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Chicano Frankenstein
Inspirado en la obra clásica de Mary Shelley y ambientado en un Estados Unidos distópico, un hombre deberá reconectar con sus orígenes y construir su propia identidad.
Los «reanimados» están casi completamente integrados en nuestra sociedad, aunque continúan empleados en los trabajos que nadie más quiere hacer. Devueltos a la vida a través de un controvertido proceso en el que se emplean partes de distintos cadáveres, viven en el límite de un mundo que los rechaza casi tanto como los necesita. Y es que, en Estados Unidos, la primera mujer que ha ganado la presidencia tras una campaña electoral anti-reanimación, insiste en que los «zurcidos» son criminales que han llegado para robar los trabajos de sus ciudadanos.
En Los Ángeles, un asistente legal lleva una vida monótona después de que el proceso de reanimación borrara su memoria. Pero todo cambia cuando se enamora de la abogada Faustina Godínez. Al adentrarse en su mundo —lleno de amigos, risas, chilaquiles y pan dulce— el hombre co-mienza a indagar sobre sus orígenes y a conocer detalles de su propia vida anterior. Pero la incertidumbre a la que se enfrenta no será el único obstáculo que tendrá que los simpatizantes de la causa anti- reanimación siguen sus pasos cada vez más de cerca...
Inspirado en el clásico de Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley y combinando ele-mentos de ciencia ficción, horror, sátira política y romance, Frankenstein Chicano confronta los prejuicios de una sociedad en crisis y cuestiona el verdadero significado de ser humano.
«Un resonante experimento literario» –XOCHITL GONZALEZ, AUTORA DE OLGA MUERE SOÑANDO
ENGLISH DESCRIPTION
A modern retelling of the Mary Shelley classic that addresses issues of belonging and assimilation.
An unnamed paralegal, brought back to life through a controversial process, maneuvers through a near-future world that both needs and resents him. As the United States president spouts anti-reanimation rhetoric and giant pharmaceutical companies rake in profits, the man falls in love with lawyer Faustina Godínez. His world expands as he meets her network of family and friends, setting him on a course to discover his first-life history, which the reanimation process erased. With elements of science fiction, horror, political satire and romance, Chicano Frankenstein confronts our nation's bigotries and the question of what it truly means to be human.
Los «reanimados» están casi completamente integrados en nuestra sociedad, aunque continúan empleados en los trabajos que nadie más quiere hacer. Devueltos a la vida a través de un controvertido proceso en el que se emplean partes de distintos cadáveres, viven en el límite de un mundo que los rechaza casi tanto como los necesita. Y es que, en Estados Unidos, la primera mujer que ha ganado la presidencia tras una campaña electoral anti-reanimación, insiste en que los «zurcidos» son criminales que han llegado para robar los trabajos de sus ciudadanos.
En Los Ángeles, un asistente legal lleva una vida monótona después de que el proceso de reanimación borrara su memoria. Pero todo cambia cuando se enamora de la abogada Faustina Godínez. Al adentrarse en su mundo —lleno de amigos, risas, chilaquiles y pan dulce— el hombre co-mienza a indagar sobre sus orígenes y a conocer detalles de su propia vida anterior. Pero la incertidumbre a la que se enfrenta no será el único obstáculo que tendrá que los simpatizantes de la causa anti- reanimación siguen sus pasos cada vez más de cerca...
Inspirado en el clásico de Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley y combinando ele-mentos de ciencia ficción, horror, sátira política y romance, Frankenstein Chicano confronta los prejuicios de una sociedad en crisis y cuestiona el verdadero significado de ser humano.
«Un resonante experimento literario» –XOCHITL GONZALEZ, AUTORA DE OLGA MUERE SOÑANDO
ENGLISH DESCRIPTION
A modern retelling of the Mary Shelley classic that addresses issues of belonging and assimilation.
An unnamed paralegal, brought back to life through a controversial process, maneuvers through a near-future world that both needs and resents him. As the United States president spouts anti-reanimation rhetoric and giant pharmaceutical companies rake in profits, the man falls in love with lawyer Faustina Godínez. His world expands as he meets her network of family and friends, setting him on a course to discover his first-life history, which the reanimation process erased. With elements of science fiction, horror, political satire and romance, Chicano Frankenstein confronts our nation's bigotries and the question of what it truly means to be human.
222 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 268 reviews
July 16, 2024
Chicano Frankenstein is a retelling of the classic Frankenstein in a modern America where modern technology have allowed for dead people to be stitched together from different body parts of different people and reanimated. These reanimated people do not have memories from their past lives and cannot visit people they knew in past lives either but are reanimated to help support an aging workforce. Our unnamed protagonist in this story is a reanimated person who works as a paralegal and is beginning a relationship with a lawyer from another law firm. As he progresses through the story he deals with hostility from the non-reanimated population who begin to fear the reanimated people who live in their society.
This book is part political commentary and part minority voice as the author comes from a Chicano background and shows a community who contribute to the society they are in yet are not accepted into that society.
I enjoyed this retelling however I do feel like it was rushed and would have enjoyed it more if it was expanded upon. The ending in particular had me wanting more and I would have liked to see a direct confrontation between the president in the book and either the main character or his girlfriend, Faustina.
This book is part political commentary and part minority voice as the author comes from a Chicano background and shows a community who contribute to the society they are in yet are not accepted into that society.
I enjoyed this retelling however I do feel like it was rushed and would have enjoyed it more if it was expanded upon. The ending in particular had me wanting more and I would have liked to see a direct confrontation between the president in the book and either the main character or his girlfriend, Faustina.
May 30, 2025
Audio. This book made me ask some questions and not good ones. ‘Is this self-published?’ ‘Is this a YA novel?’
‘Why do I feel like a Boomer reading this?’ ‘Does this attorney/writer not value his own paralegals?’
Interesting idea of a book with this new patchwork creature as allegory to marginalized people and migrant workers in America, but falls short. Simple dialogue. The protagonist is a paralegal ‘stitcher’ but from this dialogue sounds like he’s a new baby or on the far end of the spectrum. How does he hold this job?
This book overexplained in a lot of parts instead of leading the reader. I didn’t need ‘Frankenstein’ vs ‘Frankenstein’s monster’ explained or the pandemic shortages on toilet paper…
Touched on too many social issues and without real depth or insight: LGBT couples having biological children, birth rate, MAGA(in this case MASA ‘make America safe again’), immigration, discrimination, internment, greedflation, voting fraud allegations, pharmaceutical industry issues, adoption issues, known life expectancy…basically anything controversial.
This book felt like being stuck at dinner with a teenager listing political/social problems and not offering up much else except “it’s shitty” and “look what I know about now!”
You keep letting this one sided conversation go on expecting something new and it doesn’t happen. Then you’re in the author’s note where he talks about writing it really quickly.
Not surprised. Shouldn’t have.
‘Why do I feel like a Boomer reading this?’ ‘Does this attorney/writer not value his own paralegals?’
Interesting idea of a book with this new patchwork creature as allegory to marginalized people and migrant workers in America, but falls short. Simple dialogue. The protagonist is a paralegal ‘stitcher’ but from this dialogue sounds like he’s a new baby or on the far end of the spectrum. How does he hold this job?
This book overexplained in a lot of parts instead of leading the reader. I didn’t need ‘Frankenstein’ vs ‘Frankenstein’s monster’ explained or the pandemic shortages on toilet paper…
Touched on too many social issues and without real depth or insight: LGBT couples having biological children, birth rate, MAGA(in this case MASA ‘make America safe again’), immigration, discrimination, internment, greedflation, voting fraud allegations, pharmaceutical industry issues, adoption issues, known life expectancy…basically anything controversial.
This book felt like being stuck at dinner with a teenager listing political/social problems and not offering up much else except “it’s shitty” and “look what I know about now!”
You keep letting this one sided conversation go on expecting something new and it doesn’t happen. Then you’re in the author’s note where he talks about writing it really quickly.
Not surprised. Shouldn’t have.
April 30, 2024
I’ve always had a sweet spot for Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, regardless of how many times I had to read it for course work throughout college, so this book definitely caught my attention. This book isn’t exactly the same as Shelley’s novel, but it’s amazing in its own way. I really enjoyed the world building in this novel, the parallels to the toxic MAGA movement and the concept of reanimation was a really interesting way to modernize the moral issues brought up in Shelley’s novel. This novel was really compelling and I definitely recommend it!
March 8, 2024
Inspired by the Classic- Frankenstein, this story is set up in the modern world, following a reanimated human performing his mundane tasks of daily life. His monotony is however disturbed when he meets a woman who has him questioning, appreciating and living. With newer developments in his social circle the man's curiosity to uncover his past life takes over and in turn, reveals the dark sides of the drug industry and politics.
If you are looking for a futuristic picture of a functional Frankenstein in today's society, this book is for you. It is a short book with 3 main dimensions focusing on human emotions, governing bodies and profit-nagging pharma companies. The angle of human discrimination and rights issues is addressed very well, almost similar to the conjecture of modern-day America.
Thanks @netgalley @blackstonepublishing for the Digital ARC.
Genre: #sciencefiction
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
If you are looking for a futuristic picture of a functional Frankenstein in today's society, this book is for you. It is a short book with 3 main dimensions focusing on human emotions, governing bodies and profit-nagging pharma companies. The angle of human discrimination and rights issues is addressed very well, almost similar to the conjecture of modern-day America.
Thanks @netgalley @blackstonepublishing for the Digital ARC.
Genre: #sciencefiction
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
November 3, 2024
Clever, funny, satirical, political. Audio narrator excellent! But also - what makes it Chicano? The names, the food, the ofrenda, the neighborhood - yes, but what else? Upon reflection, I still think it’s a clever partial retelling, but I feel the “Chicano” is just a gloss and the analysis could have gone deeper.
May 24, 2024
I was so excited to read this book because of its premise, but the characters and dialogue never rang true. The comparisons to today’s MAGA movement and the book’s MASA movement were heavy-handed and obvious. Disappointing.
January 31, 2025
3.06 / 5
I love the premise to this but there isn’t much here beyond it. The plot offers great thematic conflict but little narrative conflict. The political satire was a lot of fun and I loved the way the so-called “stitchers” were fill-in’s for the immigrant experience. This works incredibly well and Olivias does a solid job world building in a relatively short amount of time. But there isn’t much that happens in the story that is all that compelling. Still, I found this to often be simultaneously sweet and sadly relevant. I liked this fine, but wish I loved it.
I love the premise to this but there isn’t much here beyond it. The plot offers great thematic conflict but little narrative conflict. The political satire was a lot of fun and I loved the way the so-called “stitchers” were fill-in’s for the immigrant experience. This works incredibly well and Olivias does a solid job world building in a relatively short amount of time. But there isn’t much that happens in the story that is all that compelling. Still, I found this to often be simultaneously sweet and sadly relevant. I liked this fine, but wish I loved it.
August 24, 2025
3.9*
Una reescriptura audaç i satírica del mite de Frankenstein arrelada en la realitat social xicana i immigrant dels EUA. Olivas utilitza la ficció especulativa per a explorar el cos com a territori polític: en un món on els morts poden ser reanimats per a treballar, els "reconstruïts" són la nova subclasse explotada. El protagonista —un home sense nom ni record— es converteix en el símbol de totes les comunitats marginades que han estat deshumanitzades per conveniència econòmica i por ètnica. La prosa és elegant i incisiva, barrejant l'al·legoria gòtica amb l'humor negre i la reivindicació cultural.
Més enllà de la sàtira social, el llibre és una reflexió commovedora sobre la identitat fragmentada: què ens defineix, la memòria o les accions? El amor o el rebuig dels altres? Olivas no ofereix respostes fàcils, sinó un mirall esberlat on cal enfrontar-se al monstre que el sistema crea i després rebutja. En essència, una obra que desfà els filferros de la deshumanització, una al·legoria feroç i intel·ligent que utilitza el terror gòtic per a parlar de justícia social, identitat i resistència.
Una reescriptura audaç i satírica del mite de Frankenstein arrelada en la realitat social xicana i immigrant dels EUA. Olivas utilitza la ficció especulativa per a explorar el cos com a territori polític: en un món on els morts poden ser reanimats per a treballar, els "reconstruïts" són la nova subclasse explotada. El protagonista —un home sense nom ni record— es converteix en el símbol de totes les comunitats marginades que han estat deshumanitzades per conveniència econòmica i por ètnica. La prosa és elegant i incisiva, barrejant l'al·legoria gòtica amb l'humor negre i la reivindicació cultural.
Més enllà de la sàtira social, el llibre és una reflexió commovedora sobre la identitat fragmentada: què ens defineix, la memòria o les accions? El amor o el rebuig dels altres? Olivas no ofereix respostes fàcils, sinó un mirall esberlat on cal enfrontar-se al monstre que el sistema crea i després rebutja. En essència, una obra que desfà els filferros de la deshumanització, una al·legoria feroç i intel·ligent que utilitza el terror gòtic per a parlar de justícia social, identitat i resistència.
October 2, 2024
Too relevant?
November 10, 2025
I didn't expect much from this book, but I actually enjoyed it, I think. Not sure 😃
Olivas takes the original Frankenstein story and updates it to talk about modern problems in America.
The first Frankenstein book was about the main character running away from his own personal creation. It was a problem for one man. But in Chicano Frankenstein, the problem is bigger, it's about the whole system or society making the monster.
Mary Shelley's creature was an outsider who thought deeply. Olivas's creature is a simple symbol for immigrants.
The book shows that America needs them for work, but also dislikes them. This is the idea of the book, I believe.
Some people might say the message is too quick or simple, and it doesn't have the deep. But I believe Olivas wanted to show today's politics very clearly and strongly, in a very open way.
Olivas takes the original Frankenstein story and updates it to talk about modern problems in America.
The first Frankenstein book was about the main character running away from his own personal creation. It was a problem for one man. But in Chicano Frankenstein, the problem is bigger, it's about the whole system or society making the monster.
Mary Shelley's creature was an outsider who thought deeply. Olivas's creature is a simple symbol for immigrants.
The book shows that America needs them for work, but also dislikes them. This is the idea of the book, I believe.
Some people might say the message is too quick or simple, and it doesn't have the deep. But I believe Olivas wanted to show today's politics very clearly and strongly, in a very open way.
Read
March 8, 2024DNF at 50%
Thank you to Netgalley for the ALC.
I really wanted to like this book. If you stick Frankenstein on something I will read it.
I did like it when we were looking at the world through the perspective of The Man and his attempt to understand the world around him. There were some clever references to Frankenstein characters which were dropped in.
I think that this was a clever idea using the sci-fi concept of the reanimated as a vehicle to discuss race relations and the treatment of the Latinx community in the USA.
Unfortunately, while I get what this book was getting at I found it overly didactic in the way that everything was told to us and nothing was implicit. We even got a “Frankenstein was the doctor not the monster”.
My main issue was the dialogue between characters and why I ultimately gave up. It did not mimic real human conversation. It was overly explanatory and carried the world-building. As a result, it was stilted. The dialogue read like a first draft when you're trying to get all of the information down to ensure you have it, and then later you find a way to make your themes more implicit rather than spoon feeding them to your audience.
One example is when the President continues to refer to her Vice-President as "Vice-President Shithead" multiple times. It was as if as the reader we were not trusted to understand that they have a fraught relationship, it didn't come through through the tone and we were not given any information about him that made him unlikeable.
Another is when Faustina is cooking with the Man and the doorbell rings. She says: "Oh they're here a bit early. I'm still wrangling the chilaquiles. Please can you get the door if you don't mind."
We already know they are cooking and Faustina is the one over the pan, we don't need to hear that she's wrangling the chilquiles, its already been shown. The information is given to us twice and it happens again and again.
I did enjoy the audiobook narrator but this book just wasn't for me.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ALC.
I really wanted to like this book. If you stick Frankenstein on something I will read it.
I did like it when we were looking at the world through the perspective of The Man and his attempt to understand the world around him. There were some clever references to Frankenstein characters which were dropped in.
I think that this was a clever idea using the sci-fi concept of the reanimated as a vehicle to discuss race relations and the treatment of the Latinx community in the USA.
Unfortunately, while I get what this book was getting at I found it overly didactic in the way that everything was told to us and nothing was implicit. We even got a “Frankenstein was the doctor not the monster”.
My main issue was the dialogue between characters and why I ultimately gave up. It did not mimic real human conversation. It was overly explanatory and carried the world-building. As a result, it was stilted. The dialogue read like a first draft when you're trying to get all of the information down to ensure you have it, and then later you find a way to make your themes more implicit rather than spoon feeding them to your audience.
One example is when the President continues to refer to her Vice-President as "Vice-President Shithead" multiple times. It was as if as the reader we were not trusted to understand that they have a fraught relationship, it didn't come through through the tone and we were not given any information about him that made him unlikeable.
Another is when Faustina is cooking with the Man and the doorbell rings. She says: "Oh they're here a bit early. I'm still wrangling the chilaquiles. Please can you get the door if you don't mind."
We already know they are cooking and Faustina is the one over the pan, we don't need to hear that she's wrangling the chilquiles, its already been shown. The information is given to us twice and it happens again and again.
I did enjoy the audiobook narrator but this book just wasn't for me.
March 31, 2024
Inspired by contemporary American life, it delves in the reflection of who’s the monster when a ‘Frankenstein’ is created; the creature or the system that created it. Simply written. Robust critic.
October 7, 2024
This novel was truly insipid. The writing, and dialogue in particular, was so bad it makes me want to go back and add a star to everything else I’ve ever rated just to make the comparison more clear. This was part of my public library’s Everybody Reads experience; this novel may have turned some off from the notion of literacy. Ugh.
April 20, 2024
elementary story outside of the stitches i can not keep connecting to how i view frankenstein’s exclusion this could have been separate .. third person .. anyways the language made me feel weird the modernity did not work here .. i again, need to stop reading frankenstein related things 🧪
September 23, 2025
heavy handed and boring - if it was longer I would not have finished. Such a promising premise, but characters all lacked meaningful growth.
April 6, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5
A little (reanimated) slice of life feel and jam packed with modern juxtapositions. This a wonderfully written novella with a little pinch from multiple genres. Olivas creates a compelling story through our reanimated protagonist’s lens about identity, discovery, love and what it truly means to be alive. I really enjoyed the jarring transcripts from the different governing bodies paralleling the protagonist’s storyline. I also really enjoyed this unique found family narrative. I could not put this book down and it’s a delectable in-one-sitting read. It’s set up so well to be expanded and I would love to see more stories about this reanimated community.
I received an ARC from Forest Ave Press.
A little (reanimated) slice of life feel and jam packed with modern juxtapositions. This a wonderfully written novella with a little pinch from multiple genres. Olivas creates a compelling story through our reanimated protagonist’s lens about identity, discovery, love and what it truly means to be alive. I really enjoyed the jarring transcripts from the different governing bodies paralleling the protagonist’s storyline. I also really enjoyed this unique found family narrative. I could not put this book down and it’s a delectable in-one-sitting read. It’s set up so well to be expanded and I would love to see more stories about this reanimated community.
I received an ARC from Forest Ave Press.
March 22, 2024
#ChicanoFrankenstein was kindly approved for me on NetGalley by the audio publisher : @blackstonepublishing in return for an honest review. Thank you so much! And thank you for auto-approving me for your titles, very honored 💚 !
This book by Daniel A Oliva is a retelling of sorts of Frankenstein. Although I didn’t quite like the vague ending from one POV, the other POV’s chilled me to the bone. In this alternate future, people can choose to be “reanimated” after death by at times, using spare parts. The catch is, you don’t come back as yourself, you come back with your memories pretty much wiped clean, with a new identity, and no info on your past life. I found the reasoning for all this subterfuge “your family has already mourned you” to be a faulty one bc if I KNEW that a family member chose to have a “reanimation” option I wouldn’t mourn them, I’d be waiting by the hospital morgue saying, “is it time yet?” Soooo I didn’t like nor understand nor believe the rationale for it but if you believe that the wiping of memory is necessary OR just the law decided for you, what follows is LIFE. Isn’t LIFE more important than anything??? Welllllll this story explores SO many aspects of what it means to be alive, to have autonomy, and to be a free individual, and importantly: what does it mean to have an IDENTITY!!??? Aren’t our memories a huge part of what helps shape our very identity? Not to others but for ourselves??!! Yes! So you can see, there is a parallel to Dr Frankenstein’s “monster” (who was anything but before the world made him hate) and this new reanimated human in this story, referred to throughout as “the man.” In alternating chapters you get the POV of the Madame President who is a “stitcher” hater and is stamping her approval on a bill to prevent “any more of them” from being “created” implying that they are #lessthan human. Mannn there is so much to unpack in this story! The more I think of it, the more it disturbs me and makes this question occur to me: why as humans do we tend to put value on our own lives by devaluing other ones? As if any of us matter only because of someone else NOT mattering? Hmmm points to ponder!! Give this a read!!!
This book by Daniel A Oliva is a retelling of sorts of Frankenstein. Although I didn’t quite like the vague ending from one POV, the other POV’s chilled me to the bone. In this alternate future, people can choose to be “reanimated” after death by at times, using spare parts. The catch is, you don’t come back as yourself, you come back with your memories pretty much wiped clean, with a new identity, and no info on your past life. I found the reasoning for all this subterfuge “your family has already mourned you” to be a faulty one bc if I KNEW that a family member chose to have a “reanimation” option I wouldn’t mourn them, I’d be waiting by the hospital morgue saying, “is it time yet?” Soooo I didn’t like nor understand nor believe the rationale for it but if you believe that the wiping of memory is necessary OR just the law decided for you, what follows is LIFE. Isn’t LIFE more important than anything??? Welllllll this story explores SO many aspects of what it means to be alive, to have autonomy, and to be a free individual, and importantly: what does it mean to have an IDENTITY!!??? Aren’t our memories a huge part of what helps shape our very identity? Not to others but for ourselves??!! Yes! So you can see, there is a parallel to Dr Frankenstein’s “monster” (who was anything but before the world made him hate) and this new reanimated human in this story, referred to throughout as “the man.” In alternating chapters you get the POV of the Madame President who is a “stitcher” hater and is stamping her approval on a bill to prevent “any more of them” from being “created” implying that they are #lessthan human. Mannn there is so much to unpack in this story! The more I think of it, the more it disturbs me and makes this question occur to me: why as humans do we tend to put value on our own lives by devaluing other ones? As if any of us matter only because of someone else NOT mattering? Hmmm points to ponder!! Give this a read!!!
February 28, 2024
Chicano Frankenstein by Daniel A. Olivas and narrated by Thom Rivera is an absolutely glorious retelling of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and the audiobook is simply chef's kiss! An elegant crossover between SciFi, Horror, Political Satire and Romance, this is an absolutely fantastic novel
Thom Rivera creates the perfect atmosphere and the characterisation of our male protagonist is absolutely brilliant. Rivera has a fantastic range and really brings out the characters idiosyncracies and personalities, framing Olivas exceptional prose with a stellar performance
As for the storyline itself, dazzling. An author would be hard pressed to match the original in this case, but the beauty of this version, is that it does not compete, but reshapes the novel to be enjoyed by a contemporary and traditional readership alike.
Essentially, we are transported to a time not so far in the future, where people are brought back to life to do the work where there are shortages in the futuristic soceity. However, these people are rarely accepted and often attacked for being different, despite the good they are doing and the extensive profits they are providing for the rich (A direct commentary on contemporary events)
Our protagonist falls in love with a fellow lawyer (Faustina) and as their relationship deepends, he seeks his origins and where he came from tion process erased.
Thank you to Netgalley, Blackstone Publishing, the fantastic author Daniel A Olivas and the outstanding narrator Thom Rivera for this brilliant ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinins are my own
Thom Rivera creates the perfect atmosphere and the characterisation of our male protagonist is absolutely brilliant. Rivera has a fantastic range and really brings out the characters idiosyncracies and personalities, framing Olivas exceptional prose with a stellar performance
As for the storyline itself, dazzling. An author would be hard pressed to match the original in this case, but the beauty of this version, is that it does not compete, but reshapes the novel to be enjoyed by a contemporary and traditional readership alike.
Essentially, we are transported to a time not so far in the future, where people are brought back to life to do the work where there are shortages in the futuristic soceity. However, these people are rarely accepted and often attacked for being different, despite the good they are doing and the extensive profits they are providing for the rich (A direct commentary on contemporary events)
Our protagonist falls in love with a fellow lawyer (Faustina) and as their relationship deepends, he seeks his origins and where he came from tion process erased.
Thank you to Netgalley, Blackstone Publishing, the fantastic author Daniel A Olivas and the outstanding narrator Thom Rivera for this brilliant ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinins are my own
March 26, 2024
Chicano Frankenstein is a modern retelling of the classic horror novel. It mixes the original theme with today’s issues.
The cover is vibrant and I love that! Would definitely stand out on a shelf.
The narrator, Thom Rivera, was okay but his voice was a little too monotone at times. Also the dialogue was a bit unrealistic to me. I don’t think people speak like this.
I really like the concept of the novel but it fell flat for me. I don’t think I would’ve finished if not for reviewing. I enjoyed the overall message about belonging. There are many comparisons to the Trump administration and how horribly they have treated people. So if you are pro Trump, you probably won’t like this.
Thanks to NetGalley, Forest Avenue Press, Blackstone Publishing and Daniel A. Olivia’s for the opportunity to read Chicano Frankenstein. I have written this review voluntarily.
The cover is vibrant and I love that! Would definitely stand out on a shelf.
The narrator, Thom Rivera, was okay but his voice was a little too monotone at times. Also the dialogue was a bit unrealistic to me. I don’t think people speak like this.
I really like the concept of the novel but it fell flat for me. I don’t think I would’ve finished if not for reviewing. I enjoyed the overall message about belonging. There are many comparisons to the Trump administration and how horribly they have treated people. So if you are pro Trump, you probably won’t like this.
Thanks to NetGalley, Forest Avenue Press, Blackstone Publishing and Daniel A. Olivia’s for the opportunity to read Chicano Frankenstein. I have written this review voluntarily.
March 20, 2024
Thank you NetGalley, Daniel Olivas and Forest Avenue Press for allowing me an ARC of this beautiful audiobook.
Chicano Frankenstein is marketed as a “retelling” of Mary Shelly’s classic Frankenstein, but I feel that description doesn’t do it justice. This isn’t quite a retelling, but rather what I’d describe as a continuation. In it we see “The Man” as our main character, who has been reanimated in a society that is trying to ban reanimations. Like Frankenstein’s monster, he doesn’t receive a name and we are shown the ways in which his fellow humans view him for being different.
The best part of this book is the eloquent and delicate way Olivas writes so the social commentary doesn’t come off as hateful, vile or distracting from the rest of the story.
Chicano Frankenstein is marketed as a “retelling” of Mary Shelly’s classic Frankenstein, but I feel that description doesn’t do it justice. This isn’t quite a retelling, but rather what I’d describe as a continuation. In it we see “The Man” as our main character, who has been reanimated in a society that is trying to ban reanimations. Like Frankenstein’s monster, he doesn’t receive a name and we are shown the ways in which his fellow humans view him for being different.
The best part of this book is the eloquent and delicate way Olivas writes so the social commentary doesn’t come off as hateful, vile or distracting from the rest of the story.
March 12, 2024
This was an interesting book unlike any other I've read before. Reimagining Frankenstein has been done multiple times before of course, but this was an original take that used the familiar tale as a metaphor for the current political climate - both in the USA and elsewhere. The characters were realistic and interesting, the plot was as believable as this futuristic sci-fi/fantasy world could make it, and the ending was satisfying and ever-so-slightly open-ended, leaving you wondering what happens next!
July 30, 2025
I liked the story, but it definitely could have been executed better. The author is really bad about telling instead of showing, and his descriptions of things were rather boring. He also repeated lines word for word A LOT, which was clearly a stylistic choice, but I felt that he overdid it. I think the world he built is fascinating, though, and it's structured in a way that would lend well to a film or miniseries adaptation.
Read
June 2, 2024there were some strong moments and elements in the writing, and i liked that The Man was a thriving autistic, but this seriously underwhelmed.
October 7, 2024
Alternatively satirical and endearing, Chicano Frankenstein is an enjoyable, short read that I highly recommend.
The audiobook was really engaging. Great voice, able to distinguish characters, entertaining.
Satire creeps in on modern politics, news channels, corrupt big pharma, and other topics. Even the phrase “Make America Sage Again” gets thrown in. All handled really well, in my opinion.
There is some good connections with the Frankenstein lore. Like in the Frankenstein movies (both in the characters in those films and the real life reactions from children) kids are not afraid of the “Stitchers,” people who died and then got reanimated to life. Like in the novel, there are some epistolary elements: transcript of political planning, of a political ad demagogue-ing against Stitchers, and of evening news interviews. This helps exposition not feel like a slog to get through.
I love when novels about “monsters” teach us more about what a human should be. Not dehumanizing others, not taking rights away, not focusing on asinine things while failing to help our communities. The book also tackles the idea of how much are we a person if we cannot remember our past, where we are from, who we are from.
Objectively a good read, although some readers may not like the lack of science in this science fiction or the low stakes conflict. I am 100% fine with that. The ending felt like it just kind of fell off, like a pause in the narrative rather than an ending.
Subjectively, this is an absolutely effing amazing read for me. Using monsters to handle the conversation on the craziness of modern humanity will get me every time. 9/10
Audiobooks review copy provided by Net Galley, not sponsored.
The audiobook was really engaging. Great voice, able to distinguish characters, entertaining.
Satire creeps in on modern politics, news channels, corrupt big pharma, and other topics. Even the phrase “Make America Sage Again” gets thrown in. All handled really well, in my opinion.
There is some good connections with the Frankenstein lore. Like in the Frankenstein movies (both in the characters in those films and the real life reactions from children) kids are not afraid of the “Stitchers,” people who died and then got reanimated to life. Like in the novel, there are some epistolary elements: transcript of political planning, of a political ad demagogue-ing against Stitchers, and of evening news interviews. This helps exposition not feel like a slog to get through.
I love when novels about “monsters” teach us more about what a human should be. Not dehumanizing others, not taking rights away, not focusing on asinine things while failing to help our communities. The book also tackles the idea of how much are we a person if we cannot remember our past, where we are from, who we are from.
Objectively a good read, although some readers may not like the lack of science in this science fiction or the low stakes conflict. I am 100% fine with that. The ending felt like it just kind of fell off, like a pause in the narrative rather than an ending.
Subjectively, this is an absolutely effing amazing read for me. Using monsters to handle the conversation on the craziness of modern humanity will get me every time. 9/10
Audiobooks review copy provided by Net Galley, not sponsored.
November 8, 2025
Just my personal opinions!!!****
I didn't really like this a whole lot, i don't think it was my cup of tea. The writing was simplistic and i felt like i'd picked up a book written for middle graders. And since Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is my most adored piece of literature ever, maybe i was expecting something more from this. Everything was very heavy handed and on the nose, which is fine, some books are written with that intention. But for these reasons i just did not enjoy reading it. I also found it boring and most dialogues and interactions didn't feel important to the story or plot (though i feel like this was supposed to be kind of not eventful and more slice of life? but i was just bored and didn't care or connect with the characters or story). I was the most intrigued in the start, then felt disappointed, and the last pages gave me a bit of anxiety because the book does reflect how in reality for example 'immigrants' in the U.S are treated in reality.
Maybe this would be better read for people who doesn't read often or a lot, and haven't previously read Frankenstein and haven't reflected themselves upon how some groups of people are discriminized and mistreated. For me it didn't really give me anything new to think about. And i personally prefer the original Frankenstein in how it discusses some themes in a not heavy handed way.
Idk, i could still finish it because it wasn't awful or anything, and it's very easy to read. I did skip a lot of the transcripts between chapters because i felt like the language used was a bit.. cringey and childish. which to be fair, is how a lot of politicians speak. My personal preferance is a more mature and complex take on politics skskksks.
I didn't really like this a whole lot, i don't think it was my cup of tea. The writing was simplistic and i felt like i'd picked up a book written for middle graders. And since Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is my most adored piece of literature ever, maybe i was expecting something more from this. Everything was very heavy handed and on the nose, which is fine, some books are written with that intention. But for these reasons i just did not enjoy reading it. I also found it boring and most dialogues and interactions didn't feel important to the story or plot (though i feel like this was supposed to be kind of not eventful and more slice of life? but i was just bored and didn't care or connect with the characters or story). I was the most intrigued in the start, then felt disappointed, and the last pages gave me a bit of anxiety because the book does reflect how in reality for example 'immigrants' in the U.S are treated in reality.
Maybe this would be better read for people who doesn't read often or a lot, and haven't previously read Frankenstein and haven't reflected themselves upon how some groups of people are discriminized and mistreated. For me it didn't really give me anything new to think about. And i personally prefer the original Frankenstein in how it discusses some themes in a not heavy handed way.
Idk, i could still finish it because it wasn't awful or anything, and it's very easy to read. I did skip a lot of the transcripts between chapters because i felt like the language used was a bit.. cringey and childish. which to be fair, is how a lot of politicians speak. My personal preferance is a more mature and complex take on politics skskksks.
October 31, 2025
This book weaves together the echoes of Frankenstein, the pulse of modern politics, the heart of Latinx culture, and the voices of the marginalized. Personally, I found this to be a little too "on the nose," regarding current politics - their is a MASA (make America safe again,) party rather than a MAGA party. At its center are an unnamed reanimated man and Faustina, whose fragile, growing connection becomes the story’s emotional core. Around them, interviews and presidential discussions debate the rights and place of the reanimated in society—threads that feel eerily close to our own current tensions. It’s a sharp, thought-provoking premise, though not one that will appeal to everyone.
“The man” himself carries a calm, mechanical logic—more circuit than soul at first, reminding me of Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation. It fits, of course: he has no past, no family, only three years of existence. Yet through Faustina, small sparks of feeling begin to surface. You can sense him edging closer to being human, or at least trying to understand what that means.
The ending arrives too suddenly, like a door slammed mid-conversation. Just when things begin to deepen, the story cuts off, leaving questions humming in the air. Maybe that’s intentional—to keep the reader unsettled, still thinking—but for me, it didn’t quite land. The book falls short of its promise, but its ideas linger, strange and alive, long after the last page.
“The man” himself carries a calm, mechanical logic—more circuit than soul at first, reminding me of Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation. It fits, of course: he has no past, no family, only three years of existence. Yet through Faustina, small sparks of feeling begin to surface. You can sense him edging closer to being human, or at least trying to understand what that means.
The ending arrives too suddenly, like a door slammed mid-conversation. Just when things begin to deepen, the story cuts off, leaving questions humming in the air. Maybe that’s intentional—to keep the reader unsettled, still thinking—but for me, it didn’t quite land. The book falls short of its promise, but its ideas linger, strange and alive, long after the last page.
May 20, 2024
I received a free audiobook copy of Chicano Frankenstein via NetGalley. Thank you so much NetGalley and Blackstone publishing for the free arc copy.
So I already owned a physical copy of this book so I did a tandem read with both the physical and the audiobook. I enjoyed reading it this way and I found it to be very clear narration.
This is a short Novella, about 220 pages. But it accomplishes so much in such an interesting way and in such a little book. I really enjoyed the characters within the novel as well as the very interesting way that they wove in some harder topics like big Pharma, immigration, and voting rights.
The character is absolutely shown in this novel. I felt so much emotional attachment to the main characters in this novel. Which is really hard to do sometimes in such a small book. There were definitely characters that were meant to dislike, and the dislike was definitely immense.
overall, I cannot wait to read more this author. They accomplished something very unique and I can't wait to see what else they put out.
So I already owned a physical copy of this book so I did a tandem read with both the physical and the audiobook. I enjoyed reading it this way and I found it to be very clear narration.
This is a short Novella, about 220 pages. But it accomplishes so much in such an interesting way and in such a little book. I really enjoyed the characters within the novel as well as the very interesting way that they wove in some harder topics like big Pharma, immigration, and voting rights.
The character is absolutely shown in this novel. I felt so much emotional attachment to the main characters in this novel. Which is really hard to do sometimes in such a small book. There were definitely characters that were meant to dislike, and the dislike was definitely immense.
overall, I cannot wait to read more this author. They accomplished something very unique and I can't wait to see what else they put out.
October 11, 2025
Not for right-wing snowflakes. They do not come off looking good with the “Make America Safe Again” campaign.
I read this as a companion for “Frankenstein” for my book club, but in truth the two have very little in common. “Frankenstein” is about what makes one human, and aching loneliness. This has none of that, and is focused on who he was rather than who he is.
This book had a lot to say and valid metaphors to draw, but to be honest I’m not sure I heard it all over the boredom it induced.
The conversation is super stilted and awkward, just uses bizarrely formal grammar and over explanatory. It’s like reading a word problem in math class. Actual quote: “I want to plan a date in Pasadena because that’s where she lives, and she even has her office there so I think it will be convenient in case she has to go back to the office after the date.”
It’s excusable in “The Man” because he’s a “stitcher”, but the other characters speak the same way. His girlfriend spends entire pages deconstructing chilaquiles. It’s like an entire book of neurodivergents- which would be fine, if that’s what it meant to be.
There’s a weird interlude about a ferret and a beetle. It’s a metaphor for acceptance or something but it’s just bizarre as shit. Same with a random tour of a house.
I read this as a companion for “Frankenstein” for my book club, but in truth the two have very little in common. “Frankenstein” is about what makes one human, and aching loneliness. This has none of that, and is focused on who he was rather than who he is.
This book had a lot to say and valid metaphors to draw, but to be honest I’m not sure I heard it all over the boredom it induced.
The conversation is super stilted and awkward, just uses bizarrely formal grammar and over explanatory. It’s like reading a word problem in math class. Actual quote: “I want to plan a date in Pasadena because that’s where she lives, and she even has her office there so I think it will be convenient in case she has to go back to the office after the date.”
It’s excusable in “The Man” because he’s a “stitcher”, but the other characters speak the same way. His girlfriend spends entire pages deconstructing chilaquiles. It’s like an entire book of neurodivergents- which would be fine, if that’s what it meant to be.
There’s a weird interlude about a ferret and a beetle. It’s a metaphor for acceptance or something but it’s just bizarre as shit. Same with a random tour of a house.
October 3, 2025
It’s a fun time!
While it didn’t heavily change my way of thinking about the source material or current state of the world I didn’t really need it to. Having Chicano identity explored through the Frankensteins Monster model was neat! And I liked it! Relatable ish material about being made up of mixed parts, unknown identity and/or forgotten and lost identity, not being able to “go back” but not really being accepted where you’re at now, etc. And while the romance was not at the forefront of what the message was it was also very cute and I will always appreciate some Spanglish between lovers !!!
The cringiest things about this book are in how it’s so dated to right now and I haven’t read something written so NOW I think ever? Covid, MAGA, wordle, and Steve Kornackis big board all make appearances and I love to laugh !
While it didn’t heavily change my way of thinking about the source material or current state of the world I didn’t really need it to. Having Chicano identity explored through the Frankensteins Monster model was neat! And I liked it! Relatable ish material about being made up of mixed parts, unknown identity and/or forgotten and lost identity, not being able to “go back” but not really being accepted where you’re at now, etc. And while the romance was not at the forefront of what the message was it was also very cute and I will always appreciate some Spanglish between lovers !!!
The cringiest things about this book are in how it’s so dated to right now and I haven’t read something written so NOW I think ever? Covid, MAGA, wordle, and Steve Kornackis big board all make appearances and I love to laugh !
October 13, 2024
I’m a sucker for any Frankenstein retelling and any horror written by a BIPOC author (I stand by the fact they write the best horror), so obviously as soon as I saw this I had to grab it! This was a quick retelling set in the modern US, and I really just wished it had been longer! I want to know what happens past the bit of ambiguous ending, even though I think from a literary perspective the ending was right where it should be.
The man character is an unnamed man (called just “the man”) who was part of a reanimation program. The reanimation program is a scientific program that is able to bring people, or parts of people, back to life. While amazing it obviously brings up lots of ethical questions, and one solution has been that the reanimated can’t know anything about their previous live(s). Despite this, the reanimated man has both dreams and nightmares from his past lives. At the same time we’re getting the man’s story, the US President - in hopes of winning the midterms - is taking an increasingly radical stance on reanimation, first banning the procedure and then planning to take away the rights of the reanimated. Both the man and his lawyer girlfriend (who was probably my favorite character) are Hispanic and the language being used by the president against the reanimated was basically a carbon copy of how US politicians discuss immigrants and the Hispanic community.
I love that Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and its lessons still resonate so much and I thought Olivas’s use of its blueprint to push a conversation about the way the US treats those it needs and invited was perfection without being heavy handed. I really enjoyed this retelling and it is a perfect edition to your Halloween season TBR!
The man character is an unnamed man (called just “the man”) who was part of a reanimation program. The reanimation program is a scientific program that is able to bring people, or parts of people, back to life. While amazing it obviously brings up lots of ethical questions, and one solution has been that the reanimated can’t know anything about their previous live(s). Despite this, the reanimated man has both dreams and nightmares from his past lives. At the same time we’re getting the man’s story, the US President - in hopes of winning the midterms - is taking an increasingly radical stance on reanimation, first banning the procedure and then planning to take away the rights of the reanimated. Both the man and his lawyer girlfriend (who was probably my favorite character) are Hispanic and the language being used by the president against the reanimated was basically a carbon copy of how US politicians discuss immigrants and the Hispanic community.
I love that Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and its lessons still resonate so much and I thought Olivas’s use of its blueprint to push a conversation about the way the US treats those it needs and invited was perfection without being heavy handed. I really enjoyed this retelling and it is a perfect edition to your Halloween season TBR!
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