Teen FrankensteinHigh School Horror Story #1
Author: Chandler Baker
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Horror
Released: January 12, 2016
Review Source: Feiwel and Friends
I wanted to read this book because of the twist on a very classic story: that of the monster of Frankenstein. In this version of the story, the genius is a 17 year-old girl named Victoria and it takes place in the present time. The reason I didn't give it a higher rating is because, in my opinion, there were a few flaws to the story to make it more interesting and entertaining.
So the book starts with Victoria driving back home from her friend Owen's house late at night in the heavy rain when she suddenly gets a text from Owen and she simply glances down at her cell quickly, when she turns back up, she sees a young man wondering the streets. She slams on the breaks hard, but due to the pavement being soaked, she ends up hitting him -and killing him. She then gets the idea of taking him back to her father's shed (her father, like her, was a genius and she followed in his footsteps. He had made the shed of their home into his laboratory and she kept it for the same purpose) to try to revive. After all, she had basically perfected the formula (so to speak) of how to revive an animal, and the anatomies are so similar! So far in the story, so good, right? Yes, indeed. Until she has another not so brilliant idea...
So once Victoria had successfully revived the young guy she had killed, and named him Adam, she decides to enroll him in the same high school as her (by the way, the way he gets enrolled is just so not feasible). Poor Adam is like a child basically and just follows her around, repeating all he is told to say. As the story progresses, he becomes a little more independent, but not entirely.
Here's where the story took a nosedive in my opinion: Chandler Baker then starts to focus way too much on all the high school drama. It's a distraction from you figuring out who the creepy bad guy is, but still. She takes us to football games and parties and home comings. Some really horrible things do happen during these events, but I felt like the focus on which cheerleader is after Adam and who hates Victoria more was so much that it took away from the horror (and it's supposed to be a horror story!). Also, I felt like the bad guy was a little too obvious from the beginning. I read two sentences about him and I already knew it'd be him -and I was right!
Another thing I did not like is that Victoria becomes obsessed with Adam. All of a sudden, her whole world revolves around him and even the smallest and most insignificant event that happens in regards to him gives her an anxiety attack. I wanted to tell her "Take a chill pill" so many times! Like, I get you're scared to be found out, but it's not to be THAT scared. Also, those stupid things about whether he was in love with a cheerleader or not were more important and significant to her than what she actually does in the end of the book, which I was NOT ok with.
But, my biggest problem with the character of Victoria is that she is a total b*tch! I couldn't stand being in her head because she was just this super cocky girl who thinks she is better and smarter than everyone else, and she treats her ONLY friend (Owen) like he is the scum attached to her shoe! Yet, he keeps staying there, next to her and supporting her. I never understood why he did, but oh well.
All in all, the idea of the retelling of a classic story in a modern world and also having a gender swap, is a fantastic one! I absolutely support and love that idea. I just didn't like the too much focus on ridiculous and unimportant high school drama (I know it's a book about kids in high school, but I've read other young adult high school stories that focus WAY less on the drama and more on the story).
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Horror
Released: January 12, 2016
Review Source: Feiwel and Friends
High school meets classic horror in this groundbreaking new series. It was a dark and stormy night when Tor Frankenstein accidentally hit someone with her car. And killed him. But all is not lost--Tor, being the scientific genius she is, brings him back to life... Thus begins a twisty, turn-y take on a familiar tale, set in the town of Hollow Pines, Texas, where high school is truly horrifying.
I wanted to read this book because of the twist on a very classic story: that of the monster of Frankenstein. In this version of the story, the genius is a 17 year-old girl named Victoria and it takes place in the present time. The reason I didn't give it a higher rating is because, in my opinion, there were a few flaws to the story to make it more interesting and entertaining.
So the book starts with Victoria driving back home from her friend Owen's house late at night in the heavy rain when she suddenly gets a text from Owen and she simply glances down at her cell quickly, when she turns back up, she sees a young man wondering the streets. She slams on the breaks hard, but due to the pavement being soaked, she ends up hitting him -and killing him. She then gets the idea of taking him back to her father's shed (her father, like her, was a genius and she followed in his footsteps. He had made the shed of their home into his laboratory and she kept it for the same purpose) to try to revive. After all, she had basically perfected the formula (so to speak) of how to revive an animal, and the anatomies are so similar! So far in the story, so good, right? Yes, indeed. Until she has another not so brilliant idea...
So once Victoria had successfully revived the young guy she had killed, and named him Adam, she decides to enroll him in the same high school as her (by the way, the way he gets enrolled is just so not feasible). Poor Adam is like a child basically and just follows her around, repeating all he is told to say. As the story progresses, he becomes a little more independent, but not entirely.
Here's where the story took a nosedive in my opinion: Chandler Baker then starts to focus way too much on all the high school drama. It's a distraction from you figuring out who the creepy bad guy is, but still. She takes us to football games and parties and home comings. Some really horrible things do happen during these events, but I felt like the focus on which cheerleader is after Adam and who hates Victoria more was so much that it took away from the horror (and it's supposed to be a horror story!). Also, I felt like the bad guy was a little too obvious from the beginning. I read two sentences about him and I already knew it'd be him -and I was right!
Another thing I did not like is that Victoria becomes obsessed with Adam. All of a sudden, her whole world revolves around him and even the smallest and most insignificant event that happens in regards to him gives her an anxiety attack. I wanted to tell her "Take a chill pill" so many times! Like, I get you're scared to be found out, but it's not to be THAT scared. Also, those stupid things about whether he was in love with a cheerleader or not were more important and significant to her than what she actually does in the end of the book, which I was NOT ok with.
But, my biggest problem with the character of Victoria is that she is a total b*tch! I couldn't stand being in her head because she was just this super cocky girl who thinks she is better and smarter than everyone else, and she treats her ONLY friend (Owen) like he is the scum attached to her shoe! Yet, he keeps staying there, next to her and supporting her. I never understood why he did, but oh well.
All in all, the idea of the retelling of a classic story in a modern world and also having a gender swap, is a fantastic one! I absolutely support and love that idea. I just didn't like the too much focus on ridiculous and unimportant high school drama (I know it's a book about kids in high school, but I've read other young adult high school stories that focus WAY less on the drama and more on the story).
This one has been on my radar. It will be a great Halloween read.
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