A review by amandadevoursbooks
Unwieldy Creatures by Addie Tsai

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

3.75

I wanted to through this book across the room multiple times in frustration with various characters. In this fairly faithful retelling, Tsai uses modern embryology and fertility science. As with the source material, the story starts with a stranger, in this case, Ko, an intern, giving Z shelter. Z then tells her story, starting with her childhood and leading up to the monster appearing and telling their story. 

The retelling is fresh.
The story line of Z basically violating her partners consent made me sick to my stomach and so angry I almost stopped reading. 

it ends very different then the original book. It was a little to and then the monster got a family. While satisfying, I found it hard to believe they would want to raise a murderous child. 

 

I love Frankenstein retellings, but I do not love the source material. I find Victor whiny, I get irritated in his choices and his inability to learn. This retelling brought that part of Victor to the page with little change. Z was just as insufferable and irritating as Victor.  The prose feels very reminiscent of Mary Shelley. Z, in particular, is voiced in purple prose. 

If you like Frankenstein, you should think about trying this book out. The questions around science and progress vs ethics were fully developed and explored. 
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