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cjdeboix 's review for:
Our Hideous Progeny
by C.E. McGill
This novel is, honestly, a bit of a mess and if you make it to the end and read the author's note (and keep in mind it's a debut novel by a young writer) it will be easy to imagine how that came about, as this started an amusing idea the author had as a college student that later was developed for a class paper and then later into a novel.
Good intentions and interesting, genuine insights about the experience of oppression, devaluation and marginalization are everywhere in this, but what this lacks is pretty marring. First, let's get one thing clear: the original Frankenstein is a feminist text, and so the idea of this novel being a "feminist spin/retelling" is just admitting one's ignorance of the original text. Moreover, any real tackling of the themes of the original text simply aren't here in this novel, only superficial gestures toward them as the author carried on with their original kernel for the story and other themes they introduce from a more contemporary lens. So in that regards, I found this novel a bit disappointing.
There are also issues of unevenness with pacing and how different themes are developed, and the problem, at least for me, with how the novel's resolution with the "monster" feels a tad gimmicky and convenient for a novel that otherwise is very earnest in its dealing of patriarchy, the marginalization and oppression of women and ableism. Adding to this, the author attempted to have a queer subplot that is likewise developed very unevenly and not very satisfactorily. Other minor elements feel a bit forced and false, like some details with how the author fudged some fictionized aspects of science history to make their MC look smart and clever that struck a sour note with me as someone familiar with that history. Authors would do well to never underestimate their readers.
All in all, this was a promising novel in its premise but an unsatisfying one in its execution.
Good intentions and interesting, genuine insights about the experience of oppression, devaluation and marginalization are everywhere in this, but what this lacks is pretty marring. First, let's get one thing clear: the original Frankenstein is a feminist text, and so the idea of this novel being a "feminist spin/retelling" is just admitting one's ignorance of the original text. Moreover, any real tackling of the themes of the original text simply aren't here in this novel, only superficial gestures toward them as the author carried on with their original kernel for the story and other themes they introduce from a more contemporary lens. So in that regards, I found this novel a bit disappointing.
There are also issues of unevenness with pacing and how different themes are developed, and the problem, at least for me, with how the novel's resolution with the "monster" feels a tad gimmicky and convenient for a novel that otherwise is very earnest in its dealing of patriarchy, the marginalization and oppression of women and ableism. Adding to this, the author attempted to have a queer subplot that is likewise developed very unevenly and not very satisfactorily. Other minor elements feel a bit forced and false, like some details with how the author fudged some fictionized aspects of science history to make their MC look smart and clever that struck a sour note with me as someone familiar with that history. Authors would do well to never underestimate their readers.
All in all, this was a promising novel in its premise but an unsatisfying one in its execution.