I would recommend it.