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The Dread Legacies: Victoria Frankenstein
216 pages, Hardcover
Published October 1, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 11, 2025
3.75/5 stars rounded up.
The first half of this book felt pretty slow to me which is what dragged my rating down a bit. I had some trouble getting into the story. I thought the second half was a lot better and became action-packed.
What I really liked was how this follows your classic Frankenstein story, but yet offers something new without losing too much of the source material in the process. I appreciated that this felt like a historical novel. Sometimes with retellings, I think the story becomes too modernized for my person preference. Thankfully, that didn't happen here. It felt like I got transported into the past. Building on that point, I thought there was great atmosphere within this book. Occasionally I noticed some phrase or adjective repeats. It wasn't a huge deal to me though, just something that I picked up on.
While the first half of this book feels somewhat reserved in the gore department, it definitely has a redemption in the second half. I also have to give kudos for the decision to take a feminist route for this retelling. I'm sure there will be a whole group of people that don't like this, but I feel that it's more fitting.
I plan to pick up book 2, whatever that book may be!
It was also such great timing finishing up this book and then being able to watch Guillermo Del Toro's film adaptation of Frankenstein. I now feel the creeping desire to reread Mary Shelley's original story.
Thank you to the authors for sending me this ARC. All opinions are always my own.
The first half of this book felt pretty slow to me which is what dragged my rating down a bit. I had some trouble getting into the story. I thought the second half was a lot better and became action-packed.
What I really liked was how this follows your classic Frankenstein story, but yet offers something new without losing too much of the source material in the process. I appreciated that this felt like a historical novel. Sometimes with retellings, I think the story becomes too modernized for my person preference. Thankfully, that didn't happen here. It felt like I got transported into the past. Building on that point, I thought there was great atmosphere within this book. Occasionally I noticed some phrase or adjective repeats. It wasn't a huge deal to me though, just something that I picked up on.
While the first half of this book feels somewhat reserved in the gore department, it definitely has a redemption in the second half. I also have to give kudos for the decision to take a feminist route for this retelling. I'm sure there will be a whole group of people that don't like this, but I feel that it's more fitting.
I plan to pick up book 2, whatever that book may be!
It was also such great timing finishing up this book and then being able to watch Guillermo Del Toro's film adaptation of Frankenstein. I now feel the creeping desire to reread Mary Shelley's original story.
Thank you to the authors for sending me this ARC. All opinions are always my own.
September 6, 2025
First of all, thank you to the authors for letting me have an ARC.
Release: 1st October
If you're into your historical horror vibes, with an added touch of gothic atmosphere, then here you go!
You can tell the work and love that must have gone into this story. At times the writing was memorising and painted so vividly. It really puts you in the picture. I particularly enjoyed how it all rounded up at the end.
Entertaining, dark, interesting, and overall a really great play on a popular theme! I recommend for the spooky season in particular. If you're not sure on the theme, I recommend reading just so you can see the writing style.
Release: 1st October
If you're into your historical horror vibes, with an added touch of gothic atmosphere, then here you go!
You can tell the work and love that must have gone into this story. At times the writing was memorising and painted so vividly. It really puts you in the picture. I particularly enjoyed how it all rounded up at the end.
Entertaining, dark, interesting, and overall a really great play on a popular theme! I recommend for the spooky season in particular. If you're not sure on the theme, I recommend reading just so you can see the writing style.
Currently reading
September 2, 2025This is my book. I am the co-author. I started writing it back in 2018 with my partner, my chief, my main dude, Vienna Nicole. We spent a lot of time working on ourselves to be good parents then, since our daughter, Persephone, was born that year in June. Our sweet Spring child. We both came from a broken home and we asked of ourselves to be the parents we wanted, for her. Conversations about child development, that have truly never ended, would one day lead to discussions of Frankenstein and Victor's choice to abandon what he made. The analysis sprung the question:
What if Victor, was instead, Victoria. What if a woman had chose to abandon what she had made. We never write it in the book but Victoria's fear is inspired by post-partum. To no longer feel connected to what was once your child, and feel a part of you change and experience identity crisis. We began to deeply care about a new version of Frankenstein that didn't exist in the world. The story we hadn't written yet. One of hidden meanings in a world where women who can and are brilliant never receive credit or acknowledgement, where hundreds of years of successful c-section practices our silenced only to damn countless woman to death during childbirth. These are parallels of the world we live in today, the world our daughter is going to grow up in.
We wanted to respect what Mary Shelley made. Too often do we, ourselves, scoff at the idea of reboots in film and stories. We didn't set out with such an intention, but we knew we were making another retelling. So we agreed it was important to make the batter of the recipe infused with Mary Shelley's heart. We researched her, her father, her mother. We became so invested in her that in learning new information sometimes made us weep for it was like knowing a friend and hearing of their dismay. We eventually moved on to heavily analyze "Frankenstein" and we began to make connections between Mary's mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, and the hidden meanings of feminism in her story, or at least those that her mother had also spoke about in her book "A Vindication Of The Rights Of Woman".
Look, Im a writer and I could write a whole book on what we went through together just to write this book. But I will spare you. We are independent authors and there is a good chance this book will be buried in all the other publishing house marketing or whatever A.I. mass production gets pushed out. There could be the possibility this will be the only review this book receives.
So I will say with honesty, I love our book. Years of my life have been put into a story that I only wished to be a part of writing because it was a story, that I, wanted to find in the world.
5 stars, will eat here again.
What if Victor, was instead, Victoria. What if a woman had chose to abandon what she had made. We never write it in the book but Victoria's fear is inspired by post-partum. To no longer feel connected to what was once your child, and feel a part of you change and experience identity crisis. We began to deeply care about a new version of Frankenstein that didn't exist in the world. The story we hadn't written yet. One of hidden meanings in a world where women who can and are brilliant never receive credit or acknowledgement, where hundreds of years of successful c-section practices our silenced only to damn countless woman to death during childbirth. These are parallels of the world we live in today, the world our daughter is going to grow up in.
We wanted to respect what Mary Shelley made. Too often do we, ourselves, scoff at the idea of reboots in film and stories. We didn't set out with such an intention, but we knew we were making another retelling. So we agreed it was important to make the batter of the recipe infused with Mary Shelley's heart. We researched her, her father, her mother. We became so invested in her that in learning new information sometimes made us weep for it was like knowing a friend and hearing of their dismay. We eventually moved on to heavily analyze "Frankenstein" and we began to make connections between Mary's mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, and the hidden meanings of feminism in her story, or at least those that her mother had also spoke about in her book "A Vindication Of The Rights Of Woman".
Look, Im a writer and I could write a whole book on what we went through together just to write this book. But I will spare you. We are independent authors and there is a good chance this book will be buried in all the other publishing house marketing or whatever A.I. mass production gets pushed out. There could be the possibility this will be the only review this book receives.
So I will say with honesty, I love our book. Years of my life have been put into a story that I only wished to be a part of writing because it was a story, that I, wanted to find in the world.
5 stars, will eat here again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2025
Death follows Frankensteins.
I love my retellings, and Frankenstein retellings (since he is my favorite monster) are especially noteworthy. Victoria Frankenstein is a stunning reimagining written in the classic style of Mary Shelley herself.
Wrapped in the same silky dread as its predecessor, this novel is lyrical, gothic, and insanely atmospheric. The prose drips with historical richness, capturing the 17–1800s vibes while still somehow resonating in 2025. It’s clear how much research and care went into recreating this world and the result is timeless!
Victoria, as a character, is a brilliant counterpart to Shelley’s Victor. Their monstrous creations begin in much the same way, but this time we see how the story transforms through the lens of a woman in STEM. Her insights are sharp, her reflections profound and I found myself highlighting passages constantly, from her little nuggets of wisdom to beautiful lines of dialogue.
What struck me most is how the premise itself raises questions I’d never thought to ask: How would a woman’s vastly different life experiences alter this narrative? Would she nurture her creation rather than abandon it? Would her moral compass pull her in a different direction? This book not only poses those questions but answers them in ways that feel dark, original, and necessary.
A gorgeous and haunting retelling that I would recommend for fans of historical retellings, Franky, or gothic and ethereal stories. Thank you to the authors for the gifted e-copy. All opinions are my own.
I love my retellings, and Frankenstein retellings (since he is my favorite monster) are especially noteworthy. Victoria Frankenstein is a stunning reimagining written in the classic style of Mary Shelley herself.
Wrapped in the same silky dread as its predecessor, this novel is lyrical, gothic, and insanely atmospheric. The prose drips with historical richness, capturing the 17–1800s vibes while still somehow resonating in 2025. It’s clear how much research and care went into recreating this world and the result is timeless!
Victoria, as a character, is a brilliant counterpart to Shelley’s Victor. Their monstrous creations begin in much the same way, but this time we see how the story transforms through the lens of a woman in STEM. Her insights are sharp, her reflections profound and I found myself highlighting passages constantly, from her little nuggets of wisdom to beautiful lines of dialogue.
What struck me most is how the premise itself raises questions I’d never thought to ask: How would a woman’s vastly different life experiences alter this narrative? Would she nurture her creation rather than abandon it? Would her moral compass pull her in a different direction? This book not only poses those questions but answers them in ways that feel dark, original, and necessary.
A gorgeous and haunting retelling that I would recommend for fans of historical retellings, Franky, or gothic and ethereal stories. Thank you to the authors for the gifted e-copy. All opinions are my own.
August 29, 2025
“𝑹𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅, 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒕, 𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆. 𝑩𝒖𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒆.”
A rampant gruesome horror that I finished in one night I’m talking VERY hard to put down. It was so unbelievably beautifully written, a gothic dream! gruesome and grim but also heartbreaking. This was a powerhouse of a novella.
This is for real horror fans, a fantastically unique take on Frankenstein. Highly recommend
The catalyst for a series reimagining classic horror. For fans of classic monsters comes a heart wrenching Gothic horror about a woman who runs from the monster of her past, but that of which she had abandoned will soon find her again.
Please read the triggers first bc this book does contain very upsetting scenes
A rampant gruesome horror that I finished in one night I’m talking VERY hard to put down. It was so unbelievably beautifully written, a gothic dream! gruesome and grim but also heartbreaking. This was a powerhouse of a novella.
This is for real horror fans, a fantastically unique take on Frankenstein. Highly recommend
The catalyst for a series reimagining classic horror. For fans of classic monsters comes a heart wrenching Gothic horror about a woman who runs from the monster of her past, but that of which she had abandoned will soon find her again.
Please read the triggers first bc this book does contain very upsetting scenes
September 30, 2025
"I dream because they cannot."~Victoria
This was unexpected. I've read retellings on classic monsters before, changing scopes of characters and even the well versed landscape. But this one, this one read differently. The team writing style of Mr Warren and Ms Nicole set the gothic eerieness of a place we've traveled to, but this time, the story building blocks have changed, where they once have been placed, now they belong to a woman, a Frakenstein, who's driven to live up to her family's legacy, especially her Father. Victoria was older, haunted, a fully aware woman who understood loss and pain, she was ingrained with it. And losing loved ones, a child long ago, was about to lead her to a madness of creating life out of death.💀💓⚰️ She was an interesting character. Lonely. Flawed. Driven but likable. As was little Susanna. Sweet child, full of dreams.👧🏻
🚩🚩Be sure to read the TWs. There are situations here that might be uncomfortable for some readers.🚩🚩
The storytelling, the prose was there. The plot moved along with its twists. Sometimes the timeline got a bit confusing for me, especially the last 2 chapters, but it went to where it needed to go. Victoria's journey didn't end in her home, that famous castle, the night on the 'birth' of her child, a man dragged out of the earth with her knowledge of interesting avenues.((Mothman!🐦⬛😲)) It was the beginning. She ran away but was found. The dread was tangible. And with it, the action, blood running and bursting, lives being stomped out, screams of terror, a monster that can't be stopped, has come home.😱🏰😱 It was written with vile horror, the heavy atmosphere will show you as a reader, that sometimes things are not quite as they appear. Would you be able to know true evil if it was right in front of you?😈🙀 If you like historical gothic horror, do not miss reading this one. Spooky season is almost here.🌙🕯️🔮 I wonder what the next book will be about? That's a cool book cover. Happy reading.*•>§<•*⚡❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹
🧌🩸👩🏻🔬Thank you to both Mr Warren and Ms Nicole and Booksprout for an early book. The opinions shared here are my own.👩🏻🔬🩸🧌
This was unexpected. I've read retellings on classic monsters before, changing scopes of characters and even the well versed landscape. But this one, this one read differently. The team writing style of Mr Warren and Ms Nicole set the gothic eerieness of a place we've traveled to, but this time, the story building blocks have changed, where they once have been placed, now they belong to a woman, a Frakenstein, who's driven to live up to her family's legacy, especially her Father. Victoria was older, haunted, a fully aware woman who understood loss and pain, she was ingrained with it. And losing loved ones, a child long ago, was about to lead her to a madness of creating life out of death.💀💓⚰️ She was an interesting character. Lonely. Flawed. Driven but likable. As was little Susanna. Sweet child, full of dreams.👧🏻
🚩🚩Be sure to read the TWs. There are situations here that might be uncomfortable for some readers.🚩🚩
The storytelling, the prose was there. The plot moved along with its twists. Sometimes the timeline got a bit confusing for me, especially the last 2 chapters, but it went to where it needed to go. Victoria's journey didn't end in her home, that famous castle, the night on the 'birth' of her child, a man dragged out of the earth with her knowledge of interesting avenues.((Mothman!🐦⬛😲)) It was the beginning. She ran away but was found. The dread was tangible. And with it, the action, blood running and bursting, lives being stomped out, screams of terror, a monster that can't be stopped, has come home.😱🏰😱 It was written with vile horror, the heavy atmosphere will show you as a reader, that sometimes things are not quite as they appear. Would you be able to know true evil if it was right in front of you?😈🙀 If you like historical gothic horror, do not miss reading this one. Spooky season is almost here.🌙🕯️🔮 I wonder what the next book will be about? That's a cool book cover. Happy reading.*•>§<•*⚡❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹
🧌🩸👩🏻🔬Thank you to both Mr Warren and Ms Nicole and Booksprout for an early book. The opinions shared here are my own.👩🏻🔬🩸🧌
September 3, 2025
Grateful to the authors for sending me a copy!
First off, my knowledge of Frankenstein is pretty elementary. I know what it is about or the gist of it, but I do not remember the details. With that said, I won’t be comparing this version to the original story.
I think it was pretty cool to swap Victor out for a Victoria. I’m assuming the general story is similar, but the kind of problems one runs into differs from man to woman, especially so back in the 1800s. I enjoyed reading the different timelines, seeing how Victoria traversed Europe to escape her own creation. I especially appreciate the conversation on villains versus monsters. Food for thought.
It took me a while to get into the book, mostly because the writing style is so different from the other books I read. It is, after all, set in the 1800s. Once I got the rhythm nailed down, it was a smooth ride till the end. I won’t pretend I didn’t know how the end would play out, but it was nice to get the final closure I needed.
I’m curious to see what the next books would be about, as this is Book I. Perhaps other classics with a twist? I’d be down for that. If you enjoy classic horror, or horror in general and want to expand on your reading, this is definitely a great book to get into.
Publish date: October 1, 2025
First off, my knowledge of Frankenstein is pretty elementary. I know what it is about or the gist of it, but I do not remember the details. With that said, I won’t be comparing this version to the original story.
I think it was pretty cool to swap Victor out for a Victoria. I’m assuming the general story is similar, but the kind of problems one runs into differs from man to woman, especially so back in the 1800s. I enjoyed reading the different timelines, seeing how Victoria traversed Europe to escape her own creation. I especially appreciate the conversation on villains versus monsters. Food for thought.
It took me a while to get into the book, mostly because the writing style is so different from the other books I read. It is, after all, set in the 1800s. Once I got the rhythm nailed down, it was a smooth ride till the end. I won’t pretend I didn’t know how the end would play out, but it was nice to get the final closure I needed.
I’m curious to see what the next books would be about, as this is Book I. Perhaps other classics with a twist? I’d be down for that. If you enjoy classic horror, or horror in general and want to expand on your reading, this is definitely a great book to get into.
Publish date: October 1, 2025
August 22, 2025
An interesting take on Frankenstein’s monster. I loved the thoughts from a woman’s perspective. Victor, despite his crazy ideas was a doctor. Victoria, no matter how brilliant, couldn’t obtain that title. The ending was emotional and brilliant. An absolute page turner.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 9, 2025
Frankenstein has been on my mind lately and since the authors so kindly sent me a digital copy I thought it was fate to give Victoria Frankenstein a try! I like feminist horror so I was intrigued by this modern take on the classic story I haven't read in some time. It takes place in the early 1800s and stars Victoria--the last of the Frankenstein family and fellow woman of science.
Alone in her family's historic German castle, Victoria manages to bring a monster to life. (Why she does this is revealed later.) But, whoopsies! It wakes up on the wrong side of the bed and massacres everyone. The book entails Victoria trying and failing to outrun this monster that has some seriously good tracking skills.
While I won't say how it turns out, there is a bit of a twist that surprisingly gave me the feels. The themes surround motherhood, child loss/abandonment, birth and death. My only struggle with this book is that I typically read contemporary books so the archaic language threw me a little, I think this style is called 'pastiche'? It definitely made it feel like an authentically historical horror.
Thanks to the authors for the copy. This is a voluntary, honest review.
Alone in her family's historic German castle, Victoria manages to bring a monster to life. (Why she does this is revealed later.) But, whoopsies! It wakes up on the wrong side of the bed and massacres everyone. The book entails Victoria trying and failing to outrun this monster that has some seriously good tracking skills.
While I won't say how it turns out, there is a bit of a twist that surprisingly gave me the feels. The themes surround motherhood, child loss/abandonment, birth and death. My only struggle with this book is that I typically read contemporary books so the archaic language threw me a little, I think this style is called 'pastiche'? It definitely made it feel like an authentically historical horror.
Thanks to the authors for the copy. This is a voluntary, honest review.
October 12, 2025
Unfortunately this was not my book. I scanned the last 40 pages because I just didn’t feel like reading on. There were some great parts, don’t get me wrong! But these great parts were followed by long internal monologues that I couldn’t be bothered with. In my opinion, this book also needs a bit more editing. There were a lot of spellingmistakes and there was one sentence that was supposed to be Dutch, but alas, it was German. (Which happens A LOT in books written by non-Dutch authors)
I did think that the original story by Mary Shelley was incorporated quite well into this modern version. I also do love the concept of the series, but unfortunately it is just not for me.
2-2,5 ⭐️
I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion 🖤
I did think that the original story by Mary Shelley was incorporated quite well into this modern version. I also do love the concept of the series, but unfortunately it is just not for me.
2-2,5 ⭐️
I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion 🖤
October 18, 2025
First off thank you so much to the authors for reaching out and sending me this ARC 🖤
I had such a good time reading this book. This feminist, female-lead take on the classic Frankenstein story was so cool. It was heartbreaking and gruesome and made me feel all the feelings. Genuinely enjoyed this book so much.
The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is that the old school Shakespearean language made my brain short circuit on more than one occasion which is just a ‘me’ problem. (EDIT: authors have changed the style of language during final publishing)
The Dread Legacies: Victoria Frankenstein is now available.
I had such a good time reading this book. This feminist, female-lead take on the classic Frankenstein story was so cool. It was heartbreaking and gruesome and made me feel all the feelings. Genuinely enjoyed this book so much.
The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is that the old school Shakespearean language made my brain short circuit on more than one occasion which is just a ‘me’ problem. (EDIT: authors have changed the style of language during final publishing)
The Dread Legacies: Victoria Frankenstein is now available.
September 24, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Huge thanks to the authors for sending me an ARC of Victoria Frankenstein! This reimagining of a horror classic hooked me from the start. Instead of Victor, we follow Victoria as she tries to outrun the monster she brought to life. The imagery is haunting, drenched in historic gothic atmosphere, and made this such a fun, chilling escape. A quick gothic read that breathes new life into the legend of Frankenstein!
Huge thanks to the authors for sending me an ARC of Victoria Frankenstein! This reimagining of a horror classic hooked me from the start. Instead of Victor, we follow Victoria as she tries to outrun the monster she brought to life. The imagery is haunting, drenched in historic gothic atmosphere, and made this such a fun, chilling escape. A quick gothic read that breathes new life into the legend of Frankenstein!
September 14, 2025
This was an absolutely captivating story. Victoria Frankenstein made a monster after the loss of her love. When he woke, he brought destruction and death to the village, and she ran. Running away from her monster, she settles down in another town, but she doesn't know that he's coming to find her.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews