Title: The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein
Author: Kiersten White
Type: Fiction
Genre: YA, Retelling, Historical, Horror
Publisher: Delacorte Press (Penguin Random House)
Published: September 25, 2018

A physical copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

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.

– My Review –

If you are looking for an atmospheric and creepy read with a heroine who truly explores and embodies the gray area of morality, The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein is the book for you! Having only read Kiersten White’s The Conqueror’s Saga trilogy before this, I was unsure about what sort of character Elizabeth Lavenza/Frankenstein would end up being (especially since she really fades into the background when I think back to when I read Frankenstein and the film adaptations that I have seen over the years). For some reason, I expected a truly sweet and innocent girl who is thrown into horrific situations. After having read the book though, I have to say that White’s characterization simultaneously surprised and pleased me. I really enjoyed Elizabeth’s development over the course of the story, and unlike the other Elizabeth Frankensteins that I have encountered, she is not a character that I will soon forget!

For those of you who don’t know, first person POV is my least-preferred writing style when it comes to books, but I hardly noticed that this book was written in that manner because it was so well-written! Everything was historically accurate for the time period in which this story takes place, and never once did White slip up with a colloquial word or phrase! I am very picky when it comes to historical fiction and authors using the proper wording fore whichever time period they are writing about, and White gave me nothing to be complain about! The atmosphere of this book also very much resembled that of the original tale written by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley 200 years ago, and I was very pleased and impressed by this as well. White also kept me on my toes with a number of twists and turns in the plot! This is the perfect book to be reading this time of year, and I definitely recommend it if you enjoy historical YA, retellings, and horror!

– About the Author –

Kiersten White is the New York Times bestselling author of many books for teens and young readers, including And I Darken, Now I Rise, Bright We Burn, The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein, and Slayer. She lives with her family near the ocean in San Diego, where she perpetually lurks in the shadows. Visit Kiersten online at KierstenWhite.com and follow @KierstenWhite on Twitter.

– Purchase Links –

THANK YOU FOR READING MY REVIEW! HAVE YOU READ THIS BOOK? WHAT DID YOU THINK? AND IF YOU HAVEN’T READ IT YET, DO YOU WANT TO, OR NOT? HOW COME? LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE COMMENTS!