Love can be creepy.
And The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein, among many other things, is a love story.
A twisted, gruesome, incredibly disturbing love story.
AND IT’S AMAZING.
Where do I even begin? First, you should know that this is my first time reading anything by Kiersten White. I received an ARC (Advanced Reader’s Copy) of her newest book from Delacorte Press, and while the premise of the novel sounded interesting, I had never heard of this author before (I don’t usually read YA) and didn’t know what to expect from her. You should also know that I’ve never read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, which, obviously, inspired The Dark Descent.
When the ARC came in, I read about three lines of the first chapter and declared to my husband, “This book is going to be awesome.” I was immediately engrossed by the novel’s moody, atmospheric introduction, and by the mysterious and bewitching Elizabeth Frankenstein (née Lavenza), who is traveling through rain-soaked Bavaria to hunt down her childhood friend and reputedly mad scientist, Victor Frankenstein.
Elizabeth is a peripheral character in the original Frankenstein, and White brilliantly reimagines the classic story with her as the protagonist. Elizabeth is calculating and cunning, but she also has a heart, which is shown through her friendship with the sweet, angelic Justine, as well as her complicated affection for Victor. Her sense of humor is as sharp as her intellect, and she’s a force to be reckoned with, particularly when it comes to her own survival. She does what she must to protect herself and the ones she loves, and heaven help you if you stand in her way.
In short, Elizabeth’s a total bad ass. At one point, another character tells her “Oh, I like you, Elizabeth Lavenza. I like you very much. I am a little bit afraid of you, but I think that makes me like you more.” This pretty much sums it up. Elizabeth is a bit of a mystery; you’re not quite sure what to think of her, with all her scheming and conniving to, yes, protect Victor, but also to get what she wants. Thanks to the classic Frankenstein tale, we all know we should be a little wary of monster-maker Victor, but the jury’s out for awhile on what we’re supposed to think about Elizabeth – and that’s precisely what makes her so intriguing.
And, Victor. Dr. Frankenstein himself. He just makes your blood curdle – at least, at first. The reader learns about Victor through Elizabeth’s descriptions of him to others, as well as from the flashbacks she has while traveling to find him. She paints you a picture of a clever, socially awkward, and incredibly strange young man. By the time you come across Victor in the flesh, you’re convinced that Elizabeth should stay the eff away from him and whatever he’s been doing in his creepy shack in Ingolstadt.
However, when you see him finally interact with Elizabeth, a completely different side of him is revealed. Victor is loving and tender toward his childhood sweetheart. He may be a little possessive of his lady love, but, given the time period in which the story takes place, it doesn’t seem that unusual. After all, what protection did women have back then, except that of men? Elizabeth repeatedly alludes to this dependency upon Victor, and upon men in general, as both a woman and a penniless ward of the Frankenstein family, and her initial excusal of Victor’s behavior warrants the reader’s, as well.
Victor is enigmatic, and he’s incredibly intelligent; he’s got vision and ambition. Sure, he’s made a monster of dead body parts. But, hey, no one’s perfect, right? And, let’s face it, who doesn’t love a bit of a brooding bad boy? Especially when his actions are all in the name of love, and Victor undoubtedly loves Elizabeth to death.
The relationship between Elizabeth and Victor is incredibly complex, and it’s the driving force behind so much of the novel. It’s surprisingly sweet and romantic at times, and it’s downright odd at others; you aren’t quite sure what to make of it. And, it doesn’t help that your feelings toward them vacillate the more their individual personalities are revealed. As the story begins to twist and turn, you’re constantly wondering who is going to be the real villain of the story.
The Dark Descent, along with being a twisted love story, is a true Gothic thriller, shrouded in mystery and filled with nail-biting suspense. Kiersten White is an excellent writer, bringing every image, every character, and every moment of her story vividly to life. Her descriptive imagery and attention to detail is impressive, albeit disturbing at times.
I think my favorite part of the novel is when Elizabeth first discovers Victor’s lab. We all know about Dr. Frankenstein and his monster. We know what Elizabeth is going to find in that room, especially given all the clues that the author is dropping for us left and right. It’s an incredibly tense moment, and you’re completely transported into it with Elizabeth. As her sense of dread mounts, so does yours, and you assess the scene together, slowly taking in the broken glass, the tools, the table, everything, piece by piece as you both discover what Victor has been up to during his absence.
The Dark Descent immerses the reader fully in Victor’s world, which is one of the most macabre I have ever experienced. We all know what Dr. Frankenstein does – cobbles together a monster with spare body parts – but, if you’re like me, you never really stop to think about the logistics of such a pursuit. This novel delves heavily into morbid and graphic descriptions of dead bodies, dissections, and human experimentation, and the thin line between life and death, between madness and brilliance.
I’m not gonna lie – I totally loved it. I found it fascinating and the creep factor only made me want to read more. But, I’m a bit warped myself, always having had a penchant for the macabre. This book is not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. If you can soldier through it, though, you’ll be handsomely rewarded. It’s a completely amazing story.
My only (small) caveat is that I feel that this book is a little intense for a YA audience. I know today’s teens are much savvier to “adult themes” than my generation was, but I’m still surprised at what tweens and teens are reading these days. We’ve come a long way from the R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike days of my youth! Given how much graphic attention is given to both psychological and physical trauma in this novel, I would hesitate to recommend it to anyone under 16 years of age.
That said – I strongly urge more mature fans of supernatural horror and/or psychological thrillers to read The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein. It’s highly original, deeply engrossing, and one of the creepiest stories about human nature that I’ve read in a long time.
And, check in again soon for my book-inspired recipe — Red Wine Chocolate Cake!
The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White will be available for sale on September 25, 2018 from Delacorte Press/Penguin Random House Books. Although I received a complimentary advance copy of this book, all opinions expressed in this review are my own, and I was not compensated in any way for this review or for any other promotion/publicity I’ve done related to this book.
Thanks for the review. I’ve heard this title kicking around and was wondering if I should add it to my (overflowing) TBR pile. I guess it’s a yes.
Absolutely a YES. 😁 I put this one to the front of my TBR pile because it was an ARC and publishing soon, and I was so glad I did. I happened to read this book during an extremely rainy, gloomy, dreary week of weather–which was PERFECT for such a creepy, atmospheric book!!! 😍 #allthehygge With the Halloween season creeping in, I think this one deserves to jump the queue on your list. 😁 just sayin’!
Your review makes me want to read this even more than I already did! OMG I’m totally going to have to buy this book lol.
Yayyy!! Glad I could help further persuade you to read this book. It is SO good and a perfect October read!! I’m posting my book-inspired dessert recipe later this week, so stay tuned for something to nibble on while you read this one. 😊
You sold me. I’m so glad I picked up this book because it sounds wonderfully creepy and twisted. 💜
Yayyyy!! You will NOT be disappointed. 😁
This looks like a great read! My 9 year old son is always looking for new, fun books to get into and I recently encouraged him to read Frankenstein. Hopefully by the time he’s ready for another Frankenstein book, he’ll be old enough to read this one – honestly I always love a good YA book at the end of the day so I might get it and “pre-read” it for myself 😉
Christine, you should definitely pre-read!! This book is fantastic. And then you’ll have it on hand for when your son is old enough to read it himself. 😊
You definitely nailed the key points of the book. It’s so good! Immersive and spooky and love…. I’m always for the love.