Ingrid and Giselle Frankenstein grew up without a mother or father. Raised by their grandmother, the girls always wondered who their parents were and why they didn't know them. However, in 1815, at the age of seventeen, the twins discover a bit more about their family tree. Their father has died, and left behind the Frankenstein castle for the sisters to inherit. Giselle plans on restoring the castle to its former glory and throwing lavish parties; however, Ingrid is more interested in her father's research that was left behind in one of the rooms. Soon, though, it appears that this won't be a simple, peaceful life, as men begin to go missing and finally turn up, murdered. Are the girls in danger? Is the killer simply human? Or could it be their father's monster, back for revenge?
I originally ordered this book from a book order simply because it was by Suzanne Weyn. I've read The Bar Code series and Distant Waves before, and thoroughly enjoyed them. However, when I received this novel, I was a bit put off by how thin it was. I suppose I should have learned by now though; when the book is by a talented author, no matter the size, the story is almost always enthralling. In fact, so much detail, background, and suspense was packed into this novel that it seemed to be longer than it truly was. Weyn is excellent at character building. Both of the twins had distinct personalities, as did every other major character. I must say that I didn't find the beginning of the story very interesting; however, as soon as the sisters had arrived at their father's castle, I was able to immerse myself more deeply in the story.
The narrative in this story does switch back and forth between Giselle and Ingrid. This is normally a method of writing that I don't appreciate. However, it was crucial to the storyline, and also made the book more believable. Each chapter was written as an entry into each sister's diary. Thus, the writing was in first person, which I prefer to third. It also let the reader venture farther into the girls' thoughts and emotions, and get to know each sister on a more personal level. In third person, it would have been harder to distinguish between Ingrid and Giselle, without having their personal tone of voice and thoughts on their life experiences as a background to their actions.
The book order I purchased this novel from didn't mention that it was based in the past. It came as quite a surprise to me when I opened it up and the first diary entry from the girls was recorded as May 17, 1815. I suppose I should have realized that since Mary Shelley's novel was published during this time period, this book would be based in it; however, I really didn't stop to think about it. There are some books based in the past that I enjoy reading, but usually I prefer novels that are firmly set in the 21st century. After finishing this story though, it's not even a conceivable option for it to be based in anything but the 1800's. If it was, the story would have been much less than the stellar read it is now.
Overall, I found that I very much enjoyed this read. Congratulations to Suzanne Weyn for writing yet another beautifully worded novel with a creative storyline. I never liked the story of Frankenstein, but this book made it seem much more interesting. I would rate this book four stars. I sincerely enjoyed it, despite its size. A reader who enjoys the original story of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, horror stories, or murder mysteries should pick up a copy of this novel.
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