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A review by verkiezen
This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel
3.0
I was initially intrigued by the idea of a precursor to Frankenstein. And while I appreciated the premise of this book, I lost interest about halfway through. I saw the book out to the end but I have no desire to read the next book in this series.
BE WARNED SPOILERS ABOUND FROM HERE.
Why did I lose interest in a book that seemingly fits into every niche that I generally appreciate? The overused love triangle trope. In fact, this book exceeds just the love triangle and creates a love amalgamation that simply made me angry. There is a lone female character in this book (besides the mother figure who exists solely as a someone to worry about the main characters and have them worry about her in return)who magically entrances all three of the male character with her feminine wiles. What feminine wiles you may ask? That is a good question. As far as I can tell the only thing that Elizabeth has going for her is the fact that she is the only girl they know. She's also a distant cousin, not cousin (which I feel like Oppel might have been going for a Wuthering Heights-esque relationship there, but he missed the mark a bit).
Ultimately the book becomes less about the really interesting alchemy and gathering ingredients for a potion that will cure all ills and more about an unbelievable girl being the attention of twin brothers.
BE WARNED SPOILERS ABOUND FROM HERE.
Why did I lose interest in a book that seemingly fits into every niche that I generally appreciate? The overused love triangle trope. In fact, this book exceeds just the love triangle and creates a love amalgamation that simply made me angry. There is a lone female character in this book (besides the mother figure who exists solely as a someone to worry about the main characters and have them worry about her in return)who magically entrances all three of the male character with her feminine wiles. What feminine wiles you may ask? That is a good question. As far as I can tell the only thing that Elizabeth has going for her is the fact that she is the only girl they know. She's also a distant cousin, not cousin (which I feel like Oppel might have been going for a Wuthering Heights-esque relationship there, but he missed the mark a bit).
Ultimately the book becomes less about the really interesting alchemy and gathering ingredients for a potion that will cure all ills and more about an unbelievable girl being the attention of twin brothers.