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The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein

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The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein

By: Kiersten White
Narrated by: Katharine Lee McEwan
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About this listen

Don't miss this monster of a New York Times best-seller, a stunning and dark reimagining of Frankenstein that internationally best-selling author Stephanie Garber raves is "exquisitely disturbing".

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.

An NPR best book of the year. A Chicago Public Library best book of the year.

"A masterful and monstrous retelling." (Stephanie Garber, number one New York Times and internationally best-selling author of Caraval and Legendary)

"Inescapably compelling." (Victorial Schwab, number one New York Times best-selling author of This Savage Song)

"An inventive, grotesque, and completely unexpected reimagining of Frankenstein. Mary Shelley would be proud." (Mackenzi Lee, New York Times best-selling author of The Gentlemen's Guide to Vice and Virtue)

©2018 Kiersten White (P)2018 Listening Library
Fiction Horror Science Fiction & Fantasy Fantasy Scary Young Adult Disturbing

Critic Reviews

“If you read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and thought the ladies in that were getting a bad deal, then this is the book you've been waiting for.... White is unafraid to dig in the graveyard and piece together a creature of her own design out of old parts, and the resulting tale is dark and chilling.” (NPR)

"This novel indeed descends to “dark and hellish” depths, but captivated readers will avidly plumb them in the company of the complicated and compelling Eliza­beth Frankenstein." (Horn Book)

“In this clever retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, White neatly undercuts the original by making Victor’s narrative wildly unreliable...this character-driven novel with a healthy amount of gore should appeal to horror fans, too.” (Booklist)

What listeners say about The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Solid YA book

I really enjoyed this book. First half was perfectly paced. But the second half was rushed, too rushed.

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Not Her Best Work

I love Kiersten White's adaptations, which is why I wanted to listen to this. Unfortunately, it was a little underwhelming. it's not a terrible story, but it was a bit of a slog until nearing the later stages of the book and I found Elizabeth to be a very unlikeable and, at times, irritating protagonist. It's not a book I'll likely go back to and will probably forget most of it with time.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic! ... but not for tweens🤔

I searched in the audible shop app for ‘books for tweens’ s as I was about to drive for an hour & half with my twin 8 yr olds.

This book came up first. I listed to about 3 or 4 chapters with my kids but they hated it. It was much too slow moving, dark, subtle & complex for them. So we gave up & played music instead.

I was intrigued though, & continued to listen later on my own, becoming more & more engrossed. I loved this book immensely!

Only criticism is why is it listed as a ‘tween’ book?!? It would be ok for teenagers, but possibly too dark even for some of them!

Oh, & there was one plot point which did not make sense but no spoilers!

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