The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
AN NPR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
A CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
"Inescapably compelling." —VICTORIA SCHWAB, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie Larue
"A masterful and monstrous retelling." —STEPHANIE GARBER, #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author of Caraval and Legendary
A stunning and dark reimagining of Frankenstein told from the point-of-view of Elizabeth Lavenza, who is taken in by the Frankenstein family.
Elizabeth Lavenza hasn't had a proper meal in weeks. Her thin arms are covered with bruises from her "caregiver," and she is on the verge of being thrown into the streets . . . until she is brought to the home of Victor Frankenstein, an unsmiling, solitary boy who has everything—except a friend.
Victor is her escape from misery. Elizabeth does everything she can to make herself indispensable—and it works. She is taken in by the Frankenstein family and rewarded with a warm bed, delicious food, and dresses of the finest silk. Soon she and Victor are inseparable.
But her new life comes at a price. As the years pass, Elizabeth's survival depends on managing Victor's dangerous temper and entertaining his every whim, no matter how depraved. Behind her blue eyes and sweet smile lies the calculating heart of a girl determined to stay alive no matter the cost . . . as the world she knows is consumed by darkness.
**Ebook exclusive: the full text of Mary Shelley's FRANKENSTEIN**
AN NPR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
A CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
"Inescapably compelling." —VICTORIA SCHWAB, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie Larue
"A masterful and monstrous retelling." —STEPHANIE GARBER, #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author of Caraval and Legendary
A stunning and dark reimagining of Frankenstein told from the point-of-view of Elizabeth Lavenza, who is taken in by the Frankenstein family.
Elizabeth Lavenza hasn't had a proper meal in weeks. Her thin arms are covered with bruises from her "caregiver," and she is on the verge of being thrown into the streets . . . until she is brought to the home of Victor Frankenstein, an unsmiling, solitary boy who has everything—except a friend.
Victor is her escape from misery. Elizabeth does everything she can to make herself indispensable—and it works. She is taken in by the Frankenstein family and rewarded with a warm bed, delicious food, and dresses of the finest silk. Soon she and Victor are inseparable.
But her new life comes at a price. As the years pass, Elizabeth's survival depends on managing Victor's dangerous temper and entertaining his every whim, no matter how depraved. Behind her blue eyes and sweet smile lies the calculating heart of a girl determined to stay alive no matter the cost . . . as the world she knows is consumed by darkness.
**Ebook exclusive: the full text of Mary Shelley's FRANKENSTEIN**
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
While I can somewhat appreciate the twist of Elizabeth being “darker” in the novel than she is in the original, the lack of detail that White gives to the characters and the change she makes is just too ridiculous for me. She makes changes that are unsupported. If you’ve never read Frankenstein, this might be an okay read for you. But if you-don’t bother with this one. Wish I’d checked it out from library instead of purchased it.
Originally reviewed on Cyn's Workshop
The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein is a unique new take on the tale of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein that made Elizabeth the star and highlights the madness that swallows Victor.
Storytelling
I love the way White made Elizabeth the star of the novel. Any person who has ever read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein knows Elizabeth as the love interest of Victor Frankenstein, who is killed by the monster.
But White has decided to make Elizabeth the star of the story and focus on highlighting what we all know: that Victor is the real monster of the story.
I love how the story plays out; Elizabeth attaches her life and value to that of Victor. She went from a cold and cruel life to one of luxury and full meals. But it came with a cost. By making herself indispensable to the Frankenstein family as the only one who understands Victor, she has tied herself to him without thought. And Victor has decided he can’t live without her, leading to his experiments and madness.
The way the plot unfolds is incredible, slowly creeping on the reader developing that madness in a way that catches the reader off guard. Of course, the novel does not unfold similarly; it takes on its own life. And that is what makes it so incredible. The pacing is incredible, and the way it builds up the tension and plot to create this eerie and gothic tale.
Amazing Characters
Once again, I love how White made Elizabeth the novel’s star. Elizabeth is a thoughtful and careful character. Her voice rings throughout the novel and resonates with the reader. She captures the period wonderfully, the way women are regarded as of little value.
But Elizabeth is clever and brilliant in how she outsmarts Victor, the supposed genius and monster of the story.
I also must note the way White created the “monster” and the gentle voice she gave him. It was done brilliantly and captures the idea of Shelley’s original piece. It works in this retelling and honors the original piece.
The added character Mary was just another brilliant addition. White gave Mary Shelley a part in her own work of art. Mary sounds like I imagine the real Mary Shelley would sound. A brilliant woman who works as a bookseller and helps Elizabeth outsmart Victor repeatedly was a fantastic element of the story that further held my attention.
Final Thoughts
The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein is such a fantastic retelling. It makes Elizabeth more than a side character, turning her into a star, all while honoring the original classic.
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify Podcast | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
A dark and delicious fantasy, The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein is a “retelling” Mary Shelley would applaud.
The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein is a unique new take on the tale of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein that made Elizabeth the star and highlights the madness that swallows Victor.
Storytelling
I love the way White made Elizabeth the star of the novel. Any person who has ever read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein knows Elizabeth as the love interest of Victor Frankenstein, who is killed by the monster.
But White has decided to make Elizabeth the star of the story and focus on highlighting what we all know: that Victor is the real monster of the story.
I love how the story plays out; Elizabeth attaches her life and value to that of Victor. She went from a cold and cruel life to one of luxury and full meals. But it came with a cost. By making herself indispensable to the Frankenstein family as the only one who understands Victor, she has tied herself to him without thought. And Victor has decided he can’t live without her, leading to his experiments and madness.
The way the plot unfolds is incredible, slowly creeping on the reader developing that madness in a way that catches the reader off guard. Of course, the novel does not unfold similarly; it takes on its own life. And that is what makes it so incredible. The pacing is incredible, and the way it builds up the tension and plot to create this eerie and gothic tale.
Amazing Characters
Once again, I love how White made Elizabeth the novel’s star. Elizabeth is a thoughtful and careful character. Her voice rings throughout the novel and resonates with the reader. She captures the period wonderfully, the way women are regarded as of little value.
But Elizabeth is clever and brilliant in how she outsmarts Victor, the supposed genius and monster of the story.
I also must note the way White created the “monster” and the gentle voice she gave him. It was done brilliantly and captures the idea of Shelley’s original piece. It works in this retelling and honors the original piece.
The added character Mary was just another brilliant addition. White gave Mary Shelley a part in her own work of art. Mary sounds like I imagine the real Mary Shelley would sound. A brilliant woman who works as a bookseller and helps Elizabeth outsmart Victor repeatedly was a fantastic element of the story that further held my attention.
Final Thoughts
The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein is such a fantastic retelling. It makes Elizabeth more than a side character, turning her into a star, all while honoring the original classic.
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify Podcast | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
Elizabeth Frankenstein just became a badass, I think Mary Shelley would have been proud. I enjoyed this re-telling of Frankenstein because, it made you think about "Adam" in a different light. I always felt sorry for the monster, and this book gives him a happy ending. I still have questions about the ending but, I will not put that on here. I just cannot get enough of this book and plan on adding it to my permanent collection.
I didn't originally write a review for this book. So I will say now after months, I still think about this book and remember a lot of details.
I don't understand why Elizabeth likes Victor so much.
He's a lot of work. I would have smucked him one.
He's a lot of work. I would have smucked him one.
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