Medrith Loe

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein

By Kiersten White

In case you have never heard of the author:

Born in Utah, she graduated from Brigham Young with her study in English. She now resides in California. She writes young-adult fiction in a variety of topics.

In case you have never heard of the book:

If you have ever read Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, then you will have an excellent ground work for this tale. It is penned as a thriller, the tale of Victor’s companion, Elizabeth. She was brought into the family specifically to care for Victor, and remained part of the family, with an easy life of protection due to relation, and no other means or education in anything productive.

When Victor goes off to university, and quits writing letters to Elizabeth, she goes searching for him. What she finds leads her down his twisted path.

This story is told from the view point of Elizabeth, and focuses more on her than anyone else. The writing is accurate in mood and tone, and stays consistent with the writing of Shelley.

What I thought of the book:

I enjoyed the original tale, and this book seemed to expand on that. It made for an enjoyable read. It was easy and quick with a moderate vocabulary. It was similarly timeless, as a tale of horror. Underlying themes of acceptance, love, and protection are relayed delicately. The relevance of shifting power in the lives of women is representative of not only the 18th century, but also in today’s society. Overall. Would recommend to those who enjoy an old fashioned, historically accurate, semi-horror tale.

Have you read it? What did you think? Let me know!