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Unnatural Creatures: A Novel of the Frankenstein Women
For the first time, the untold story of the three women closest to Victor Frankenstein is brought to life in a dark and sweeping reimagining of Frankenstein by the author of The Lost History of Dreams.
The Mother
Caroline Frankenstein will do anything to protect her family against the nightmarish revolutions engulfing 18th-century Europe. In doing so, she creates her own monster in the form of her scientist son, Victor, whose obsession with conquering death leads to forbidden realms.
The Bride
Rescued by Caroline as a four-year-old beggar, angelic Elizabeth Lavenza understands the only way she can repay the Frankensteins is by accepting Victor’s hand in marriage. But when Elizabeth’s heart yearns for someone else, the lives of those she most loves collide with the unnatural creature born of Victor’s profane experiments.
The Servant
After an abusive childhood, otherworldly Justine Moreau is taken in by Caroline to serve the Frankensteins. Justine’s devotion to Caroline and Elizabeth knows no bounds … until a family tragedy changes her irrevocably. Her fate sets her against Victor’s monster, who is desperate for a mate—and desperate to wreak revenge against the Frankensteins.
Stunningly written and exquisitely atmospheric, Unnatural Creatures shocks new life into Mary Shelley’s beloved gothic classic by revealing the feminine side of the tale. You’ll never see Victor Frankenstein and his monster the same way again.
Named a Most Anticipated Book for Fall by CrimeReads • Reader's Digest Top 25 Book for Halloween • Editors’ Choice by the Historical Novels Review • AudioFile Earphones Award Winner
“Worthy of comparison to Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea . . . Unnatural Creatures is a splendid achievement from a writer at the height of her powers.”—Historical Novels Review (Editors’ Choice)
The Mother
Caroline Frankenstein will do anything to protect her family against the nightmarish revolutions engulfing 18th-century Europe. In doing so, she creates her own monster in the form of her scientist son, Victor, whose obsession with conquering death leads to forbidden realms.
The Bride
Rescued by Caroline as a four-year-old beggar, angelic Elizabeth Lavenza understands the only way she can repay the Frankensteins is by accepting Victor’s hand in marriage. But when Elizabeth’s heart yearns for someone else, the lives of those she most loves collide with the unnatural creature born of Victor’s profane experiments.
The Servant
After an abusive childhood, otherworldly Justine Moreau is taken in by Caroline to serve the Frankensteins. Justine’s devotion to Caroline and Elizabeth knows no bounds … until a family tragedy changes her irrevocably. Her fate sets her against Victor’s monster, who is desperate for a mate—and desperate to wreak revenge against the Frankensteins.
Stunningly written and exquisitely atmospheric, Unnatural Creatures shocks new life into Mary Shelley’s beloved gothic classic by revealing the feminine side of the tale. You’ll never see Victor Frankenstein and his monster the same way again.
Named a Most Anticipated Book for Fall by CrimeReads • Reader's Digest Top 25 Book for Halloween • Editors’ Choice by the Historical Novels Review • AudioFile Earphones Award Winner
“Worthy of comparison to Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea . . . Unnatural Creatures is a splendid achievement from a writer at the height of her powers.”—Historical Novels Review (Editors’ Choice)
370 pages, Paperback
First published October 4, 2022
54 people are currently reading
9737 people want to read
About the author
Kris Waldherr
49 books378 followersKris Waldherr is an award-winning author and illustrator whose books for adults and children include Bad Princess, Doomed Queens, and The Book of Goddesses. The New Yorker praised Doomed Queens as “utterly satisfying” and “deliciously perverse.” The Book of Goddesses was a One Spirit/Book-of-the-Month Club’s Top Ten Most Popular Book. Her picture book Persephone and the Pomegranate was noted by the New York Times Book Review for its “quality of myth and magic.” Waldherr is also the creator of the Goddess Tarot, which has a quarter of a million copies in print. Her Kirkus-starred debut novel The Lost History of Dreams was named a CrimeReads Best Book of the Year and her Unnatural Creatures: A Novel of the Frankenstein Women was an Editor's Choice at the Historical Novels Review.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
August 24, 2023
In a Nutshell: The story of Victor Frankenstein and his monstrous creation, but coming to us from the point of view of the three female characters in the classic. As a retelling, this is outstanding. As a Gothic horror, decent. As a women-oriented historical fiction, quite good.
Story Synopsis:
Bookish Yays:
😍 I love it when retellings stick to the essence of the original, while offering their own novel take on it. As a retelling, this book retains almost everything faithfully, except for a MAJOR twist. I was initially not sure how I felt about the twist but as Walton is missing from this book, I understand how it was needed to complete the story and appreciate that creative call. This also adds some interesting new elements (differing from the classic) to the final quarter of this book.
😍 In terms of ease of reading, the book improves on the original, at least as far as modern eyes are concerned, because it does away with those extended confessions in the original (courtesy Victor’s story being frame-narrated by Captain Walton to his sister through letters) and becomes more character-oriented in approach.
😍 If you’ve read the original, you might remember how passive and distanced the women characters are in that story. We don’t get to heard their feelings on Victor Frankenstein’s work at all. (Which is quite sad as the classic was written by a woman writer, a pioneering one at that! But I am sure Mary Shelley was compelled to stick to the status quo when it came to female representation in fiction. Probably also why the classic was first published anonymously.) In this case, the women drive the narrative, either though acts of commission or omission. It was a nice experience to see the story from their eyes.
(Let me emphasise: the above point doesn’t make the story feminist. The women, with the possible exception of Justine in *some* scenes, are still constrained to their social situation and have to bend to the will of the men in their lives, just as in the original classic. This retelling is just a feminine-perspective retelling and not a feminist one.)
😍 This is one of the few novels I had read where multi-character perspectives don’t jump around across the characters. Rather, the four distinct segments focus on the voice of just one woman (two in case of the last segment), and this ensures that we get to know them well before we move to the other characters. This approach doesn’t always work, but in this novel, it was handled excellently.
😍 I loved the ending!!! I wish I could discuss it but as I don’t want to go into spoilers, I’ll just say it was true to the spirit of the original though the events of the finale were modified.
😍 The author makes great use of the prevailing socio-political climate in Geneva and France in other to highlight the motivations and actions of her characters.
😍 Every chapter begins with a quote from the original classic. This not only shows us how faithful the retelling is to the original in terms of events, but also creates a nice base to the events unfolding in that chapter.
😍 Just as in the original, this retelling also raises questions about ethics, scientific progress, and moral responsibility. This aspect is better in this retelling as the personalised third-person narration shows us the characters’ inner thoughts well.
Bookish Nays:
😒 If you read the original only for Frankenstein’s monster, you will need to wait a long time for him to come into the story. Because of the narrative viewpoint, we don’t get to see any on-page details about how he comes into being. The only clue we have about something bad happening is when we see Victor’s moral quandary through the eyes of the three women. As such, the horror element of the scientific miracle that Frankenstein achieved is quite diluted. This isn’t a negative, but more like a disappointment. After all, the horror in the original was not just the monster but in reading how he was created. So yeah, don’t pick this book if you want a horror story. It’s more like a dark historical fiction.
😒 The writing ought to have been somewhat more streamlined; it became a bit repetitive at times, especially but not only in the final section. Elizabeth’s giggles also were too frequent for my liking. The book also introduced an angle of foreshadowing, whereby we got to see a glimpse of the future danger through the women’s dreams. I wasn’t a big fan of this as it felt overdone.
😒 I could have done with toned-down romance elements. A couple of the relationships are almost instant, and one such connection doesn’t even make sense from the character’s perspective. Though there are no open-door scenes, the brief physical sequences also feel out of place in a classic retelling.
🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, clocking at 12 hrs 45 minutes, is narrated by Barrie Kreinik, voicing all three female perspectives. Sorry, but I only *liked* her performance and didn’t love it. She has a good voice, but her character voices are either non-existent or overdone. Her voice for the three main ladies sounded almost the same. For a couple of the male characters, she used a strongly British accent, which sounded quite odd for characters based in Geneva. She also doesn’t emote basic emotions such as crying or anger, choosing instead to narrate those lines in a regular manner. In short, the narration worked only to a certain extent for me. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either.
All in all, this indie book does a great job as the retelling of Frankenstein. (It’s so much better than the other award-winning retelling I read this month – Demon Copperhead!) But you will enjoy it better if you go into this with the right expectations. (Isn’t that true for every book though? 😊)
If you want to be spooked by the book, it’s not for you. After all, even the original isn’t scary if you are reading it in the 21st century. This book is more for historical fiction lovers who like darker or gothic stories.
Definitely recommended. While you don’t need to know the original story to read this standalone work, it would be of tremendous help if you are already aware of it, either through the classic itself or through some movie adaptation. Every retelling can be much better appreciated if we know what it’s based on, but this statement is all the more true for this novel as it relies on our already knowing what Victor Frankenstein did in Ingolstadt.
4 stars.
My thanks to Muse Publications LLC and NetGalley for the ALC of “Unnatural Creatures”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Story Synopsis:
You might already have read or have heard of Mary Shelley’s horror classic, ‘Frankenstein’. This novel tells us about life in the Frankenstein household before, through, and after Victor Frankenstein created “The Creature”, revealed to us from the thoughts of the three key women characters.
Caroline Frankenstein: Victor’s mother, Elizabeth’s guardian, Justine’s rescuer. The woman who loves her family and is ready to do anything to keep them safe, especially considering the current political climate. But she soon discovers that things are going out of her control.
Elizabeth Lavenza: Indebted to Caroline as the latter rescued her in childhood. Feels compelled to accept Victor as her husband to repay her obligation. But her heart isn’t Victor’s.
Justine Moreau (named ‘Justine Moritz’ in the original, if I am not wrong): Rescued by Caroline from an abusive mother. Devoted to Caroline and Elizabeth and ready to do anything for them, until one incident sets her on a different path.
The story begins in 1783 and ends in 1799. The book is divided into four segments, with the first three coming to us from the third person perspectives of Caroline, Elizabeth, and Justine respectively, and the final segment coming from both Elizabeth and Justine.
Bookish Yays:
😍 I love it when retellings stick to the essence of the original, while offering their own novel take on it. As a retelling, this book retains almost everything faithfully, except for a MAJOR twist. I was initially not sure how I felt about the twist but as Walton is missing from this book, I understand how it was needed to complete the story and appreciate that creative call. This also adds some interesting new elements (differing from the classic) to the final quarter of this book.
😍 In terms of ease of reading, the book improves on the original, at least as far as modern eyes are concerned, because it does away with those extended confessions in the original (courtesy Victor’s story being frame-narrated by Captain Walton to his sister through letters) and becomes more character-oriented in approach.
😍 If you’ve read the original, you might remember how passive and distanced the women characters are in that story. We don’t get to heard their feelings on Victor Frankenstein’s work at all. (Which is quite sad as the classic was written by a woman writer, a pioneering one at that! But I am sure Mary Shelley was compelled to stick to the status quo when it came to female representation in fiction. Probably also why the classic was first published anonymously.) In this case, the women drive the narrative, either though acts of commission or omission. It was a nice experience to see the story from their eyes.
(Let me emphasise: the above point doesn’t make the story feminist. The women, with the possible exception of Justine in *some* scenes, are still constrained to their social situation and have to bend to the will of the men in their lives, just as in the original classic. This retelling is just a feminine-perspective retelling and not a feminist one.)
😍 This is one of the few novels I had read where multi-character perspectives don’t jump around across the characters. Rather, the four distinct segments focus on the voice of just one woman (two in case of the last segment), and this ensures that we get to know them well before we move to the other characters. This approach doesn’t always work, but in this novel, it was handled excellently.
😍 I loved the ending!!! I wish I could discuss it but as I don’t want to go into spoilers, I’ll just say it was true to the spirit of the original though the events of the finale were modified.
😍 The author makes great use of the prevailing socio-political climate in Geneva and France in other to highlight the motivations and actions of her characters.
😍 Every chapter begins with a quote from the original classic. This not only shows us how faithful the retelling is to the original in terms of events, but also creates a nice base to the events unfolding in that chapter.
😍 Just as in the original, this retelling also raises questions about ethics, scientific progress, and moral responsibility. This aspect is better in this retelling as the personalised third-person narration shows us the characters’ inner thoughts well.
Bookish Nays:
😒 If you read the original only for Frankenstein’s monster, you will need to wait a long time for him to come into the story. Because of the narrative viewpoint, we don’t get to see any on-page details about how he comes into being. The only clue we have about something bad happening is when we see Victor’s moral quandary through the eyes of the three women. As such, the horror element of the scientific miracle that Frankenstein achieved is quite diluted. This isn’t a negative, but more like a disappointment. After all, the horror in the original was not just the monster but in reading how he was created. So yeah, don’t pick this book if you want a horror story. It’s more like a dark historical fiction.
😒 The writing ought to have been somewhat more streamlined; it became a bit repetitive at times, especially but not only in the final section. Elizabeth’s giggles also were too frequent for my liking. The book also introduced an angle of foreshadowing, whereby we got to see a glimpse of the future danger through the women’s dreams. I wasn’t a big fan of this as it felt overdone.
😒 I could have done with toned-down romance elements. A couple of the relationships are almost instant, and one such connection doesn’t even make sense from the character’s perspective. Though there are no open-door scenes, the brief physical sequences also feel out of place in a classic retelling.
🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, clocking at 12 hrs 45 minutes, is narrated by Barrie Kreinik, voicing all three female perspectives. Sorry, but I only *liked* her performance and didn’t love it. She has a good voice, but her character voices are either non-existent or overdone. Her voice for the three main ladies sounded almost the same. For a couple of the male characters, she used a strongly British accent, which sounded quite odd for characters based in Geneva. She also doesn’t emote basic emotions such as crying or anger, choosing instead to narrate those lines in a regular manner. In short, the narration worked only to a certain extent for me. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either.
All in all, this indie book does a great job as the retelling of Frankenstein. (It’s so much better than the other award-winning retelling I read this month – Demon Copperhead!) But you will enjoy it better if you go into this with the right expectations. (Isn’t that true for every book though? 😊)
If you want to be spooked by the book, it’s not for you. After all, even the original isn’t scary if you are reading it in the 21st century. This book is more for historical fiction lovers who like darker or gothic stories.
Definitely recommended. While you don’t need to know the original story to read this standalone work, it would be of tremendous help if you are already aware of it, either through the classic itself or through some movie adaptation. Every retelling can be much better appreciated if we know what it’s based on, but this statement is all the more true for this novel as it relies on our already knowing what Victor Frankenstein did in Ingolstadt.
4 stars.
My thanks to Muse Publications LLC and NetGalley for the ALC of “Unnatural Creatures”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
May 29, 2023
This is a retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein that adds new depth and details to the classic tale. The story follows three women who were intimately involved in Victor Frankenstein's life. The first is his mother, Caroline, who would do anything to keep her children safe as revolutions in Europe threaten their lives. The second is Elizabeth, a ward taken in by the Frankensteins, who promises Caroline to marry Victor and always take care of him. The third is Justine, a girl who was taken in by the Frankensteins as a maid, and who is devoted to the family, willing to do anything Caroline asks of her.
I enjoyed how including the perspectives of these three women rounded out this story and the characters, making them feel alive and adding significantly more depth to their lives. I also liked that rather than jumping between the POVs, each was given their own section of the book. This kept the story from feeling disjointed or repetitive. The fourth section is told from both Elizabeth's and Justine's POVs with a focus on their interactions with The Monster. I would have liked a bit more exploration surrounding some of the decisions that the characters made, as there were a few times when their decisions felt out of character for no good reason. The author also included relevant historical details, especially surrounding the politics of the time, that added much to the depth of the story.
Each chapter began with a quote from the original Frankenstein text. The quote often served as a summary or bridge between the previous chapter and the next. This was excellently done - I loved how well it set up the chapters as well as the simple fact that it included the original text. I also quite liked how this book felt like classic literature and that it never focused solely on Victor or made it feel like these women only existed for Victor’s story. The author also did an excellent job at incorporating the atmosphere of this time in history and of the setting, rounding out the work even more. I do feel like the last section of the book could have been trimmed a bit to be more impactful, though this only detracted a bit from my enjoyment.
This wasn’t a scary or spooky read, instead reading more like historical fiction (don’t worry, I know Frankenstein wasn’t real!). My thanks to NetGalley and Muse Publications for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I enjoyed how including the perspectives of these three women rounded out this story and the characters, making them feel alive and adding significantly more depth to their lives. I also liked that rather than jumping between the POVs, each was given their own section of the book. This kept the story from feeling disjointed or repetitive. The fourth section is told from both Elizabeth's and Justine's POVs with a focus on their interactions with The Monster. I would have liked a bit more exploration surrounding some of the decisions that the characters made, as there were a few times when their decisions felt out of character for no good reason. The author also included relevant historical details, especially surrounding the politics of the time, that added much to the depth of the story.
Each chapter began with a quote from the original Frankenstein text. The quote often served as a summary or bridge between the previous chapter and the next. This was excellently done - I loved how well it set up the chapters as well as the simple fact that it included the original text. I also quite liked how this book felt like classic literature and that it never focused solely on Victor or made it feel like these women only existed for Victor’s story. The author also did an excellent job at incorporating the atmosphere of this time in history and of the setting, rounding out the work even more. I do feel like the last section of the book could have been trimmed a bit to be more impactful, though this only detracted a bit from my enjoyment.
This wasn’t a scary or spooky read, instead reading more like historical fiction (don’t worry, I know Frankenstein wasn’t real!). My thanks to NetGalley and Muse Publications for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
October 21, 2022
Gothic, atmospheric and dark. Unnatural Creatures: A Novel of the Frankenstein Women tells the tale of the women in Victor Frankenstein's life. There is a thin line between genius and madness as readers will find. This is a wonderful book that kept me turning the pages while wondering how things would play out in the end.
The Women:
Caroline Frankenstein is a loving mother who would do anything to protect her children. She has also made a habit of rescuing others in need of help. Her son Victor Frankenstein is obsessed with conquering death, and this has led him to forbidden realms. He experiments and creates an unnatural creature.
Elizabeth Lavenza was a small child when she was saved by Caroline Frankenstein. She believes that marrying Victor Frankenstein will repay her debt to the family. She may feel obligated to marry Victor, but her heart lies elsewhere.
Justine Moreau suffered abuse from her mother before Caroline Frankenstein took her in and gave her a better life. She is devoted to Caroline and Elizabeth. There is nothing she won’t do for Caroline. After tragedy, she is set on a collision course against Victor's creature. A creature who is out for revenge.
This was a very satisfying Gothic tale that looks at Frankenstein in a new way. The author chooses to focus on three women and their relationships with each other and with Victor Frankenstein. Don't worry if you have not read Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. You can still enjoy this one. But if you have read it, you may like (as I did) how the author made the women strong with equal footing. They have a voice in this book, and I enjoyed their story.
I also enjoyed the atmosphere in this book. The book takes place during a time of revolutions occurring in 18th-century Europe. There is danger, foreboding and tension. I found this to be a well written tale and I loved this take on Frankenstein, his monster, and the women in Victor Frankenstein's life.
Thank you to Muse Publications LLC and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
The Women:
Caroline Frankenstein is a loving mother who would do anything to protect her children. She has also made a habit of rescuing others in need of help. Her son Victor Frankenstein is obsessed with conquering death, and this has led him to forbidden realms. He experiments and creates an unnatural creature.
Elizabeth Lavenza was a small child when she was saved by Caroline Frankenstein. She believes that marrying Victor Frankenstein will repay her debt to the family. She may feel obligated to marry Victor, but her heart lies elsewhere.
Justine Moreau suffered abuse from her mother before Caroline Frankenstein took her in and gave her a better life. She is devoted to Caroline and Elizabeth. There is nothing she won’t do for Caroline. After tragedy, she is set on a collision course against Victor's creature. A creature who is out for revenge.
This was a very satisfying Gothic tale that looks at Frankenstein in a new way. The author chooses to focus on three women and their relationships with each other and with Victor Frankenstein. Don't worry if you have not read Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. You can still enjoy this one. But if you have read it, you may like (as I did) how the author made the women strong with equal footing. They have a voice in this book, and I enjoyed their story.
I also enjoyed the atmosphere in this book. The book takes place during a time of revolutions occurring in 18th-century Europe. There is danger, foreboding and tension. I found this to be a well written tale and I loved this take on Frankenstein, his monster, and the women in Victor Frankenstein's life.
Thank you to Muse Publications LLC and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
September 20, 2022
Eerie, atmospheric, gripping. Kris Waldherr explores the dark feminine side of the Frankenstein myth, bringing us the story from the eyes of Victor Frankenstein's mother, his angelic betrothed, and his hunchbacked maid. All three women deal with tragedy, and none are as uncomplicated as the men in their life often see them. A fabulous read!
March 13, 2022
Lushly atmospheric and rich with historical authenticity, Unnatural Creatures is a riveting Gothic tale that I devoured in one sitting. Kris Waldherr gives new life to the women of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, both illuminating and honoring their lives as mother, adopted sister, and trusted servant. An inspired reimagining that was impossible to put down!
September 9, 2023
Format: audiobook ~ Narrator: Barrie Kreinik
Content: 4 stars ~ Narration: 5 stars
Complete audiobook review
The novel Unnatural Creatures follows the lives of three women: Caroline, Elisabeth, and Justine. All three are linked to Victor Frankenstein. Caroline is his mother, Elisabeth is his adopted cousin and future bride, and Justine is a servant in the Frankenstein home.
A retelling of the classical novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. But this time told from the points of view of three different women in Victor Frankenstein’s life. Unnatural Creatures is historical fiction and not a true horror novel, but the mood is often eerie and atmospheric.
The narration by Barrie Kreinik is excellent.
Thanks to Muse Publications LLC for the advanced copy and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.
Content: 4 stars ~ Narration: 5 stars
Complete audiobook review
The novel Unnatural Creatures follows the lives of three women: Caroline, Elisabeth, and Justine. All three are linked to Victor Frankenstein. Caroline is his mother, Elisabeth is his adopted cousin and future bride, and Justine is a servant in the Frankenstein home.
A retelling of the classical novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. But this time told from the points of view of three different women in Victor Frankenstein’s life. Unnatural Creatures is historical fiction and not a true horror novel, but the mood is often eerie and atmospheric.
The narration by Barrie Kreinik is excellent.
Thanks to Muse Publications LLC for the advanced copy and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.
April 13, 2022
Waldherr skillfully weaves together the lives of the Frankenstein women in a feminist retelling of the classic tale of men and their monsters. This is a book that will seep into your bones and chill your heart in the best possible way; Mary Shelley would be proud.\\\
September 26, 2022
With Halloween just around the corner this book is definitely for the spooky season. Atmospheric, gothic and so good. I was completely immersed in the story and I loved how the author turned a classic onto its head by making the Frankenstein women the main characters. Beautifully written and the author managed to transport me back in time. I was an invisible bystander witnessing first hand what was unfolding. A new classic and highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
May 25, 2023
I really enjoyed looking at this story in the views of the women, following the steps of three strong women. Caroline Frankenstein, is the mother, and as many mothers do, she will do anything to protect the integrity of her family. She is the reason her son. Victor, pursues the idea of eternal life, taking on the persona of a god.
Elizabeth Lavenza is a four year old beggar when Caroline takes her into the Frankenstein home, and as she grows, Elizabeth feels she should marry Victor as a way to thank Caroline and the family for the safe life she received. Elizabeth can't keep her vow to marry Victor and that is when the monster that Victor has created begins the path to destruction.
Justine Moreau is a servant to the Frankenstein's and the woman the monster feels should be his mate. The monster hates what he is and wants a big pay back against the family.
It was a sad and chilling tale, of how ambition rules one's life and can ultimately drive them into the crazy zone. The author creates a spine tingling atmosphere while presently the women as holding their own with strength and courage.
Thank you to Kris Waldherr, Muse Publications, Narrated by Barrie Kreinik, and NetGalley for the ability to listen to this story, which published in September of 2022.
Elizabeth Lavenza is a four year old beggar when Caroline takes her into the Frankenstein home, and as she grows, Elizabeth feels she should marry Victor as a way to thank Caroline and the family for the safe life she received. Elizabeth can't keep her vow to marry Victor and that is when the monster that Victor has created begins the path to destruction.
Justine Moreau is a servant to the Frankenstein's and the woman the monster feels should be his mate. The monster hates what he is and wants a big pay back against the family.
It was a sad and chilling tale, of how ambition rules one's life and can ultimately drive them into the crazy zone. The author creates a spine tingling atmosphere while presently the women as holding their own with strength and courage.
Thank you to Kris Waldherr, Muse Publications, Narrated by Barrie Kreinik, and NetGalley for the ability to listen to this story, which published in September of 2022.
November 5, 2022
TITLE: Unnatural Creatures: A Novel of the Frankenstein Women
AUTHOR: Kris Waldherr
PUB DATE: 09.29.2022
Atmospheric
Gothic
Exquisite
Unnatural Creatures is a creative take on a well beloved classic, focusing on the women that surrounded Victor Frankenstein - Caroline Victor’s overprotective mother, Elizabeth Lavenza, Victor’s wife whose heart was never his, and Justine Moritz, a devoted and faithful servant to Caroline and Elizabeth.
I loved reading this refreshing spin, and also the eighteenth century historical backdrop of this story was so amazing for me to read about.
Highly recommend!
AUTHOR: Kris Waldherr
PUB DATE: 09.29.2022
Atmospheric
Gothic
Exquisite
Unnatural Creatures is a creative take on a well beloved classic, focusing on the women that surrounded Victor Frankenstein - Caroline Victor’s overprotective mother, Elizabeth Lavenza, Victor’s wife whose heart was never his, and Justine Moritz, a devoted and faithful servant to Caroline and Elizabeth.
I loved reading this refreshing spin, and also the eighteenth century historical backdrop of this story was so amazing for me to read about.
Highly recommend!
March 31, 2022
I had the privilege of reading an early version of this novel and it completely blew me away! This is the feminist reimagining of Frankenstein you didn’t know you needed. Waldherr reanimates the story from the perspective of its three central female characters—Caroline Frankenstein, Elizabeth Lavenza, and Justine Moritz—creating a tribute to the strength and resilience of women that would make Mary Shelley proud. I can't recommend this book highly enough!
January 4, 2022
Elegantly written and inspired, Waldherr’s latest is a sensuous and empathetic look at the three women who knew Victor Frankenstein best. Fans of the original will find much to love in this fresh imagining of the classic tale. A veritable tour de force!
October 12, 2022
A stirring feminist take on the classic Frankenstein tale, with elegant prose, a dark gripping narrative, and characters you won't soon forget, including the mother and bride of scientist Victor Frankenstein. Prepare to be awed and shocked by this story perfect for the Halloween season.
November 9, 2022
When one considers classic horror, there are few tales that leap so quickly to the mind like Frankenstein. Published in 1818, the tale was originally spun by Mary Shelley as a campfire ghost tale during a summer gathering of literary giants vacationing along the shores of Lake Geneva. Much homage has been paid to the original story in print and film, yet here is a sparkling, standout gem of a companion novel written by Kris Waldherr not only paying proper tribute to both the radical author and her disturbing tale, but with an added twist. Unnatural Creatures spotlights the women of the Frankenstein story. Each woman has a vital part to play as the conflict caused by Victor Frankenstein’s obsession strengthens through the story, but only to one will fall the duty of facing Frankenstein’s nightmare creation.
Opening Line
“This will be her third death since she became a monster.” Loc. 83
Frankenstein Family Ties
Set against the backdrop of late eighteenth century Geneva when revolution is rife, Unnatural Creatures opens from Caroline Frankenstein’s perspective.
Caroline was rescued from poverty by marrying her father’s friend, a man much older than herself. Alphonse holds an office in the Genevan government and has some wealth which makes them part of the aristocracy, and prey to those with revolutionary sentiments. Alphonse and Caroline Frankenstein share their home with their oldest son, Victor, and ward, Elizabeth Lavenza. Younger son, Ernest, is away getting treatment in the Alpine air for his weak lungs. Victor is intelligent and brooding, Elizabeth is bright and exquisite, and Caroline has motherly hopes to see them wed when they are older.
An Electrical Christmas
On a snowy day just before Christmas, Elizabeth discovers in the garden the abused grave digger’s daughter. Caroline tenderly cares for her needs and removes her from her abusive mother. Justine becomes Caroline’s loyal servant from day one.
“…Caroline heard the girl’s voice for the first time. Her voice was high-pitched, broad-voweled. Fated. “Madame, anything you need of me, I shall do for you. This I promise.” Loc 356
And, that Christmas season, led by a soiree of their society acquaintances and a curious naturalist there to do a demonstration with electricity, Justine hurls her body in the path of an intruder bent on violence. Caroline doesn’t have long to wait before Justine’s loyal promise serves her well. Justine discovers a dark, unnerving secret related to Victor.
“On the last page, he’d drawn a miniature man unlike anything she’d ever seen…Life created of man, not woman. An unnatural creature. Too upset to think clearly, Caroline immediately burned the journal.” Loc 1145
Scarlet Fever, Guilt and Grief, and the Secrets of Death… and Life?
A few years later, Elizabeth Lavenza has become the lady of the house when Caroline succumbs to Scarlet Fever and fulfills the good lady’s last request when Elizabeth becomes engaged to Victor. The engagement will be long as Victor is away at school in Ingolstadt, Germany where he withdraws from the family with long silences infrequently punctuated by terse, short missives. Grieving for Caroline, Alphonse has brought Ernest home when they all learn that he has some radical philosophical ideas that are in sympathy with the revolutionaries and wants to be a soldier, much to the consternation of his father. The revolutionaries have risen in Geneva. Alphonse sends Elizabeth away to the Italian Villa she inherited on the death of her birth parents. She takes young William, the Frankenstein child born shortly before Caroline’s death, and they are escorted by hers and Victor’s childhood friend, Henry Clerval.
The Darkness or the Light
“Henry was like a poem. Victor was a storm.” Loc 1695
At the villa, life is golden with peace. Elizabeth is happy with the few servants, caring for young William, and spending her days conversing and walking with Henry. She comes to rely on him so much that she shares her darkest secret, and learns his life-transforming one.
“After a moment, he replied. “You’re not as people believe, are you, Elizabeth Lavenza? You hide your sorrow behind your smile. You seek comfort by examining the shadows.” Loc 1704
She loves Victor as her nearest childhood companion. However, with his emotional distance, this leaves room for the warmer, healthier love to spring up between her and Henry. Elizabeth doesn’t intentionally succumb and is in the middle before she realizes. Victor or Henry? Dark or light? She will need to decide and quickly, but fateful events intervene in her final choice.
And, then later when they are reunited back in Geneva, there is the revelation of Victor’s secrets that are horrific and beyond her artistic imagination. What will come of that secret and the deadly danger it poses?
“Every so often, Elizabeth discovered Victor staring at her with an aspect bordering on pity. Whenever she caught him, he smiled, but it wasn’t his usual smile. It was the smile of someone with a secret they yearned to keep. A secret she feared to learn, especially now that she’d peeked inside that green journal.” Loc 4014
The Final Woman, Servant, Murderess, Monster
The earlier story of the faithful servant were happy with her mistress, but later Justine’s adult life is filled with trials that prepare her for the climactic confrontation that is hers alone. It falls to Justine who grew up abused and never quite normal to look Victor’s made-monster in the eye and feel empathy and understanding even while knowing he must be stopped from his bloody path of bloody revenge.
“Both created by Frankensteins. Monsters…” How certain you sound…” The monster’s voice turned caressing; this alarmed Justine more than his hands around her throat. “Tell me, what were you before the Frankensteins took you in?” Loc 5318
Natural Results
From the structure to the settings and cast of characters to the tone of the writing, I was satisfyingly, emotionally vested in a companion novel that did not simply pay homage to Frankenstein but convinced me it could be the missing parts to the story. I can offer no higher praise. I did not revisit the original tale that I last read years ago, and perhaps doing so would have enriched my reading experiences even more, but I found I could plunge into Unnatural Creatures just fine. I highly recommend it to those who love the Gothic and classic monster tales and desire a feminine perspective.
I rec'd an eARC from NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Austenprose on Oct 31st.
Opening Line
“This will be her third death since she became a monster.” Loc. 83
Frankenstein Family Ties
Set against the backdrop of late eighteenth century Geneva when revolution is rife, Unnatural Creatures opens from Caroline Frankenstein’s perspective.
Caroline was rescued from poverty by marrying her father’s friend, a man much older than herself. Alphonse holds an office in the Genevan government and has some wealth which makes them part of the aristocracy, and prey to those with revolutionary sentiments. Alphonse and Caroline Frankenstein share their home with their oldest son, Victor, and ward, Elizabeth Lavenza. Younger son, Ernest, is away getting treatment in the Alpine air for his weak lungs. Victor is intelligent and brooding, Elizabeth is bright and exquisite, and Caroline has motherly hopes to see them wed when they are older.
An Electrical Christmas
On a snowy day just before Christmas, Elizabeth discovers in the garden the abused grave digger’s daughter. Caroline tenderly cares for her needs and removes her from her abusive mother. Justine becomes Caroline’s loyal servant from day one.
“…Caroline heard the girl’s voice for the first time. Her voice was high-pitched, broad-voweled. Fated. “Madame, anything you need of me, I shall do for you. This I promise.” Loc 356
And, that Christmas season, led by a soiree of their society acquaintances and a curious naturalist there to do a demonstration with electricity, Justine hurls her body in the path of an intruder bent on violence. Caroline doesn’t have long to wait before Justine’s loyal promise serves her well. Justine discovers a dark, unnerving secret related to Victor.
“On the last page, he’d drawn a miniature man unlike anything she’d ever seen…Life created of man, not woman. An unnatural creature. Too upset to think clearly, Caroline immediately burned the journal.” Loc 1145
Scarlet Fever, Guilt and Grief, and the Secrets of Death… and Life?
A few years later, Elizabeth Lavenza has become the lady of the house when Caroline succumbs to Scarlet Fever and fulfills the good lady’s last request when Elizabeth becomes engaged to Victor. The engagement will be long as Victor is away at school in Ingolstadt, Germany where he withdraws from the family with long silences infrequently punctuated by terse, short missives. Grieving for Caroline, Alphonse has brought Ernest home when they all learn that he has some radical philosophical ideas that are in sympathy with the revolutionaries and wants to be a soldier, much to the consternation of his father. The revolutionaries have risen in Geneva. Alphonse sends Elizabeth away to the Italian Villa she inherited on the death of her birth parents. She takes young William, the Frankenstein child born shortly before Caroline’s death, and they are escorted by hers and Victor’s childhood friend, Henry Clerval.
The Darkness or the Light
“Henry was like a poem. Victor was a storm.” Loc 1695
At the villa, life is golden with peace. Elizabeth is happy with the few servants, caring for young William, and spending her days conversing and walking with Henry. She comes to rely on him so much that she shares her darkest secret, and learns his life-transforming one.
“After a moment, he replied. “You’re not as people believe, are you, Elizabeth Lavenza? You hide your sorrow behind your smile. You seek comfort by examining the shadows.” Loc 1704
She loves Victor as her nearest childhood companion. However, with his emotional distance, this leaves room for the warmer, healthier love to spring up between her and Henry. Elizabeth doesn’t intentionally succumb and is in the middle before she realizes. Victor or Henry? Dark or light? She will need to decide and quickly, but fateful events intervene in her final choice.
And, then later when they are reunited back in Geneva, there is the revelation of Victor’s secrets that are horrific and beyond her artistic imagination. What will come of that secret and the deadly danger it poses?
“Every so often, Elizabeth discovered Victor staring at her with an aspect bordering on pity. Whenever she caught him, he smiled, but it wasn’t his usual smile. It was the smile of someone with a secret they yearned to keep. A secret she feared to learn, especially now that she’d peeked inside that green journal.” Loc 4014
The Final Woman, Servant, Murderess, Monster
The earlier story of the faithful servant were happy with her mistress, but later Justine’s adult life is filled with trials that prepare her for the climactic confrontation that is hers alone. It falls to Justine who grew up abused and never quite normal to look Victor’s made-monster in the eye and feel empathy and understanding even while knowing he must be stopped from his bloody path of bloody revenge.
“Both created by Frankensteins. Monsters…” How certain you sound…” The monster’s voice turned caressing; this alarmed Justine more than his hands around her throat. “Tell me, what were you before the Frankensteins took you in?” Loc 5318
Natural Results
From the structure to the settings and cast of characters to the tone of the writing, I was satisfyingly, emotionally vested in a companion novel that did not simply pay homage to Frankenstein but convinced me it could be the missing parts to the story. I can offer no higher praise. I did not revisit the original tale that I last read years ago, and perhaps doing so would have enriched my reading experiences even more, but I found I could plunge into Unnatural Creatures just fine. I highly recommend it to those who love the Gothic and classic monster tales and desire a feminine perspective.
I rec'd an eARC from NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Austenprose on Oct 31st.
October 20, 2022
"Some tales aren't what you think" . . . So begins historical fiction/gothic thriller author Kris Waldherr's newest release Unnatural Creatures: A Novel of the Frankenstein Women.
This novel interested me right from the get go when I saw it was being released as first and foremost, the cover is absolutely hooking to give the reader the sense that the pages within will present a gothic/supernatural kind of tale, but also this novel interested me because it was a reimagining in ways from a unique perspective of Mary Shelley's classic Frankenstein but from the perspective of the women.
In Kris Waldherr's take on this classic, readers see the story unfold from the viewpoints of the women closest to the madman who created a monster so horrific that it borders on brilliancy/madness . . . Victor Frankenstein himself.
As mentioned above, the viewpoints presented in this novel are below:
- Caroline Frankenstein: Mother of Victor Frankenstein - she's seen in the novel as being a devoted mother who tries as much as possible to support her family amidst revolutions raging in Europe in the 18th century and at the same time, protect her family from these revolutions. Unfortunately, Caroline loses sight of what her son Victor is truly interested in and cannot stop the madness that's unfolding until it's too late.
- Elizabeth Lavenza: The Betrothed who's taken in as a "ward" of the Frankenstein's at a young age due to the kindness of Caroline. Elizabeth does what she can to become part of the Frankenstein family and is set to be married to Victor but has her own personal baggage in that she has her heart and eyes set on someone else.
- Justine Mortiz: A hunchbacked girl who is also taken in by the kindness of the Frankenstein's and serves as their maid/servant.
The novel right from the outset presents readers with a gothic feel to it that evokes similarities to the classic novel by Mary Shelley for those who have read the classic or at least parts of it and are familiar with the basics. I found to enjoy this novel, you don't need to read the classic but as long as you have some familiarity with the story, you'll be just fine.
Kris Waldherr I found presented the characters in a fantastic way showing them as humans with good qualities but also with their flaws like any one of us have. In the character of Victor Frankenstein, he's seen at the start as someone who is just as normal as can be, but then develops a bizarre interest in chemistry and alchemy. This interest evolves quickly with a visit by a Dr Galvani who introduces an experiment combining the "subject of electricity and galvanism".
Caroline Frankenstein is seen as someone who has a very kind heart and is very devoted but is swept up constantly with worries of revolutions which surround them and could strike at any moment. Elizabeth Lavenza as mentioned above is orphaned at a young age and is taken in by the family, but ultimately finds out something life changing and starts to develop a conflict within herself of being who she vowed to be compared to who she wants to be.
An example of how Caroline Frankenstein is characterized in the novel:
"Frankenstein matriarch offered everyone, whether they were very well-to-do or a beggar. Or a fatherless hunchback girl such as herself" (the fatherless hunchbacked girl being Justine Mortiz).
Justine Mortiz is seen as a hunchbacked girl who is very grateful to be saved by her own life's tribulations. All three characters intertwine with each other and ultimately come into the line of fire of the brilliancy/madness of Victor's creation. However, each one sees in my opinion the creation as something different based on their life experiences/obstacles.
The descriptiveness throughout this novel is very vivid to spark imagery in the reader's mind. For example:
"The road twisted and narrowed as it sliced through the mountain. The sun winked through the trees. Vineyards rose beside them, heavy with fruit nearing harvest".
Another example:
"She discovered herself inside a long, formal garden delineated by two banks of cypress pruned like pyramids. A long reflecting pond was set between the cypresses, within which a family of nearly grown ducklings and their mother floated placidly. Beyond it, an apple orchard. The villa's gardens were framed by banks of mountains stretching toward the heavens".
I quite liked that each chapter in Unnatural Creatures: A Novel of the Frankenstein Women included a snippet from the classic novel that seamlessly flowed with the reimagined perspective of the classic novel.
I want to focus on Victor Frankenstein for the most part, as this character in my opinion is the main focus of this novel. His characterization was one of brilliancy, but you could sense many times while reading that he's also bordering on madness . . . madness to the brink of not coming back so to speak.
To provide an example of the madness of Victor Frankenstein, here's an example:
"There is one secret I alone possess. If I can bestow animation upon lifeless matter, I might renew life where death has devoted, the body to corruption. This is the task to which I shall dedicate myself".
Finally, another main character of this novel is of course Frankenstein's monster himself. Here's an example of how the author characterizes the monster:
"Beneath his shriveled complexion, and straight black lips, his yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries. His hair was a lustrous ebony, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness. But these luxuriances only formed a horrid contrast with his watery eyes, which appeared nearly the same color as the dun-white sockets in which they were set. He was no solider injured by war or flames. Nor was he an angel. He was a daemon, a monster. A deformity of life. A creature constructed of death and flesh, not incantations and clay. A golem".
I can go on even more about this novel, but I don't want to give it away too much. If you're a fan of the classic novel or have some familiarity with it and want a unique perspective of it, fan of gothic historical fiction, or looking for a spooky toned book to read for October, I highly recommend you check out Kris Waldherr's Unnatural Creatures: A Novel of the Frankenstein Women.
This novel interested me right from the get go when I saw it was being released as first and foremost, the cover is absolutely hooking to give the reader the sense that the pages within will present a gothic/supernatural kind of tale, but also this novel interested me because it was a reimagining in ways from a unique perspective of Mary Shelley's classic Frankenstein but from the perspective of the women.
In Kris Waldherr's take on this classic, readers see the story unfold from the viewpoints of the women closest to the madman who created a monster so horrific that it borders on brilliancy/madness . . . Victor Frankenstein himself.
As mentioned above, the viewpoints presented in this novel are below:
- Caroline Frankenstein: Mother of Victor Frankenstein - she's seen in the novel as being a devoted mother who tries as much as possible to support her family amidst revolutions raging in Europe in the 18th century and at the same time, protect her family from these revolutions. Unfortunately, Caroline loses sight of what her son Victor is truly interested in and cannot stop the madness that's unfolding until it's too late.
- Elizabeth Lavenza: The Betrothed who's taken in as a "ward" of the Frankenstein's at a young age due to the kindness of Caroline. Elizabeth does what she can to become part of the Frankenstein family and is set to be married to Victor but has her own personal baggage in that she has her heart and eyes set on someone else.
- Justine Mortiz: A hunchbacked girl who is also taken in by the kindness of the Frankenstein's and serves as their maid/servant.
The novel right from the outset presents readers with a gothic feel to it that evokes similarities to the classic novel by Mary Shelley for those who have read the classic or at least parts of it and are familiar with the basics. I found to enjoy this novel, you don't need to read the classic but as long as you have some familiarity with the story, you'll be just fine.
Kris Waldherr I found presented the characters in a fantastic way showing them as humans with good qualities but also with their flaws like any one of us have. In the character of Victor Frankenstein, he's seen at the start as someone who is just as normal as can be, but then develops a bizarre interest in chemistry and alchemy. This interest evolves quickly with a visit by a Dr Galvani who introduces an experiment combining the "subject of electricity and galvanism".
Caroline Frankenstein is seen as someone who has a very kind heart and is very devoted but is swept up constantly with worries of revolutions which surround them and could strike at any moment. Elizabeth Lavenza as mentioned above is orphaned at a young age and is taken in by the family, but ultimately finds out something life changing and starts to develop a conflict within herself of being who she vowed to be compared to who she wants to be.
An example of how Caroline Frankenstein is characterized in the novel:
"Frankenstein matriarch offered everyone, whether they were very well-to-do or a beggar. Or a fatherless hunchback girl such as herself" (the fatherless hunchbacked girl being Justine Mortiz).
Justine Mortiz is seen as a hunchbacked girl who is very grateful to be saved by her own life's tribulations. All three characters intertwine with each other and ultimately come into the line of fire of the brilliancy/madness of Victor's creation. However, each one sees in my opinion the creation as something different based on their life experiences/obstacles.
The descriptiveness throughout this novel is very vivid to spark imagery in the reader's mind. For example:
"The road twisted and narrowed as it sliced through the mountain. The sun winked through the trees. Vineyards rose beside them, heavy with fruit nearing harvest".
Another example:
"She discovered herself inside a long, formal garden delineated by two banks of cypress pruned like pyramids. A long reflecting pond was set between the cypresses, within which a family of nearly grown ducklings and their mother floated placidly. Beyond it, an apple orchard. The villa's gardens were framed by banks of mountains stretching toward the heavens".
I quite liked that each chapter in Unnatural Creatures: A Novel of the Frankenstein Women included a snippet from the classic novel that seamlessly flowed with the reimagined perspective of the classic novel.
I want to focus on Victor Frankenstein for the most part, as this character in my opinion is the main focus of this novel. His characterization was one of brilliancy, but you could sense many times while reading that he's also bordering on madness . . . madness to the brink of not coming back so to speak.
To provide an example of the madness of Victor Frankenstein, here's an example:
"There is one secret I alone possess. If I can bestow animation upon lifeless matter, I might renew life where death has devoted, the body to corruption. This is the task to which I shall dedicate myself".
Finally, another main character of this novel is of course Frankenstein's monster himself. Here's an example of how the author characterizes the monster:
"Beneath his shriveled complexion, and straight black lips, his yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries. His hair was a lustrous ebony, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness. But these luxuriances only formed a horrid contrast with his watery eyes, which appeared nearly the same color as the dun-white sockets in which they were set. He was no solider injured by war or flames. Nor was he an angel. He was a daemon, a monster. A deformity of life. A creature constructed of death and flesh, not incantations and clay. A golem".
I can go on even more about this novel, but I don't want to give it away too much. If you're a fan of the classic novel or have some familiarity with it and want a unique perspective of it, fan of gothic historical fiction, or looking for a spooky toned book to read for October, I highly recommend you check out Kris Waldherr's Unnatural Creatures: A Novel of the Frankenstein Women.
November 26, 2022
This ambitious novel more than hits its mark. At first, it appears to be almost biographical fiction of the “Frankenstein women,” true to its time and deeply immersive. For example, the delightful electricity ball leaps off the page, as do Caroline, Justine, and even kind, beautiful Elizabeth. You also learn more of the happenings adjacent to the French Revolution and see much more of the picture. At the same time, you only get the story that the women know, which—for a long time—isn’t much more than surprises, hunches and conjecture.
As the reader gets to understand the women of Shelley’s story more, she finds herself hoping against hope that their stories will change, that they will survive. Then the story begins racing to its inevitable conclusion—and you just need to read it yourself to find out what really happened with the Frankenstein monster. Just as Shelly was delighted with the plays from her book, I think she’d love this offering as well. Well done!
I both listened and read, great narration, and well laid out in print.
As the reader gets to understand the women of Shelley’s story more, she finds herself hoping against hope that their stories will change, that they will survive. Then the story begins racing to its inevitable conclusion—and you just need to read it yourself to find out what really happened with the Frankenstein monster. Just as Shelly was delighted with the plays from her book, I think she’d love this offering as well. Well done!
I both listened and read, great narration, and well laid out in print.
October 29, 2022
Find what you love and let it kill you.
—attributed to Charles Bukowski
Bold and compelling with a remarkable drive to be heard, I didn’t want to put this down. This was a deep and rousing tale that was told to me with all the realism and truth I found of Mary Shelly’s novel. Heartbroken would be an understatement of this but definitely worth reading. I was there. I could smell and see everything in the brilliantly written story.
You can trust me when I say it was good. A perfect Halloween tale.
My thanks to the author, I loved it.
Thanks also to Muse Publication LLC via NetGalley.
—attributed to Charles Bukowski
Bold and compelling with a remarkable drive to be heard, I didn’t want to put this down. This was a deep and rousing tale that was told to me with all the realism and truth I found of Mary Shelly’s novel. Heartbroken would be an understatement of this but definitely worth reading. I was there. I could smell and see everything in the brilliantly written story.
You can trust me when I say it was good. A perfect Halloween tale.
My thanks to the author, I loved it.
Thanks also to Muse Publication LLC via NetGalley.
June 22, 2022
445 pages
5 stars
This book is the perfect companion piece to Mary Shelley’s great opus. It fills in the (fictional) background and history of the Frankenstein family and many of their servants.
Essentially this is the story not only of Victor, but of three remarkable women who supported and shaped him to some degree. I was absolutely fascinated by their stories. It takes place (mostly) during the 1790s. The revolution was going on in France and effectively intruded on life in quiet little Geneva in the process. When it finally reached Geneva, terrible things happened.
Caroline, Victor’s mother, was a somewhat nervous woman who would do anything to protect her little family. She was married to Alphonse, who was a syndic (a government official).They were quite well off and Alphonse’s position provided them with many benefits.
Elizabeth was taken in by the Frankenstein’s as a very young child. She was of similar age as Victor and Caroline dreamed of them marrying when they grew up. Elizabeth was beautiful and accomplished. She and Victor loved one another.
Justine was found in the garden on Frankenstein property. She has scoliosis and was painfully shy. After they met the obviously abusive mother, Caroline took her in. Justine was forever grateful to the family and became very attached to them all.
The undercurrent in the story is Victor’s decline into madness and his scientific experiments. I’ll leave it up to you to decide if they were “successful.”.
This book is much more than a horror tale. It is brilliantly written and plotted. My hat is off to Ms. Waldherr. I keep thinking about the story. That is the highest compliment to any author. I immediately went to amazon to look at her other books. My hope is that she does a companion piece for other great stories.
I want to thank NetGalley and Muse Publications LLC for forwarding to me a copy of this remarkable book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.
5 stars
This book is the perfect companion piece to Mary Shelley’s great opus. It fills in the (fictional) background and history of the Frankenstein family and many of their servants.
Essentially this is the story not only of Victor, but of three remarkable women who supported and shaped him to some degree. I was absolutely fascinated by their stories. It takes place (mostly) during the 1790s. The revolution was going on in France and effectively intruded on life in quiet little Geneva in the process. When it finally reached Geneva, terrible things happened.
Caroline, Victor’s mother, was a somewhat nervous woman who would do anything to protect her little family. She was married to Alphonse, who was a syndic (a government official).They were quite well off and Alphonse’s position provided them with many benefits.
Elizabeth was taken in by the Frankenstein’s as a very young child. She was of similar age as Victor and Caroline dreamed of them marrying when they grew up. Elizabeth was beautiful and accomplished. She and Victor loved one another.
Justine was found in the garden on Frankenstein property. She has scoliosis and was painfully shy. After they met the obviously abusive mother, Caroline took her in. Justine was forever grateful to the family and became very attached to them all.
The undercurrent in the story is Victor’s decline into madness and his scientific experiments. I’ll leave it up to you to decide if they were “successful.”.
This book is much more than a horror tale. It is brilliantly written and plotted. My hat is off to Ms. Waldherr. I keep thinking about the story. That is the highest compliment to any author. I immediately went to amazon to look at her other books. My hope is that she does a companion piece for other great stories.
I want to thank NetGalley and Muse Publications LLC for forwarding to me a copy of this remarkable book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.
January 18, 2022
In Unnatural Creatures, Waldherr transforms the women of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein from victims into protagonists. Passing the torch of her suitably dark Gothic tale between the mother, the betrothed, and the servant, she sheds new light on one of literature's most famous stories in an atmospheric novel, which contrasts the unnatural act of Frankenstein's monster's animation with the maternal act of creation.
August 18, 2022
Unnatural Creatures by Kris Waldherr brings to life the stories of three women in Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein: Victor Frankenstein’s mother Caroline; his fiancé Elizabeth Lavenza; and the Frankenstein’s servant Justine Moreau, a character who Waldherr gives a fascinating background and a whole new lease on life.
Mary Shelley’s original, classic horror novel about Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment, is told from the points of view of three men: a sea captain who meets Victor Frankenstein at the end of his life; Frankenstein himself; and the monster Frankenstein made and abandoned in horror. The women in Shelley’s tale, although they play important parts in the plot, are minor characters and only seen through the eyes of men.
In this new version we are treated to a feminist retelling that provides a whole new look at a story we thought we knew—but did we? Waldherr’s intense research is evident throughout, in both her portrayal of the characters and events, and in her exploration of the setting of the story, a time when terrifying revolutions engulfed 18th-century Europe.
In Waldherr’s tale, Caroline Frankenstein is a strong-willed, devoted wife and mother who dedicates herself to helping the less fortunate. The lovely Elizabeth Lavenza, rescued as a child by Caroline from a life of maltreatment and poverty, knows she can only repay the debt by one day becoming Victor’s bride. But when Elizabeth falls in love with someone else, her heart is torn. The stalwart servant Justine Moreau, another victim of abusive childhood whom Caroline rescues, is devoted to the Frankensteins, until a tragedy changes her forever and propels her on an unexpected journey that sets her up against Victor’s monster.
For most of the novel, the women have no idea what keeps Victor away from home for six years, what he has been working on, and no clue to the cause of his growing madness (but the astute reader knows). How could anyone imagine that he has brought to life a “creature” from the flesh of the unliving—a monster who will wreak havoc on everyone that Victor Frankenstein loves, in his quest for vengeance against the “father” who abandoned him?
It's been years since I read Frankenstein and Waldherr’s book sent me scurrying back to re-read the original, which is very different from the way I’d remembered it. Unnatural Creatures can be enjoyed and appreciated without having read Frankenstein, but the experience will be improved if you read or skim it before or after.
There is a marvelous twist in Waldherr’s tale that I never saw coming and made me gasp (which I’m sure Mary Shelley never envisioned and yet works perfectly with her tale), and I relished the ending.
Kris Waldherr’s “Unnatural Creatures” is a thrilling, extraordinary tour de force that imagines new depths to the Frankenstein story and brings it to fascinating life in a tale of adventure, love, betrayal, genius, madness, life, death, and good vs. evil. Bravo! I will never see Shelley’s Frankenstein the same way again.
For those who enjoy a retake on a classic and are intrepid enough to undergo the harrowing, bone-chilling journey, it is highly recommended.
Mary Shelley’s original, classic horror novel about Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment, is told from the points of view of three men: a sea captain who meets Victor Frankenstein at the end of his life; Frankenstein himself; and the monster Frankenstein made and abandoned in horror. The women in Shelley’s tale, although they play important parts in the plot, are minor characters and only seen through the eyes of men.
In this new version we are treated to a feminist retelling that provides a whole new look at a story we thought we knew—but did we? Waldherr’s intense research is evident throughout, in both her portrayal of the characters and events, and in her exploration of the setting of the story, a time when terrifying revolutions engulfed 18th-century Europe.
In Waldherr’s tale, Caroline Frankenstein is a strong-willed, devoted wife and mother who dedicates herself to helping the less fortunate. The lovely Elizabeth Lavenza, rescued as a child by Caroline from a life of maltreatment and poverty, knows she can only repay the debt by one day becoming Victor’s bride. But when Elizabeth falls in love with someone else, her heart is torn. The stalwart servant Justine Moreau, another victim of abusive childhood whom Caroline rescues, is devoted to the Frankensteins, until a tragedy changes her forever and propels her on an unexpected journey that sets her up against Victor’s monster.
For most of the novel, the women have no idea what keeps Victor away from home for six years, what he has been working on, and no clue to the cause of his growing madness (but the astute reader knows). How could anyone imagine that he has brought to life a “creature” from the flesh of the unliving—a monster who will wreak havoc on everyone that Victor Frankenstein loves, in his quest for vengeance against the “father” who abandoned him?
It's been years since I read Frankenstein and Waldherr’s book sent me scurrying back to re-read the original, which is very different from the way I’d remembered it. Unnatural Creatures can be enjoyed and appreciated without having read Frankenstein, but the experience will be improved if you read or skim it before or after.
There is a marvelous twist in Waldherr’s tale that I never saw coming and made me gasp (which I’m sure Mary Shelley never envisioned and yet works perfectly with her tale), and I relished the ending.
Kris Waldherr’s “Unnatural Creatures” is a thrilling, extraordinary tour de force that imagines new depths to the Frankenstein story and brings it to fascinating life in a tale of adventure, love, betrayal, genius, madness, life, death, and good vs. evil. Bravo! I will never see Shelley’s Frankenstein the same way again.
For those who enjoy a retake on a classic and are intrepid enough to undergo the harrowing, bone-chilling journey, it is highly recommended.
August 20, 2022
UNNATURAL CREATURES is a compelling and page-turning companion to Frankenstein that tells us the mirror-image of the story we know, through the eyes of the women torn apart by men's hubris. Elizabeth, Caroline, and Justine are haunted, beautifully imagined characters that crackle with life, and it's infinitely satisfying to read a version of events in which they are transformed from silent victims to clever narrators able to speak for themselves. Fans of feminist retellings and gothic ambiance won't be able to stop reading this. Thanks to the author for sharing an advance copy with me!
May 17, 2023
4.5 rounded up
Eerie and atmospheric. Beautifully written story focusing on the Frankenstein women.
Eerie and atmospheric. Beautifully written story focusing on the Frankenstein women.
Want to read
September 20, 2022How did I not know this was coming? (And from the brilliant mind who created one of my favorite gothic novels??)
Between Kris Waldherr and Sally Thorne, my Frankenstein loving soul is thriving.
Between Kris Waldherr and Sally Thorne, my Frankenstein loving soul is thriving.
November 28, 2024
True to the book yet a delightfully feminist reimagining of Frankenstein that left me swooning. Lush and gothic, just the way I like them.
December 26, 2025
In Unnatural Creatures, Kris Waldherr deftly uses the political climate of late 18th-century Geneva to add depth and nuance to one of literature’s best-known stories of one man’s folly, but it is her choice of protagonists—the three women closest to Victor Frankenstein—that truly elevates her work. Waldherr takes her main characters out of the mire of victimhood and gives them voices of their own. Idealized by Mary Shelley’s eponymous protagonist, in Waldherr’s telling each woman becomes a complicated human being, each strong in her own way, each full of passions and neuroses, morbid fascinations and love in all its forms. These characters wrestle with big questions of fate and self-determination; of responsibility and victimhood; of the female power to give life and the power of science to emulate it. With settings so lush you can practically see, smell, and touch them, Unnatural Creatures, like the novel that inspired it, is a richly atmospheric work of Gothic wonder.
December 30, 2022
I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved this novel. Frankenstein is iconic and it's hard to improve upon Mary Shelley's masterpiece, but Kris Waldherr does so with aplomb. Unnatural Creatures dives deeper into the story to reveal the hearts of the Frankenstein women, turning the lens to some of the characters not as well known as Victor and his monster. Waldherr is a master world-builder and one can easily imagine the spooky world of the past that these individuals inhabit. This is gothic-storytelling at its finest--haunting, creepy, darkly romantic, atmospheric, and best of all, lingering. You'll not get this story out of your head and it will sit with you long after that last page has been turned. A must-read.
October 28, 2022
A gothic read that looks at the Frankenstein story through three compelling women: his devoted mother, the ward who feels obligated to marry him even though she loves someone else, and a servant rescued from an abusive family. Historical events are seamlessly blended in. There are strong connections to Shelly’s story and you’ll get the most out of this one if you’re familiar with the original.
This is a book filled with anxiety, generational trauma, and damaging secrets. At times gut wrenching and horrific. Even though a few plot points about the ending fell flat, I couldn’t put it down.
I received an arc from NetGalley
This is a book filled with anxiety, generational trauma, and damaging secrets. At times gut wrenching and horrific. Even though a few plot points about the ending fell flat, I couldn’t put it down.
I received an arc from NetGalley
October 7, 2022
I had the privilege of reading a draft of Unnatural Creatures in manuscript and I was incredibly impressed with the story, the feminist take on the Frankenstein story, and with the way the author wove in the political turbulence of the time period. Impeccably researched and lusciously written, full of suspense and surprises and a page turner from beginning to end.
February 27, 2023
the stupidest shit to ever grace this earth, and a disgrace to Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
February 14, 2022
I had the privilege of reading this novel at a couple stages of its development, and it's absolutely gorgeous and brilliantly written. I also wanted to note that, as with most retellings, you may get a bit more out of the novel if you've read the original FRANKENSTEIN, but it absolutely isn't necessary to enjoy UNNATURAL CREATURES and this book stands perfectly on its own. (I have read FRANKENSTEIN but not since I was in high school, so I'm a good test case since I remembered the overall story but many of the details had faded).
My official blurb is below!
"In Unnatural Creatures, Kris Waldherr gives sparkling voice to the women surrounding Victor Frankenstein and his monstrous creation, and in so doing deftly explores the roles of women as creators, caretakers, lovers, and survivors. Whether you're a devoted Mary Shelley fan or have never read Frankenstein, don't miss this masterful retelling. It's the kind of book that traps you within its pages and won't let go - as a good gothic novel should!"
My official blurb is below!
"In Unnatural Creatures, Kris Waldherr gives sparkling voice to the women surrounding Victor Frankenstein and his monstrous creation, and in so doing deftly explores the roles of women as creators, caretakers, lovers, and survivors. Whether you're a devoted Mary Shelley fan or have never read Frankenstein, don't miss this masterful retelling. It's the kind of book that traps you within its pages and won't let go - as a good gothic novel should!"
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