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The Workshop of Filthy Creation
In the autumn of 1879, an intelligent, artificially-created being—outwardly a young woman called Maria—arrives in London under the protection of biologist Professor George Hobson. Hobson gathers a few close friends and reveals her existence, explaining that she is the final result of a research programme undertaken by a dynasty of unethical scientists, the von Frakkens—all now dead.
Unknown to Hobson, one of his friends, Jabez Pell, is linked to an underground scientific organisation, the Promethean Society. Set up in the early 1800s, its aim is to conquer death by whatever means possible. Pell immediately recognises the potential that Maria's regenerative abilities can offer to the Prometheans – but after his attempt to kidnap her turns deadly, Maria goes on the run.
Maria finds herself at the heart of raging controversy: some want her jailed, some want her dead, and some want to peel the flesh from her bones. Worse, she is now hunted not only by members of the Prometheans but also by the police – and her creator Wilhelm von Frakken, who, as it turns out, is alive (in a sense).
Thrilling and evocative, fantastical and grotesque, The Workshop of Filthy Creation uses a Frankenstein-ian thread to stitch together elements of real scientific history with the darkest parts of Victorian London and speculation on the nature of human life.
Unknown to Hobson, one of his friends, Jabez Pell, is linked to an underground scientific organisation, the Promethean Society. Set up in the early 1800s, its aim is to conquer death by whatever means possible. Pell immediately recognises the potential that Maria's regenerative abilities can offer to the Prometheans – but after his attempt to kidnap her turns deadly, Maria goes on the run.
Maria finds herself at the heart of raging controversy: some want her jailed, some want her dead, and some want to peel the flesh from her bones. Worse, she is now hunted not only by members of the Prometheans but also by the police – and her creator Wilhelm von Frakken, who, as it turns out, is alive (in a sense).
Thrilling and evocative, fantastical and grotesque, The Workshop of Filthy Creation uses a Frankenstein-ian thread to stitch together elements of real scientific history with the darkest parts of Victorian London and speculation on the nature of human life.
316 pages, Paperback
Published October 31, 2021
3 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Richard Gadz
5 books7 followersRichard Gadz was bolted together many centuries ago, in a secret laboratory hidden deep in the Carpathian mountains. Following a series of bizarre adventures he now lives in the UK, at Keynsham near Bristol, although he spends most of his time in a world of his own.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 12, 2022
In case the title isn’t an immediate tip-off, Richard Gadz’s brooding, gothic-style novel’s a variation on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. It’s set in the 1870s, the descendants of scientist Victor von Frakken - renamed Frankenstein in a piece by one of his contemporaries – have gone beyond reanimation to produce artificial flesh that has the power to revitalise human bodies. From this breakthrough the latest von Frakken has created Maria, human yet inhuman. Gadz’s narrative follows Maria’s escape from her creator’s laboratory and von Frakken’s fiendish pursuit. The result’s a pastiche that reads like a mash-up of Victorian popular fiction from Sherlock Holmes to H. G. Wells. Along the way Gadz plays with a variety of tropes and tosses in references to serial murder, cockney prostitutes, religious cults and industrial horrors. But, despite gesturing towards broader questions about existence, capitalism, the exploitation of the masses and the future of humanity, this is essentially a plot-driven, lurid adventure story, with a style that’s reminiscent of Rider Haggard or G. A. Henty. It’s ghoulish, violent and, towards the end, moves at a relentless pace. I enjoyed the initial set-up more than the later developments, but it’s a decent story for anyone who’s a fan of series like Penny Dreadful, - and there is something slightly televisual about this - it’s almost crying out for a BBC adaptation. I didn’t find this particularly memorable, I think I was hoping for something a little more sophisticated and thoughtful but it was an okay choice for the Halloween season. It’s published by a new indie imprint Deixis Press, which will focus on what they term “literary art” with a “darker edge”.
Thanks to Netgalley and Deixis Press for an arc
Rating: 2.5
Thanks to Netgalley and Deixis Press for an arc
Rating: 2.5
May 19, 2021
Richard Gadz’s wonderful book takes the Frankenstein story and asks: what if Frankenstein had not been a work of fiction, but instead a real scientific manual that was suppressed by the authorities? And what if someone took that manual and created artificial life? The resulting story is a Victorian romp, a philosophical tract, and an examination of class and privilege, as well as being a pretty gory horror novel--much like the original Frankenstein in many ways, just set around a century later because humans never learn.
I adore this book, with a highly sympathetic and female "monster" at the heart of it. But what is especially interesting is Gadz's treatment of the poor in Victorian society. Throughout, the upper classes forget: They can hear you. They can see you. They are not tools to be used and discarded when you break them. They have their own ideas about what is right and wrong, good and bad--and they will act on those ideas, because they are people too. While it is not the primary story, the tension between these two groups is fascinating and written with beautiful subtlety.
I adore this book, with a highly sympathetic and female "monster" at the heart of it. But what is especially interesting is Gadz's treatment of the poor in Victorian society. Throughout, the upper classes forget: They can hear you. They can see you. They are not tools to be used and discarded when you break them. They have their own ideas about what is right and wrong, good and bad--and they will act on those ideas, because they are people too. While it is not the primary story, the tension between these two groups is fascinating and written with beautiful subtlety.
November 1, 2021
The nitty-gritty: Richard Gadz channels Mary Shelley's Frankenstein in this thoroughly original, gruesome thriller set in Victorian London, perfect for fans of classic horror tales.
This was my first time reading a title from Deixis Press, and I have to say I’m very impressed, both by the quality of the story and the gorgeous hardcover edition that the publisher provided for review. I can’t think of a better review to post on Halloween, because The Workshop of Filthy Creation takes inspiration from the granddaddy of horror, Frankenstein!
The story takes place in 1879 Victorian London and centers around several main characters. Wilhelm von Frakken is a brilliant scientist who has successfully reanimated dead tissue using electricity. His greatest achievement is a woman named Maria, pieced together from the dead and brought to life by von Frakken. But Maria isn’t just a walking corpse. She’s got a sharp and curious mind, and she’s surprisingly strong. Her odd features and piercing blue eyes strike fear in passersby, but all she wants to do is understand her place in the world and why she’s having terrible nightmares.
Maria escapes von Frakken’s clutches in Paris and comes to London with Professor George Hobson, but von Frakken isn’t far behind. Enlisting the aid of a couple of dubious doctors—Clements and Polidori, who are secretly performing illegal organ transplants—von Frakken is determined to get back his “property”—Maria—in order to use her to “farm” his future experiments. Luckily, Maria has some sympathetic allies in her corner, but von Frakken’s diabolical vision of the future makes him very dangerous indeed. Maria is determined to end the man who foolishly created her, but von Frakken won’t give up so easily.
The Workshop of Filthy Creation is a fast-paced romp through Victorian London, complete with foggy London streets, gruesome medical practices, terrible working conditions for the poor, and much more. Richard Gadz nails the Gothic sensibility and Victorian-era characters, and the story was practically dripping with atmosphere. Gadz nicely balances nail-biting action scenes with horrific descriptions of medical procedures, and I can honestly say I was never bored. Word of warning to the squeamish: the story doesn’t shy away from graphic descriptions of dead bodies and dead body parts. There are a couple of scenes describing severed heads and exposed spinal columns and the like that fit in perfectly with the subject matter, but they are described in living, bloody color, so do beware. This is von Frakken’s “workshop of filthy creation,” his evil laboratory where bits and pieces or organic matter soak in fluids until they’re ready for use, and I loved every bit of it.
In Gadz’s story, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was based on von Frakken’s grandfather Victor, who performed successful experiments involving the dead and electricity, and I loved this clever twist on the classic tale. Wilhelm von Frakken is continuing in his grandfather’s footsteps but has taken things to a completely new level, envisioning a time when his practices have become commonplace, a time without illness or disease, and in fact a time when humans are no longer human. It’s a terrifying concept, one that gives the reader plenty of food for thought.
Maria is a wonderfully nuanced character. Not only is she a marvel of science, but despite her pieced-together body, she’s completely self aware and knows exactly what she is, much like the original Frankenstein monster. She’s filled with compassion and understanding of human nature, but there is also a dark side to her personality, and her rage at von Frakken erupts when least expected. Unlike Shelley’s creature, though, Maria has a happier end to her story.
Most of the other characters are more caricature than fully developed, however. Von Frakken is your typical evil mad scientist. Jabez Pell, a factory owner who briefly joins forces with von Frakken, is a slimy businessman whose only concern is to get rich quick. And Clements and Polidori are even slimier, using their healthy patients in their organ transplant schemes.
The final, exciting showdown between Maria and von Frakken takes place at the Natural History Museum, and Gadz even throws in a lightning storm that harkens back to elements in the original Frankenstein, which I thought was a nice touch. Yes, there are some over-the-top scenes, but they never felt out of place to me. Overall, this was such a well done, well researched and well executed story, thrilling and emotional, and I look forward to more stories from Richard Gadz in the future.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
This was my first time reading a title from Deixis Press, and I have to say I’m very impressed, both by the quality of the story and the gorgeous hardcover edition that the publisher provided for review. I can’t think of a better review to post on Halloween, because The Workshop of Filthy Creation takes inspiration from the granddaddy of horror, Frankenstein!
The story takes place in 1879 Victorian London and centers around several main characters. Wilhelm von Frakken is a brilliant scientist who has successfully reanimated dead tissue using electricity. His greatest achievement is a woman named Maria, pieced together from the dead and brought to life by von Frakken. But Maria isn’t just a walking corpse. She’s got a sharp and curious mind, and she’s surprisingly strong. Her odd features and piercing blue eyes strike fear in passersby, but all she wants to do is understand her place in the world and why she’s having terrible nightmares.
Maria escapes von Frakken’s clutches in Paris and comes to London with Professor George Hobson, but von Frakken isn’t far behind. Enlisting the aid of a couple of dubious doctors—Clements and Polidori, who are secretly performing illegal organ transplants—von Frakken is determined to get back his “property”—Maria—in order to use her to “farm” his future experiments. Luckily, Maria has some sympathetic allies in her corner, but von Frakken’s diabolical vision of the future makes him very dangerous indeed. Maria is determined to end the man who foolishly created her, but von Frakken won’t give up so easily.
The Workshop of Filthy Creation is a fast-paced romp through Victorian London, complete with foggy London streets, gruesome medical practices, terrible working conditions for the poor, and much more. Richard Gadz nails the Gothic sensibility and Victorian-era characters, and the story was practically dripping with atmosphere. Gadz nicely balances nail-biting action scenes with horrific descriptions of medical procedures, and I can honestly say I was never bored. Word of warning to the squeamish: the story doesn’t shy away from graphic descriptions of dead bodies and dead body parts. There are a couple of scenes describing severed heads and exposed spinal columns and the like that fit in perfectly with the subject matter, but they are described in living, bloody color, so do beware. This is von Frakken’s “workshop of filthy creation,” his evil laboratory where bits and pieces or organic matter soak in fluids until they’re ready for use, and I loved every bit of it.
In Gadz’s story, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was based on von Frakken’s grandfather Victor, who performed successful experiments involving the dead and electricity, and I loved this clever twist on the classic tale. Wilhelm von Frakken is continuing in his grandfather’s footsteps but has taken things to a completely new level, envisioning a time when his practices have become commonplace, a time without illness or disease, and in fact a time when humans are no longer human. It’s a terrifying concept, one that gives the reader plenty of food for thought.
Maria is a wonderfully nuanced character. Not only is she a marvel of science, but despite her pieced-together body, she’s completely self aware and knows exactly what she is, much like the original Frankenstein monster. She’s filled with compassion and understanding of human nature, but there is also a dark side to her personality, and her rage at von Frakken erupts when least expected. Unlike Shelley’s creature, though, Maria has a happier end to her story.
Most of the other characters are more caricature than fully developed, however. Von Frakken is your typical evil mad scientist. Jabez Pell, a factory owner who briefly joins forces with von Frakken, is a slimy businessman whose only concern is to get rich quick. And Clements and Polidori are even slimier, using their healthy patients in their organ transplant schemes.
The final, exciting showdown between Maria and von Frakken takes place at the Natural History Museum, and Gadz even throws in a lightning storm that harkens back to elements in the original Frankenstein, which I thought was a nice touch. Yes, there are some over-the-top scenes, but they never felt out of place to me. Overall, this was such a well done, well researched and well executed story, thrilling and emotional, and I look forward to more stories from Richard Gadz in the future.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
October 16, 2025
This is a derivative of Frankenstein. Kind of gross in some of the body/medical details but an engrossing off-shoot nonetheless.
The "monster" in this one is female and partially a product of lab-created body parts (not so unlike the 3D printing of body parts that occurs today). It's set in a gritty and grimy Victorian London filled with waifs and orphans, doctors, historians, industrialists, and Scotland Yard detectives, all teeming among the choked city streets, the wharves and tanneries, the raucous pubs and hallowed museum halls. While this reads as a horror adventure/thriller, it still tackles some of the moral questions about advancing medical science, for-profit cures/medicines, the worth of the individual, class divisions, religion, and what makes one human.
An atmospheric October read.
The "monster" in this one is female and partially a product of lab-created body parts (not so unlike the 3D printing of body parts that occurs today). It's set in a gritty and grimy Victorian London filled with waifs and orphans, doctors, historians, industrialists, and Scotland Yard detectives, all teeming among the choked city streets, the wharves and tanneries, the raucous pubs and hallowed museum halls. While this reads as a horror adventure/thriller, it still tackles some of the moral questions about advancing medical science, for-profit cures/medicines, the worth of the individual, class divisions, religion, and what makes one human.
An atmospheric October read.
May 2, 2023
The Workshop of Filthy Creation is a solid read that combines scientific history with the gloomier side of Victorian London. It tries to speculate on the nature of human life using a Frankenstein-like storyline. It may lack nuance, but if you're in the mood for Victorian-era horror, this one is ok.
November 3, 2021
My thanks to Deixis Press for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Workshop of Filthy Creation’ by Richard Gadz in exchange for an honest review.
In the autumn of 1879 biologist Professor George Hobson arrives in London with Maria, outwardly a young woman but in actuality an intelligent, artificially-created being. He gathers together a number of friends and reveals that he had liberated her from a research programme undertaken by a dynasty of unethical scientists, the von Frakkens—all now dead.
Yet Maria is still in danger when the Promethean Society, an underground scientific organisation with an aim to conquer death, learns of her existence.
This ‘Frankenstein’-inspired gothic thriller is written very much in the tradition of the Victorian penny dreadful. So there was plenty of action, visceral horror, melodrama and the like. Richard Gadz also explored themes linked to scientific and medical ethics as well as social issues such as class prejudice in which certain people were considered disposable.
Overall, I found it an interesting and entertaining gothic horror novel with plenty of chills as well as expanding on the themes of ‘Frankenstein’.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
In the autumn of 1879 biologist Professor George Hobson arrives in London with Maria, outwardly a young woman but in actuality an intelligent, artificially-created being. He gathers together a number of friends and reveals that he had liberated her from a research programme undertaken by a dynasty of unethical scientists, the von Frakkens—all now dead.
Yet Maria is still in danger when the Promethean Society, an underground scientific organisation with an aim to conquer death, learns of her existence.
This ‘Frankenstein’-inspired gothic thriller is written very much in the tradition of the Victorian penny dreadful. So there was plenty of action, visceral horror, melodrama and the like. Richard Gadz also explored themes linked to scientific and medical ethics as well as social issues such as class prejudice in which certain people were considered disposable.
Overall, I found it an interesting and entertaining gothic horror novel with plenty of chills as well as expanding on the themes of ‘Frankenstein’.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
December 21, 2021
"It gaped and gasped for air, then from its throat came a long, wailing cry, a scream so tortured and inhuman that I almost clapped my hands to my ears. The horrible sound echoed off the stone walls. Its eyes snapped open. For the first time, I saw their sharp, luminous blue. The creature transfixed me, staring directly, I felt, into my very soul. These were not the eyes of a monster. They were filled with intelligence and with pain, with pleading and with the bitterest distress. They stared up at me from her pale, shivering form."
Gadz's The Workshop of Filthy Creation opens with Italian physicist Giovanni Aldini, nephew of the famous scientist Luigi Galvani, publicly demonstrating the groundbreaking effects of electro-stimulation by moving a dead criminal's limbs. It is thought that this actual event (1803) might have influenced Mary Shelley more than a decade later to write Frankenstein. Galvanism was a topic for discussion at Villa Diodati, on the evening before Shelley had that eventful dream which formed the central image of her novel.
Shelley and her novel exist in Gadz's universe and in fact the latter is a deliberately inaccurate account of actual events surrounding the main antagonist William von Frakken's grandfather, Victor von Frakken—note the obvious similarity with Victor Frankenstein. Two generations of further experiments resulted in a shift from reanimating dead bodies to animating a new body assembled out of artificially grown tissue. Maria, the first of her kind, is a central figure whose aided escape jump starts the narrative.
While Gadz might take a page out of Shelley's playbook, his novel is a radical departure and lacks sophistication. Although shockingly gory and very engaging, events are not allowed to breathe as the reader is thrust from one scene to the other. The last third is astoundingly fast paced and the resolution, showdown between creator and his creature, feels unearned. Also missing is the philosophical underpinnings of Shelley which made her stand apart. His prose too is uninspired. Still, it was a fun, wild ride.
(I received a finished copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)
October 27, 2021
I am a big fan of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and believe it is a generative text that lends itself to fruitful rewriting. Gadz’s Workshop of Filthy Creation is a rewriting, or rather an update. Here the female monster comments on current themes and asks uncomfortable questions, with an eye to 21-century concerns, and is used to draw attention to a number of issues. If you are familiar with the novel, you will recognize many similarities, as one text mirrors the other in many respects.
The notion of creating a cyborg and the secret of life is a covetable thing, which unleashes a thrilling plot that mixes horror, weird fiction and detective genre. Cyborgs are also a hot topic in a variety of critical debates and, like many modern innovations, they polarise opinions and are met with different responses – some want to suppress them some covet their secret. It is enjoyable and feels like an interesting pastiche, exuberant like a romp, with elements of fantasy, steampunk and Victoriana, and a perfect if you fancy this type of writing. It is not particularly original and no doubt less ground-breaking that the real Frankenstein, but still interesting.
My thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The notion of creating a cyborg and the secret of life is a covetable thing, which unleashes a thrilling plot that mixes horror, weird fiction and detective genre. Cyborgs are also a hot topic in a variety of critical debates and, like many modern innovations, they polarise opinions and are met with different responses – some want to suppress them some covet their secret. It is enjoyable and feels like an interesting pastiche, exuberant like a romp, with elements of fantasy, steampunk and Victoriana, and a perfect if you fancy this type of writing. It is not particularly original and no doubt less ground-breaking that the real Frankenstein, but still interesting.
My thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
December 20, 2021
There’s something exciting when reading a book from a new press, Richard Gadz’s The Workshop of Filthy Creation is the second novel from Deixis Press and it had a lot of things that I love in a story.
The book opens in the early 1800’s with scientist Giovanni Aldini demonstrating to a crowd how electrical currents can move body parts (this actually did happen). Afterwards some men approach him.
We then jump to the late 1800’s where another scientist is helping a woman called Maria off a ship. We notice that there is something strange about her and we discover her backstory. From there we have crazed scientists, pub landlords, a corrupt businessman and high body count with some pretty gruesome details chucked in. Maybe this is an oversimplified summary but the joy is in discovering the evil plans and events which follow Maria.
If The Workshop of Filthy creation was a thriller, I would have been satisfied. There are exciting moments, bad guys you love to hate and heroes who are imperfect. Richard Gadz also presents the discoveries and problems of the late Victorian era. One character speaks about economics, with reference to Marx, the treatment of women is interesting, we also see the divide between rich and poor and the attitudes towards each class. Honestly, this is one of the few historical thrillers I’ve read where the backdrop is equally interesting as the main plot.
As a person who is a fan of Frankenstein, social commentary and occasional gore then The Workshop of Filthy Creation is a must read and if you don’t well it still is a must read. great writing, plot, everything. Plus there’s the added bonus that there is the possibility that this can be a series. I for one would like to see further escapades involving Maria and the rapidly developing world.
The book opens in the early 1800’s with scientist Giovanni Aldini demonstrating to a crowd how electrical currents can move body parts (this actually did happen). Afterwards some men approach him.
We then jump to the late 1800’s where another scientist is helping a woman called Maria off a ship. We notice that there is something strange about her and we discover her backstory. From there we have crazed scientists, pub landlords, a corrupt businessman and high body count with some pretty gruesome details chucked in. Maybe this is an oversimplified summary but the joy is in discovering the evil plans and events which follow Maria.
If The Workshop of Filthy creation was a thriller, I would have been satisfied. There are exciting moments, bad guys you love to hate and heroes who are imperfect. Richard Gadz also presents the discoveries and problems of the late Victorian era. One character speaks about economics, with reference to Marx, the treatment of women is interesting, we also see the divide between rich and poor and the attitudes towards each class. Honestly, this is one of the few historical thrillers I’ve read where the backdrop is equally interesting as the main plot.
As a person who is a fan of Frankenstein, social commentary and occasional gore then The Workshop of Filthy Creation is a must read and if you don’t well it still is a must read. great writing, plot, everything. Plus there’s the added bonus that there is the possibility that this can be a series. I for one would like to see further escapades involving Maria and the rapidly developing world.
July 29, 2021
Richard Gadz’s The Workshop of Filthy Creation is a Gothic horror story that gives a new twist to Mary Shelley's famous novel Frankenstein. Its backstory reimagines an alternative life story of Victor Frankenstein, the scientist who created a tall, large and hideous creature, which many had dubbed The Monster.
Maverick scientist Wilhelm von Frakken is mad that someone has stolen his prized possession and would kill to get it back. That someone is British Museum’s biologist Professor George Hobson, whom Frakken has earlier kidnapped and brought to his large mansion in Hanover, Germany, to help with his experiments on artificial human life. Frakken introduced Hobson to Maria, an artificial being that he has created. After a heated argument that caused a fire in the mansion, Hobson escapes with Maria and both arrive home in London in the autumn of 1879. Frakken is presumed dead.
Hobson soon discovers that Maria is no ordinary young woman. Though hideous in looks, she’s tall and slender, unusually strong and agile, highly intelligent, and embodied with regenerating flesh. He is very keen to share his incredible find with his close friends in London. This includes Jabez Pell, a factory owner and businessman.
But unknown to Hobson, Pell is linked to the Promethean Society, an underground scientific organisation set up in the early 1800s. Its aim is to prolong human life by whatever scientific means possible. Pell immediately recognises the huge commercial potential that Maria's regenerative abilities can offer to his struggling business and to the Prometheans.
Frakken unexpectedly shows up at Pell’s factory. He compels Pell to reveal the whereabouts of Hobson and Maria. They, together with two members of the Promethean Society, then hatches a daring plan to kidnap Maria from Hobson’s home. But the attempt goes horribly awry, leaving Hobson dead and Maria on the run.
Maria finds herself being the subject of news headlines. Reviled as a monster, she’s being hunted down, not only by the police but by the Prometheans and her creator Frakken, who needs her flesh to heal his damaged body. She decides that instead of being hunted, she must become the hunter...
I don’t normally read horror novels (I used to in my teens) but I have to admit that I was greatly intrigued by the Frankenstein trope that this book uses. So I decided that I must read it. I wasn’t disappointed. Truth be told, I really did enjoy the read!
The Workshop of Filthy Creation cleverly weaves the history of medical science with fantastical speculations of artificial human life in the heart of Victorian London. The result is a disturbing, grotesque tale that will surely assault one’s sense of human dignity, decency and moral rightness.
The first few chapters may seem like a plod for some. That's because, I think, the author took great pains to set the stage for the tense, nail-biting drama that follows, leading to a deadly face-off between the hunter and the hunted.
For readers who need a good dose of the macabre and gore to finish off the day, let Wilhelm von Frakken tantalise you with his most vile scientific prowess and experiments. You won’t be disappointed.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC e-copy. My review is given voluntarily.
Maverick scientist Wilhelm von Frakken is mad that someone has stolen his prized possession and would kill to get it back. That someone is British Museum’s biologist Professor George Hobson, whom Frakken has earlier kidnapped and brought to his large mansion in Hanover, Germany, to help with his experiments on artificial human life. Frakken introduced Hobson to Maria, an artificial being that he has created. After a heated argument that caused a fire in the mansion, Hobson escapes with Maria and both arrive home in London in the autumn of 1879. Frakken is presumed dead.
Hobson soon discovers that Maria is no ordinary young woman. Though hideous in looks, she’s tall and slender, unusually strong and agile, highly intelligent, and embodied with regenerating flesh. He is very keen to share his incredible find with his close friends in London. This includes Jabez Pell, a factory owner and businessman.
But unknown to Hobson, Pell is linked to the Promethean Society, an underground scientific organisation set up in the early 1800s. Its aim is to prolong human life by whatever scientific means possible. Pell immediately recognises the huge commercial potential that Maria's regenerative abilities can offer to his struggling business and to the Prometheans.
Frakken unexpectedly shows up at Pell’s factory. He compels Pell to reveal the whereabouts of Hobson and Maria. They, together with two members of the Promethean Society, then hatches a daring plan to kidnap Maria from Hobson’s home. But the attempt goes horribly awry, leaving Hobson dead and Maria on the run.
Maria finds herself being the subject of news headlines. Reviled as a monster, she’s being hunted down, not only by the police but by the Prometheans and her creator Frakken, who needs her flesh to heal his damaged body. She decides that instead of being hunted, she must become the hunter...
I don’t normally read horror novels (I used to in my teens) but I have to admit that I was greatly intrigued by the Frankenstein trope that this book uses. So I decided that I must read it. I wasn’t disappointed. Truth be told, I really did enjoy the read!
The Workshop of Filthy Creation cleverly weaves the history of medical science with fantastical speculations of artificial human life in the heart of Victorian London. The result is a disturbing, grotesque tale that will surely assault one’s sense of human dignity, decency and moral rightness.
The first few chapters may seem like a plod for some. That's because, I think, the author took great pains to set the stage for the tense, nail-biting drama that follows, leading to a deadly face-off between the hunter and the hunted.
For readers who need a good dose of the macabre and gore to finish off the day, let Wilhelm von Frakken tantalise you with his most vile scientific prowess and experiments. You won’t be disappointed.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC e-copy. My review is given voluntarily.
September 9, 2021
Set in Victorian London, at a time when the powers that science could potentially grant to man were still only dimly perceived, The Workshop of Filthy Creation takes familiar ingredients—a crazed scientist and his creation, an invention that will take over the world, hubris and greed faced down by sheer derring-do—and, fittingly, breathes new life into them.
The book is an unabashed romp. It plays its hand slowly in revealing the universe that it’s set in, an aspect of its plotting that I enjoyed so much that I have no intention of spoiling it, which severely hampers what I can say about it. But believe me when I say I devoured the whole thing with a big stupid grin on my face.
The book is an unabashed romp. It plays its hand slowly in revealing the universe that it’s set in, an aspect of its plotting that I enjoyed so much that I have no intention of spoiling it, which severely hampers what I can say about it. But believe me when I say I devoured the whole thing with a big stupid grin on my face.
December 31, 2021
This is pure Victorian Gothic horror that feels quite timely. Here is a creature who isn't quite like us but knows us too well. A creature with feelings, agency, and opinions. They have a fully aware life that is at odds with assorted institutions who have their own nefarious ideas about how things should be. It is a great allegory for how the powers that be approach and harm non-binary/gender queer/trans folks. The medical community wishing to experiment and have dominion over someone's right to care. The church viewing some as unholy and something to fix. Then there is the blatant desires of capitalist industry which will seek to exploit anything that might allow a parasite to live another day. This is a good and creepy book with fascinating characters and it will touch all of your senses.
April 4, 2022
Was sent a preview copy for a quote, but honestly, an absolutely cracking read. Perfect mixture of big ideas (what does it mean to be human) and thumping, visceral storytelling. Really enjoyed it.
October 7, 2021
*High pitched screaming* I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK! I need to somehow gather my thoughts and write a readable review, so bear with me here.
In 1879 a Professor returns to London with a mysterious guest, a young woman named Maria. She is strange looking, human yet inhuman at the same time, skin like marble. Professor Hobson has a strange story to tell his friends of being kidnapped by a mad scientist named von Frakken and finding a creature made out of organic material, the young woman named Maria. With the reality setting in of the power von Frakken has to literally create life out of nothing, Maria finds herself running for her life. Being chased by an underground scientific organization who wants her for parts, being hunted by her creator von Frakken, and now chased by the police for murders she didn’t commit - Maria has to figure out who to trust and where to turn.
“She was done with humanity, its twisted morals and its hypocrisy. Done with it.”
This is a dream of gothic and slow burn horror that filled my heart with happiness. It reminds me of two movies specifically in mood and description; From Hell and Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Obviously I won’t go into any spoilers, while this does have notes of Frankenstein, and at one point cleverly references the original novel, it does completely stand alone and provide a brand new adventure set in a similar world.
Here’s what I loved the most:
The scene setting was so stunningly visual that I found myself constantly highlighting and annotating passages. It was so consuming that sometimes when I looked up from my book I’d be confused as to where the London fog and gaslights had gone.
The characters were so cleverly built and thought out and felt incredibly real. What I admire the most is that this book is filled with a lot of bad guys, but is still readable. There’s such a fine line between writing a horrible character and making a character horrible to read. Gadz does this incredibly well. The villain in this book is so incredibly villainous that I was just in awe of what depths of evil he would get to while still enjoying every page. Von Frakken really needs to be up there with the villain greats in our literary history.
Maria, our heroine, is no Victorian wimp. Granted, she’s not entirely human, or so she feels, but watching her mind develop and learn to adapt in the miserable slums of London is a fascinating journey. She’s a bad ass without being overly obvious about it and when she bosses around men and tells people off, my heart was all a flutter. I may be in love with Maria….
The adventure! This is just a pure adventure story with twists and turns and epic fights and puzzle solving. The ending is incredibly well done and paced that I tore through the last 50 pages in 30 minutes. It felt similar to the epic battle at Reichenbach Falls between Sherlock and Moriarty in its scope and importance to the story. I mean, it just feels like an instant classic - we’ve got a seedy underground cult, suspicious doctors, a variety of gloomy locations, good vs evil, body horror, scientific experiments, a heroic Professor….what more could you need?!
I just loved everything about this book and these characters and the adventure they went on. I can only beg the author, Richard Gadz, to please write a mystery adventure series starring Maria so I don’t have to leave this world! Just Maria wandering around London, solving murders, telling off sexist men, and eating freshly baked bread.
(A massive thank you to Deixis Press for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review)
“Of course I remain skeptical, I’m a scientist.”
In 1879 a Professor returns to London with a mysterious guest, a young woman named Maria. She is strange looking, human yet inhuman at the same time, skin like marble. Professor Hobson has a strange story to tell his friends of being kidnapped by a mad scientist named von Frakken and finding a creature made out of organic material, the young woman named Maria. With the reality setting in of the power von Frakken has to literally create life out of nothing, Maria finds herself running for her life. Being chased by an underground scientific organization who wants her for parts, being hunted by her creator von Frakken, and now chased by the police for murders she didn’t commit - Maria has to figure out who to trust and where to turn.
“She was done with humanity, its twisted morals and its hypocrisy. Done with it.”
This is a dream of gothic and slow burn horror that filled my heart with happiness. It reminds me of two movies specifically in mood and description; From Hell and Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Obviously I won’t go into any spoilers, while this does have notes of Frankenstein, and at one point cleverly references the original novel, it does completely stand alone and provide a brand new adventure set in a similar world.
Here’s what I loved the most:
The scene setting was so stunningly visual that I found myself constantly highlighting and annotating passages. It was so consuming that sometimes when I looked up from my book I’d be confused as to where the London fog and gaslights had gone.
The characters were so cleverly built and thought out and felt incredibly real. What I admire the most is that this book is filled with a lot of bad guys, but is still readable. There’s such a fine line between writing a horrible character and making a character horrible to read. Gadz does this incredibly well. The villain in this book is so incredibly villainous that I was just in awe of what depths of evil he would get to while still enjoying every page. Von Frakken really needs to be up there with the villain greats in our literary history.
Maria, our heroine, is no Victorian wimp. Granted, she’s not entirely human, or so she feels, but watching her mind develop and learn to adapt in the miserable slums of London is a fascinating journey. She’s a bad ass without being overly obvious about it and when she bosses around men and tells people off, my heart was all a flutter. I may be in love with Maria….
The adventure! This is just a pure adventure story with twists and turns and epic fights and puzzle solving. The ending is incredibly well done and paced that I tore through the last 50 pages in 30 minutes. It felt similar to the epic battle at Reichenbach Falls between Sherlock and Moriarty in its scope and importance to the story. I mean, it just feels like an instant classic - we’ve got a seedy underground cult, suspicious doctors, a variety of gloomy locations, good vs evil, body horror, scientific experiments, a heroic Professor….what more could you need?!
I just loved everything about this book and these characters and the adventure they went on. I can only beg the author, Richard Gadz, to please write a mystery adventure series starring Maria so I don’t have to leave this world! Just Maria wandering around London, solving murders, telling off sexist men, and eating freshly baked bread.
(A massive thank you to Deixis Press for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review)
“Of course I remain skeptical, I’m a scientist.”
October 24, 2021
Oh the unspeakable horror, of the hard introduction to economics that occurs about halfway through the book. Joking aside I really enjoyed this, sitting harmoniously alongside the existing Frankenstein canon and expanding beyond the themes of peoples mastery over technology and nature and into the selfish obsession that drives forward technology, the commercialisation and militarisation and the accompanying human and social cost. Beautifully described for the period and updated from a very strong and well-developed woman's character.
Nicely paced between the action and the description creating a very believable setting.
Nicely paced between the action and the description creating a very believable setting.
November 1, 2021
If you like the story of Frankenstein or that of the Promotheus then this Frankenstein-inspired tale should tick the boxes for you. Maria, created by Von Frakken (the real life Frankenstein family according to the book), escapes her creator and is hunted down by all sorts of people interested in her for various reasons. Set 60 odd years later, the book has evolved the creation experiments so that Von Frakken can actually grow flesh rather than bring the dead to life. This, to some extent, seems more feasible and it is a nice touch along with several issues that Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" deals with - who is the Creator? Creator vs God and more. It doesn't go into the issues as much but it is a nice nod towards the "original".
April 4, 2022
Gripping, fast paced read with an interesting new take on a classic.
December 10, 2021
If you are a fan of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, then you would not want to miss The Workshop of Filthy Creation by Richard Gadz. With a perfect plot, the book opens a new world of science and research. A real page turner with a action packed story, the book is going to grip you right from the beginning. The book is a treat for Frankenstein lovers. I would love to see the book turned into a movie. Although, there are some sudden twists which are going to blow your mind out.
Definitely, I would award 5 stars to the book. Many thanks to Deixis Press for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.
Read more on bibliophileverse.blogspot.com
Definitely, I would award 5 stars to the book. Many thanks to Deixis Press for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.
Read more on bibliophileverse.blogspot.com
April 25, 2022
The Workshop of Filthy Creation by Richard Gadz is a chilling gothic horror story about what it means to be human. In these pages, you will see plenty of the darkness that humanity can create, but you will also see the light!
Ready to dive into a dark and dreary tale about gruesome medical practices set in Victorian London? Go pick up The Workshop of Filthy Creation today! I can’t wait for you all to meet Maria!
Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book per request of an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
More here: https://www.ericarobynreads.com/book-...
Ready to dive into a dark and dreary tale about gruesome medical practices set in Victorian London? Go pick up The Workshop of Filthy Creation today! I can’t wait for you all to meet Maria!
Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book per request of an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
More here: https://www.ericarobynreads.com/book-...
August 3, 2024
An enjoyable victorian body-horror romp, using Shelly's Frankenstein as a springboard to ask the question: What if, but capitalism? Delicious, evocative gross-out writing in places and lots of fun allusions to all the novels and movies you might expect.
January 27, 2022
“I have made life. From nothing. Not from an array of corpses, not by forcing dead organs back into functioning, but by assembling flesh grown in this very laboratory. The pinnacle of eight decades’ research. Every inch of skin, every bone, every muscle, every blood vessel. Built by my own hands.”
The year is 1879 and the magnum opus of Wilhelm van Frakken (a descendant of Victor Frankenstein) has just escaped: Maria, the first completely lab-grown human (or not-human) finds herself in London, among new friends and enemies, and hunted by her creator. Now, the story alternately follows von Frakken, who leaves his secluded castle for the first time in decades and is inspired by the metropolis for further uses of his researches, and Maria, who wants to stop him at all costs.
My mixed feelings about this book are largely, I feel, a result of the book having mixed feelings about itself: I constantly had the impression that it teeters between being a fast-paced adventure story with rather flat characters and a focus on action, and a work that aims to raise serious issues for discussion. I enjoy both of these types of fiction and would not even say that they are mutually exclusive, but as it is, the book felt rather insecure and “wobbly” to me.
Its strength is in the descriptive and atmospheric passages which take the readers into various parts of London as well as the titular workshop. The focus on sensory impression shines especially in the moments that appall: “A damp, chemical stench came from the pitch darkness beyond. A smell of decay, of meat and mould, of old blood and rotting bones.”
And since natural history museums are one of my favorite places both in books and the real world, the scenes set in the Museum of Natural History were wonderful treats for me.
What dampened my enjoyment mostly was a certain heavy-handed on-the-nose-ness both in content and style.
It sometimes felt like the book worked with a to-do list of themes and tropes to tick off:
A likening of laboring bodies to machines? Check!
A critique of capitalism? Check!
Beauty standards and their connections to consumerism? Check!
A non-human character as an opportunity to discuss what (doesn’t) make us human? Check!
And while all these ideas work, they are also not brought up in a way that makes this book stand out from other texts dealing with similar topics.
A lack of development and ambiguity in the characters makes their moral conundrums rather easy to ignore – there is no character where it is not clear from their first appearance where they will position themselves. The good characters are good through and through, and the bad ones, especially von Frakken, indulge in supervillain monologues that could be declared as camp if the rest of the book did more to support these vibes. The literary references are equally straightforward, and even the style does everything to make sure that the readers will never end up having to think for themselves: “Maria wrapped her arms around herself, mostly for warmth but also in an unconscious attitude of defense.” – the latter part of this sentence perfectly exemplifies what I mean by doing the interpretative work that could have been left to a reader.
All in all, The Workshop of Filthy Creation is an entertaining read that I will forget soon – for someone who has never read a neo-Victorian Gothic/horror book before, this story provides a good starting point (if said hypothetical person can stand body horror and sciency gore), but all in all it does not contribute a lot to the genre or add new ideas. I would have wished for the myriad of topics and concepts that are mentioned to be presented in a way that is both more fleshed out and has more subtlety – either that, or for the book to fully lean into its elements of surreal melodrama.
I thank the publisher for granting me an ARC via Netgalley!
~ Blog | Insta | Twitter ~
The year is 1879 and the magnum opus of Wilhelm van Frakken (a descendant of Victor Frankenstein) has just escaped: Maria, the first completely lab-grown human (or not-human) finds herself in London, among new friends and enemies, and hunted by her creator. Now, the story alternately follows von Frakken, who leaves his secluded castle for the first time in decades and is inspired by the metropolis for further uses of his researches, and Maria, who wants to stop him at all costs.
My mixed feelings about this book are largely, I feel, a result of the book having mixed feelings about itself: I constantly had the impression that it teeters between being a fast-paced adventure story with rather flat characters and a focus on action, and a work that aims to raise serious issues for discussion. I enjoy both of these types of fiction and would not even say that they are mutually exclusive, but as it is, the book felt rather insecure and “wobbly” to me.
Its strength is in the descriptive and atmospheric passages which take the readers into various parts of London as well as the titular workshop. The focus on sensory impression shines especially in the moments that appall: “A damp, chemical stench came from the pitch darkness beyond. A smell of decay, of meat and mould, of old blood and rotting bones.”
And since natural history museums are one of my favorite places both in books and the real world, the scenes set in the Museum of Natural History were wonderful treats for me.
What dampened my enjoyment mostly was a certain heavy-handed on-the-nose-ness both in content and style.
It sometimes felt like the book worked with a to-do list of themes and tropes to tick off:
A likening of laboring bodies to machines? Check!
A critique of capitalism? Check!
Beauty standards and their connections to consumerism? Check!
A non-human character as an opportunity to discuss what (doesn’t) make us human? Check!
And while all these ideas work, they are also not brought up in a way that makes this book stand out from other texts dealing with similar topics.
A lack of development and ambiguity in the characters makes their moral conundrums rather easy to ignore – there is no character where it is not clear from their first appearance where they will position themselves. The good characters are good through and through, and the bad ones, especially von Frakken, indulge in supervillain monologues that could be declared as camp if the rest of the book did more to support these vibes. The literary references are equally straightforward, and even the style does everything to make sure that the readers will never end up having to think for themselves: “Maria wrapped her arms around herself, mostly for warmth but also in an unconscious attitude of defense.” – the latter part of this sentence perfectly exemplifies what I mean by doing the interpretative work that could have been left to a reader.
All in all, The Workshop of Filthy Creation is an entertaining read that I will forget soon – for someone who has never read a neo-Victorian Gothic/horror book before, this story provides a good starting point (if said hypothetical person can stand body horror and sciency gore), but all in all it does not contribute a lot to the genre or add new ideas. I would have wished for the myriad of topics and concepts that are mentioned to be presented in a way that is both more fleshed out and has more subtlety – either that, or for the book to fully lean into its elements of surreal melodrama.
I thank the publisher for granting me an ARC via Netgalley!
~ Blog | Insta | Twitter ~
June 1, 2024
📚 Review
The Workshop of Filthy Creation by Richard Gadz
The "workshop of filthy creation" is what Victor Frankenstein called his lab, where his creature was born in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. This was the perfect title for this story, as it is directly linked to Shelley's story from 1818 in a fun way that I won't spoil!
It also feels like a spiritual successor to the classic novel. Maria is all flesh and bone artificially made by Wilhem Von Frakken, who is on the run from her creator but has no place to call home. She is not human and intimidatingly so: she is incredibly strong, smart, and direct. Her appearance is like a human girl, but with pale mottled skin, long hands, missing nails, and transparent blue eyes.
She finds herself pulled between the powers of good and evil in the heart of London. The book is paced just right, with fascinating betrayals, bits of humor, stunning reveals, and sections of grotesque horror.
I found myself loving the cast of characters: the heroes, the villians, and the morally challenged. This was the biggest strength of the novel for me when I compare it to Frankenstein. Workshop has a full cast of people with their own motivations and agency over the story's direction based on their decisions. There are also descriptive scenes of science experiments and body horror that kept my morbid curiosity turning the pages.
I highly recommend reading this, even if you haven't read Frankenstein before. It is definitely not required to know more than most already know about the classic story, but it does make for a great double feature!
The Workshop of Filthy Creation by Richard Gadz
The "workshop of filthy creation" is what Victor Frankenstein called his lab, where his creature was born in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. This was the perfect title for this story, as it is directly linked to Shelley's story from 1818 in a fun way that I won't spoil!
It also feels like a spiritual successor to the classic novel. Maria is all flesh and bone artificially made by Wilhem Von Frakken, who is on the run from her creator but has no place to call home. She is not human and intimidatingly so: she is incredibly strong, smart, and direct. Her appearance is like a human girl, but with pale mottled skin, long hands, missing nails, and transparent blue eyes.
She finds herself pulled between the powers of good and evil in the heart of London. The book is paced just right, with fascinating betrayals, bits of humor, stunning reveals, and sections of grotesque horror.
I found myself loving the cast of characters: the heroes, the villians, and the morally challenged. This was the biggest strength of the novel for me when I compare it to Frankenstein. Workshop has a full cast of people with their own motivations and agency over the story's direction based on their decisions. There are also descriptive scenes of science experiments and body horror that kept my morbid curiosity turning the pages.
I highly recommend reading this, even if you haven't read Frankenstein before. It is definitely not required to know more than most already know about the classic story, but it does make for a great double feature!
November 5, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and Deixis Press for giving me an ARC of this book. The Workshop of Filthy Creation has all of the hallmarks of a perfect Halloween read, it’s a daring semi-sequel to Frankenstein which picks up with the descendent of the infamous Dr Frankenstein (called Von Frakken in this story) and features all manner of grisly murders, scientific experiments and generally terrible people. Von Frakken has gone beyond the ambitions of his ancestors and, instead of reanimating a dead body, he has grown and given life to an entirely man-made body from scratch. Her name is Maria and after she escapes her creator and finds herself in the harsh world of London in 1879, she discovers that there are many, many people with opinions about her existence. Some want her studied, some want her locked up and many many many people want her dead while Maria is left trying to figure out what it means to just be. Honestly, I think the book would have benefitted more from focusing on Maria and her struggle to come to terms with who she is and what life she wants for herself rather than the repeated gruesome digressions focusing on the activities of various nefarious mad scientists. If you’re looking more for a gothic tale full of nightmarish body horror, this is the book for you. But if you’d rather have an even scarier story that focuses a girl trying to get on with her life while a bunch of powerful men try to make decisions about her and body, you may be left wanting.
January 9, 2022
There's an interesting premise to this book, and I enjoyed the opening sections of it, but the more the story moved away from Maria, the less interesting it became for me. The other characters and their schemes weren't as interesting and I found little depth to them, especially as they were prone to speak at each other in Victorian pastiche rather than sound like actual people.
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