Review: The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein
/4 stars. Positively delightful! A deliciously dark take on the classic Frankenstein with the right amount of themes and layers - but not too many to weigh down the sheer fun of it all. This book is written from the perspective of Elizabeth Frankenstein, Victor's childhood companion and eventual wife, who plays a twisted and fascinating role in his pursuits - and his successes. The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein is the perfect title for something like this, something unexpected and topsy-turvy and atmospheric.
This is my first by Kiersten White and I have to say I'm impressed. She peppers the horror and the action with admirable claims about gender, power, relationships, and more. Victor is a classic villain (not a spoiler!) - one we can love to play the game with. He's hateful, of course, but well-written and has a satisfying arc.
I also loved the tone: this is not historical fiction meant for extensive research or detail, but for thunderstorms and dusty bookstores and ice shacks over lakes. And our heroine wrestles with choice and mistakes and guilt and blindness and ignorance and awareness with astounding maturity and hope. I loved the idea that guilt and blame are distinct and that under certain circumstances, one can technically be blamed but should not feel guilt.
If I had one complaint, I'd say that the ending - as scrumptious as it was - seemed a bit abrupt! I would've loved to see a bit of a longer conclusion, maybe a post-epilogue epilogue, because I had grown to love the featured characters and wasn't convinced that the end was truly the end (always shoot twice, as they say). Otherwise, an excellent book for reading by the crackling fireplace on a cold, rainy day.
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