This Dark Endeavour by Kenneth Oppel
Feb. 20th, 2012 11:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
quippeThe Blurb On The Back:
How far would you go to save your brother’s life?
Victor and Konrad Frankenstein are twins, born just two minutes apart but with very different personalities. Along with their beautiful cousin Elizabeth, they lead a charmed life at their parents’ chateau. But when Konrad falls dangerously ill, everything changes.
Victor’s quest to find a cure leads him into the Dark Library, a secret room full of ancient, forbidden knowledge. On the spine-chilling mission that follows, he is forced to confront strange foes, alchemical forces and the most difficult torment of all – the pain of unrequited love.
Although 16 year-old Victor Frankenstein has always felt second-best to his twin brother Konrad, together they lead a happy life in a chateau near Geneva with their parents, beautiful cousin Elizabeth and friend Henry.
When Victor and Elizabeth stumble upon a secret library hidden deep within the chateau and filled with forbidden books on alchemy their father, a powerful magistrate, forbids them from visiting it again, warning that the knowledge held there is fraudulent. But when Konrad falls ill with a dangerous disease that leaves the doctors baffled, Victor searches the Dark Library for a cure and finds references to an incredible Elixir of Life.
Victor enlists the help of Polidori, a notorious alchemist whose practices were banned by Victor’s father, to help him make the Elixir. As Victor, Henry and Elizabeth search for the ingredients, Victor realises that he has feelings for Elizabeth and that not only are those feelings not reciprocated, but Elizabeth has been keeping secrets of her own. As Victor finds himself drawn more to the dark promises of alchemy, he’s forced to confront his darkest feelings and set on the path to a terrible destiny …
Kenneth Oppel has created a well-written, suitably gothic YA horror novel (the first in a duology) is an atmospheric prequel to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
I particularly enjoyed Victor’s first person narration. He’s a flawed character, jealous of his brother to the point of being reckless, he’s also ambitious and driven, drawn to forbidden knowledge because it promises him the power he craves. Even his feelings for Elizabeth seem to be generated by his jealousy of Konrad.
You can see why the brothers are drawn to Elizabeth. Intelligent and independent as well as beautiful, I particularly liked her religious devotion, which forms an interesting counterpoint to the Frankenstein family’s atheism and her temper. At times, she seems to be too much of a 21st century girl for the 18th century setting, but the story doesn’t suffer for it.
The story itself is a basic quest, with Victor and Elizabeth searching for the three ingredients that Polidari needs for the Elixir. Polidari never really came alive for me – mainly existing for exposition - but I liked his mysterious bond with his lynx, Krake, which is suitably creepy.
The book ends with a great twist that sets up a sequel, which I will definitely be checking out.
The Verdict:
Kenneth Oppel’s YA prequel to FRANKENSTEIN is an enjoyably dark and gothic read that sets up themes and plot points consistent with Mary Shelley’s original while also being a separate story in its own right. Although that story is a rather bog standard quest, it has some chilling and creepy moments and at least with the love triangle you can understand why Victor and Konrad would be vying for Elizabeth. Best of all though is that Victor is very much a flawed individual, vain, jealous and ambitious you criticise his faults while still hoping that he’ll succeed. All in all, this was an enjoyable read and I will definitely be checking out the sequel.
THIS DARK ENDEAVOUR was released in the UK on 6th October 2011. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the ARC of this book.
Victor and Konrad Frankenstein are twins, born just two minutes apart but with very different personalities. Along with their beautiful cousin Elizabeth, they lead a charmed life at their parents’ chateau. But when Konrad falls dangerously ill, everything changes.
Victor’s quest to find a cure leads him into the Dark Library, a secret room full of ancient, forbidden knowledge. On the spine-chilling mission that follows, he is forced to confront strange foes, alchemical forces and the most difficult torment of all – the pain of unrequited love.
Although 16 year-old Victor Frankenstein has always felt second-best to his twin brother Konrad, together they lead a happy life in a chateau near Geneva with their parents, beautiful cousin Elizabeth and friend Henry.
When Victor and Elizabeth stumble upon a secret library hidden deep within the chateau and filled with forbidden books on alchemy their father, a powerful magistrate, forbids them from visiting it again, warning that the knowledge held there is fraudulent. But when Konrad falls ill with a dangerous disease that leaves the doctors baffled, Victor searches the Dark Library for a cure and finds references to an incredible Elixir of Life.
Victor enlists the help of Polidori, a notorious alchemist whose practices were banned by Victor’s father, to help him make the Elixir. As Victor, Henry and Elizabeth search for the ingredients, Victor realises that he has feelings for Elizabeth and that not only are those feelings not reciprocated, but Elizabeth has been keeping secrets of her own. As Victor finds himself drawn more to the dark promises of alchemy, he’s forced to confront his darkest feelings and set on the path to a terrible destiny …
Kenneth Oppel has created a well-written, suitably gothic YA horror novel (the first in a duology) is an atmospheric prequel to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
I particularly enjoyed Victor’s first person narration. He’s a flawed character, jealous of his brother to the point of being reckless, he’s also ambitious and driven, drawn to forbidden knowledge because it promises him the power he craves. Even his feelings for Elizabeth seem to be generated by his jealousy of Konrad.
You can see why the brothers are drawn to Elizabeth. Intelligent and independent as well as beautiful, I particularly liked her religious devotion, which forms an interesting counterpoint to the Frankenstein family’s atheism and her temper. At times, she seems to be too much of a 21st century girl for the 18th century setting, but the story doesn’t suffer for it.
The story itself is a basic quest, with Victor and Elizabeth searching for the three ingredients that Polidari needs for the Elixir. Polidari never really came alive for me – mainly existing for exposition - but I liked his mysterious bond with his lynx, Krake, which is suitably creepy.
The book ends with a great twist that sets up a sequel, which I will definitely be checking out.
The Verdict:
Kenneth Oppel’s YA prequel to FRANKENSTEIN is an enjoyably dark and gothic read that sets up themes and plot points consistent with Mary Shelley’s original while also being a separate story in its own right. Although that story is a rather bog standard quest, it has some chilling and creepy moments and at least with the love triangle you can understand why Victor and Konrad would be vying for Elizabeth. Best of all though is that Victor is very much a flawed individual, vain, jealous and ambitious you criticise his faults while still hoping that he’ll succeed. All in all, this was an enjoyable read and I will definitely be checking out the sequel.
THIS DARK ENDEAVOUR was released in the UK on 6th October 2011. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the ARC of this book.
