Such Wicked Intent (The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, #2)

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Such Wicked Intent (The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein #2)

by Kenneth Oppel (Goodreads Author)

4.05 of 5 stars 4.05 · rating details · 1,216 ratings · 312 reviews

When his grieving father orders the destruction of the Dark Library, Victor retrieves a book in which he finds the promise of not just communicating with the dead, but entering their realm, and soon he, Elizabeth, and Henry are in the spirit world of Château Frankenstein, creating and growing a body.

[Book two of The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein series.]

Hardcover, 310 pages

Published August 2012 by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

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Nov 03, 2012 karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: why-yes-i-ya, october-is-spooky, upstairs-neighbors

as much as i hated the opening sentences,

The books flew open like startled birds trying to escape the flames. One after another I savagely hurled them into the hottest part of the bonfire, watching them ignite almost before they landed.

**no!! don't burn the bookas!!**

i really liked this book. more than the first one, actually. although they both get four stars because i don't do math. i think this one skews darker than the first one, and builds upon the consequences arising from the first book's...more

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Dec 19, 2012 Kat Heckenbach rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have to say that I liked this book better than the first in the series (This Dark Endeavor) although I did find a few minor things frustrating. My biggest gripe was that the pacing was a bit too fast in places. But overall, the story was pretty gripping. This book is even darker than the first, and there were times I somewhat regretted reading so late at night ;). The ending resolved things for the most part, although I felt there could have been more exploration/discover of what the pit god w...more

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Dec 16, 2012 Kristina rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, 2012-goal-60

I must say that I enjoyed the first book of this series MUCH more than this volume. I wouldn't say this is a "bad" book, but honestly it was just okay. It had a few moments of triumph that were exciting and heart pounding, but for the most part all the characters just became more annoying or whiny versions of the great characters they were in book one.

I did enjoy it enough to keep reading and I honestly wanted to finish it, but it is not a book I think I would ever want to read a second time. I...more

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Nov 02, 2012 Nicola rated it 5 of 5 stars

Reason for Reading: This is the author's latest book.

Absolutely stunning. The first book was good and this one is twice as good. Oppel has stepped up the gothic atmosphere, introduced the supernatural element, played the romance element and kept the entire story very dark. There is not one character in this book who is not immune to the elements of the darkside. The reader doesn't really know if anyone is truly a 'good' character. I found this to be one of the best books I've read by Oppell and...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Shawn Spjut added it · review of another edition

Once again Oppel has managed to successfully lead me down the dark and twisted pathways of the heart and mind of the young Victor Frankenstein in such a way, that even now, twenty-four hours after reading those hateful words, "The End", I have yet to decide whether to embrace the main character in hopeful love, or toss him in an asylum for the criminally insane before it’s too late. I don't know whether to applaud his willingness to explore all the possibilities to try and save his twin, or resi...more

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May 04, 2013 Veena rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 29, 2013 Deborah Takahashi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen-fantasy

Unable to deal with the death of his twin brother, Konrad, Victor roams the chateau aimlessly, looking for a reason to go on. After destroying the forbidden library where Victor, Konrad, Elizabeth, and Henry roamed in search of a cure for Konrad's illness, Victor stumbles upon an item that does not burn in the fires. What Victor doesn't realize is that this "book" contains a secret that goes all they way back to his great-great-great grandfather Wilhelm Frankenstein. Revitalized, and back to his...more Unable to deal with the death of his twin brother, Konrad, Victor roams the chateau aimlessly, looking for a reason to go on. After destroying the forbidden library where Victor, Konrad, Elizabeth, and Henry roamed in search of a cure for Konrad's illness, Victor stumbles upon an item that does not burn in the fires. What Victor doesn't realize is that this "book" contains a secret that goes all they way back to his great-great-great grandfather Wilhelm Frankenstein. Revitalized, and back to his old tricks, Victor learns that the items in this box contains parts to a spirit machine that will allow him to talk to his brother once again. However, when Elizabeth learns of Victor's latest scheme, she is worried and scared that if Victor goes to far there is no turning back. After building the spirit machine, he must know learn how to make it work. Interestingly enough, with Henry's help, the clues to operating this machine can be found in a portrait of his great-grandfather, which leads to the family chapel that hasn't been used in a long time. With a little muscle, and brains, the group of curious teens find their way into an abandoned office, hidden from those who weren't looking for it. Here is where Victor finds the key to the spirit machine and grants him a few precious moments with his deceased Konrad. Thrilled, and happy, Victor can actually talk to his brother, but Konrad is frightened. The question that he must ask is does purgatory really exist and what is scaring his brother? Are there other spirits in this house? These are the questions he must solve in order to protect his brother , but at what price will Victor pay from passing between the land of the living and the dead? What is the creature that is lurking in the house and beneath the foundation of Chateau Frankenstein?

All I can really say is...wow. Kenneth Oppel has provided readers with the foundation as to why Victor Frankenstein is obsessed with life and death. Unable to deal with the loss of his brother, Victor is in pieces. He made his brother a promise and he was willing to do everything he can to bring Konrad back. However, what we also see is the power of this character's intellect, will, and never ending curiosity. Although he seems arrogant and selfish, we see an individual who will not settle for mediocre ideas and traditions. In many ways, Victor Frankenstein is not any different than the average teenager who longs to know the secrets of this world and find meaning in everything we do. Despite the fact that he is coveting his brother's girlfriend, this exposes his greatest flaws: being vulnerable. Konrad, according to Victor, is everything he is not and that does not make him feel worthy of love and happiness. In many respects, the twin motif of a good twin and evil twin are explored and proven that this idea may not be what it really is. Clearly, these two boys have been given equal amounts of attentions and affection for the same of girl, which were reciprocated differently. However, this doesn't make Victor evil because of his willingness to give up his body for Konrad. Generally, evil twins wouldn't make such a sacrifice so it shows the loyalty and the love this teen has for his brother. Moreover, by refusing his brother's offer, Konrad crosses over accepting the fact that it was his time to die and allow his love ones to get on with their lives . With this decision, Konrad definitely shows how mature he is because he has accepted his death and wants to move on for the sake of his family and eternal soul. Victor, on the other hand, refuses to live his life without Konrad so it conveys that Victor is dependent on his twin not just for moral support, but someone to validate who he is. In other other words, Victor needs Konrad; whereas, Konrad doesn't need Victor. Do we assume that Victor's madness stems from the fear of being alone? Did Dr. Frankenstein create his "monster" because he wanted his flesh blood to live again or was there another motive? Readers will definitely be clamoring for Mary Shelly's "Frankenstein." (less)

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Mar 22, 2013 Books & Sensibility rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-books-reviewed

Jealously, contempt and ambition once again come into play as Victor and company find themselves racing against time to bring Konrad back to the world of the living, but something far darker lurks into the background.

Unlike the first novel, Such Wicked Intent isn't formulaic and is driven by a completely original plot involving ancient cultures, mysticism and supernatural oddities. This plot is so original that it almost seems to be too original .Once again I haven't read Mary Shelley's Frankens...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Manja rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Kurzbeschreibung:
Victor Frankenstein hat die schlimmste Niederlage seines jungen Lebens erfahren: Trotz aller Anstrengungen um das Elixier des Lebens konnte er den Tod seines geliebten Zwillingsbruders Konrad nicht verhindern.
Doch ist das ein Grund aufzugeben? Nicht für Victor Frankenstein ...
Nach Konrads Tod schwört Victor Frankenstein all seinen Leidenschaften ab: Nie wieder will er sich mit der Alchemie befassen. Nie mehr wird er Elizabeth bedrängen, die doch nur Konrad liebt. Aus, vorbei!...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Michelle Isenhoff rated it 3 of 5 stars

I loved the occult-free scariness of book one. It left me with the same nicely unsettled feeling as the classic novel, Frankenstein, for which this series serves as a prequel. But in book two, after the Elixir of Life fails to save his brother, Victor burns all his books of alchemy and turns his focus to the spiritual. Mr. Oppel does weave a page-turning story which I did finish and enjoy, but I do advise much more caution than with book one. My fear of dabbling with spirits closely resembles El...more I loved the occult-free scariness of book one. It left me with the same nicely unsettled feeling as the classic novel, Frankenstein, for which this series serves as a prequel. But in book two, after the Elixir of Life fails to save his brother, Victor burns all his books of alchemy and turns his focus to the spiritual. Mr. Oppel does weave a page-turning story which I did finish and enjoy, but I do advise much more caution than with book one. My fear of dabbling with spirits closely resembles Elizabeth’s when she admonishes Victor for trying to talk to his dead brother:

“The occult? I actually believe in a world beyond ours, Victor. I haven’t seen them yet, but there may truly be ghosts—and devils too—and I think it very unwise to try to summon them.”

But Victor will try any means to get Konrad back:

“I tell you, I want to see my twin again!”

“But how?” Henry demanded.

I sighed. “I’ve no idea, not yet. Here’s all I know…That anything and everything might be possible. I won’t subscribe to any rational system again. Nothing will bind me.”

“That is the way to madness,” said Elizabeth.

“If it makes me mad, so be it.”

Victor’s determination lands him, Elizabeth, and Henry squarely in the spirit world. And the result is horrible. For in the spirit world, a shifting, strange, parallel dimension, Victor finds ancient cave writings that describe how to grow a soulless body that exactly resembles the deceased, which the kids do in an outbuilding on the manor. When it is grown, Victor intends to retrieve Konrad’s spirit and unite them. But the spark of life needed to grow the body (the liquid butterfly shadow that accompanies them out of the spirit world) they learn, is subject to a dark force. They have dabbled in evil far beyond their expectations.

This book also contains a few other cautionary details. There are one or two mild profanities and a scene in which Victor strips off all his clothes to capture the parasitic butterfly shadow that crawls on him. And at one point Elizabeth narrowly escapes being raped. But the demonic element is my greatest caution.

On the literary side, Mr. Oppel continues to create a character in line with the original selfish, violent, power-hungry Victor Frankenstein. His metamorphosis is clever. And the conflict between religion and science continues to be represented brilliantly by Victor and Elizabeth. A main theme of the series, as in Frankenstein, is how far should one go in playing God? Just because we can do something, does that mean we should? It’s a great discussion starter and very relevant to today’s medical advances and ethical issues. It also illustrates man’s limits. For with all our learning and technology, we are still unable to create life.

This plot is complex, suspenseful, and contains several twists and surprises. It’s a thought-provoker. But it also delves into uncomfortable and potentially dangerous spiritual areas. I couldn’t put it down. But for kids, I strongly advise parental guidance and age 14 at the least.(less)

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Jan 15, 2013 Brynn Emond rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: creepy, very-good, conflicted-heroes-are-fun

I've noticed a theme when Kenneth Oppel writes a series. As in the Airborn series and the Silverwing series, the first book is fantastic, the second one is less so, and the third one is just sort of okay.
I'm afraid this may be true of the Frankenstein books, too.
Warning signs? First book: awesome. Second book: less awesome.
The trend continues, dammit.
Okay, but that's not to say that Such Wicked Intent is bad or anything. No, it's good. It's just not as good as the first book. Why? Well, in th...more I've noticed a theme when Kenneth Oppel writes a series. As in the Airborn series and the Silverwing series, the first book is fantastic, the second one is less so, and the third one is just sort of okay.
I'm afraid this may be true of the Frankenstein books, too.
Warning signs? First book: awesome. Second book: less awesome.
The trend continues, dammit.
Okay, but that's not to say that Such Wicked Intent is bad or anything. No, it's good. It's just not as good as the first book. Why? Well, in this one there's an escapade into the spirit world, which is pure magic, and I don't like magic in a series that was previously non-magical. It's like the latest Indiana Jones movie. I don't WANT aliens, okay? Just like I don't WANT spirit worlds and evil butterflies and mud-babies.
Does that need some explaining? Ah, possibly.
So, this book continues with the adventures of a certain Victor Frankenstein. Yeah, the ONE Victor Frankenstein. Except he's a kid-- a delightfully semi-evil kid. I stand by my opinion that no one writes an evil character better than Kenneth Oppel. This teenaged Doctor Frankenstein is something else; he's wonderfully, wonderfully half-deranged, while keeping some redeeming qualities that seem to slowly fade as the story goes on.
The other characters are fun, too. The characters in Oppel's books are pretty much always interesting, (with the exception of the terrible mess that was Half Brother and all its non-interesting characters.) You've got your desirable girl character who seems to exist mostly to make Victor more and more agitated; (good on her); this Henry fellow who writes poems and provides suitable humor to an otherwise overwhelmingly dark story; some unassuming parents; (What's that? My children are wandering around in the spirit world hanging out with evil butterflies? I dare say you are lying, sir), although they don't make much of an appearance; and then you've got an evil demon living in a pit, and a baby that rises from the mud and becomes a pre-Frankenstein's monster.
What did I really like about it? I liked Victor, mostly. I love how he's slowly losing his good qualities, how he's gently spiralling into a villain. Everyone around him remains good and heroic. He's not. And YET, I keep rooting for him. Which is completely the wrong way to go. I can't help it though-- he's the most likable character, even though he's so obviously not the one to root for.
Now what did I really not like? Well, I didn't like the spirit world. The idea was cool, but it didn't fit in with the first book, which wasn't magical, just surreal. For this one Oppel decided full-out magic was the way to go. I liked the idea that Victor can manipulate the world using alchemy, but once you get into the realm of magic, the story starts to lose its bizarre, creepy appeal. Real life creepy things are always creepier than anything magical, in my opinion.
However, the romance remained intact, which pleased me. It may be twisted-- but it's delightfully twisted.

Such Wicked Intent had all the right plot twists and shocking moments, but it just didn't do it for me, not like This Dark Endeavour did. Same with Airborn versus Skybreaker, two books in another series by Oppel. Airborn was wonderful like This Dark Endeavour, but Skybreaker was missing something, just as Such Wicked Intent was. No doubt Such Wicked Intent is still an unusually clever, well-written YA adventure, but it falls just short of my (admittedly very very high) expectations.

I'm reluctantly looking forward to the third book, which I assume must be coming. I'm worried it'll be considerably worse than this one, but I have faith in the characters. I think as long as Victor is doing his thing, it can't be terrible.
So four nice round stars for Such Wicked Intent. If only it had lived up to my unreasonably high expectations, but, alas. (less)

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Dec 25, 2012 BAYA Librarian rated it 4 of 5 stars

In the days following his twin Konrad’s death Victor finds himself fraught with sadness, guilt and regret. His attempts to save his brother using alchemy failed, and now having sworn off alchemy forever he sets to work helping burn all the books from the alchemists Dark Library. In the embers of the library’s remains he finds a metal book that promises a way to go into the spirit world. With the help of his best friend Henry and his unrequited love Elizabeth they may yet be able to save Konrad;...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Beth rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book picks up shortly after the first one leaves off. Just as Victor is dealing with the death of his twin, Konrad, he discovers a portal into the spirit world where he finds his brother in a state of limbo. Together with his friends he searches for a way to bring his brother back from the dead.

This one is slightly darker in tone. Where the first one focuses on science and the dark arts, this one is centered around the spirit world and the paranormal. I found I did not like this approach qu...more

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Sep 16, 2012 Rhiannon Ryder rated it 5 of 5 stars

I can't begin to tell you how excited I was for this book. This Dark Endeavour had left things wrapped up, and yet with the greatest of cliffhangers, in many ways. I had only a few weeks to wait, and yet it was torture! Thank god one of my fellow, unbelievably lovely, Ontario book bloggers took mercy on me and gave me her ARC a week before the release date. It was all I could do not to read it at traffic lights on the way home, I dug in the minute I walked through the door.

To my unending delight...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Reading Teen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Okay. Second book. Wow. Even though this is a prequel to Mary Shelly's classic Frankenstein, I have rarely read such a unique and original story.

The plot of this book relies more on the supernatural than the science and alchemy of the first book. Victor and Elizabeth travel to the spirit world, a place speculated to be limbo. Although there are many alchemical experiments, we soon discover that there are many more mysterious forces in play. Demons and angels do battle, the dead fight the living...more

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Apr 26, 2012 Lynn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Such Wicked Intent. When does obsession become madness?
April 26, 2012

I must confess, I begged the wonderful assistant marketing manager at Simon & Shuster for an early copy of Such Wicked Intent, Kenneth Oppel’s second installment in the Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein. I LOVED This Dark Endeavor (see “There is a Passion in You That Scares Me,” November 2011). I danced around the room when TDE was put both on the Texas Lone Star and the TAYSHAS reading lists (it has also won many othe...more Such Wicked Intent. When does obsession become madness?
April 26, 2012

I must confess, I begged the wonderful assistant marketing manager at Simon & Shuster for an early copy of Such Wicked Intent, Kenneth Oppel’s second installment in the Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein. I LOVED This Dark Endeavor (see “There is a Passion in You That Scares Me,” November 2011). I danced around the room when TDE was put both on the Texas Lone Star and the TAYSHAS reading lists (it has also won many other awards—but hey, I’m a Texan and our awards are more important. Chillax, please—Texans are not known for our humility, and I’m just kidding around). I was thrilled that Summit Pictures purchased the movie rights. With all that going on, I knew there was NO WAY for me to wait until the August 21st release date for Such Wicked Intent. so Venessa at S&S hooked me up with a sequel that is every bit as good (and perhaps even better) than book one.

Now, if you haven’t read This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, please do so. It’s amazing. Even if you don’t read TDE though, you can still enjoy Such Wicked Intent. It’s brilliant that way. Most sequels either spend an inordinate amount of time filling the reader in on back story while those who read book start flipping pages, or dig right in to book two leaving those who finished book one a while ago (or didn’t read it at all) in the dark and confused. Oppel weaves what readers need to know from book one into book two—never so much at one time as to make the reader think they can skip paragraphs.

I am completely against spoilers so I must be very careful here so that you will go read This Dark Endeavor. Such Wicked Intent picks up with Victor and Elizabeth a few months after the end of This Dark Endeavor. Victor has burned the Dark Library but in its ashes finds something completely unknown but also somehow familiar. When he learns that he can enter the spirit world, he cannot resist knowing what is beyond death, even if it puts his own life and soul at risk. There, amid the black butterflies, he and Elizabeth discover heightened abilities, intelligence, and passions. How can he possibly resist Elizabeth now? In the spirit world, Victor discovers how to bring the dead back to life. But should they come back? As the butterflies enter the world of the living, and their purpose becomes twisted, Victor, Elizabeth, Henry, and Konrad have some disturbing decisions to make.

(less)

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Oct 29, 2012 Kimmy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Be warned – there may be spoilers for the first book in this series, This Dark Endeavour.

Here is the summary from the Kobo store (although I borrowed this from the library):

Tragedy has forced sixteen-year-old Victor Frankenstein to swear off alchemy forever. He burns the Dark Library and vows he will never dabble in the dark sciences again- just as he vows he will no longer covet Elizabeth, his brother’ s betrothed. If only these things were not so tempting. When he and Elizabeth discover a por...more

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Oct 08, 2012 Andrea Wall rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, favorites, horror-creepy-check-under-the-bed, ya

The fist book int his series was good, but not amazing. I wasn't really excited about reading the second one, I was more just mildly interested.I was also skeptical about this business about the "spirit wold" I was worried it would make the book seem utterly un-real. And the thing I had loved most about the first one was how the impossible had seemed real.

Luckily this book surprised me. The characters are better written and more real. It was intense all the time. I stay up till 1 am reading it a...more

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Sep 22, 2012 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: random-and-awesome, ya

At least as good as its prequel, This Dark Endeavor, Such Wicked Intent is full of everything good about the first book, magnified. The events that ended the first novel do nothing to diminish Victor's uncontrollable urge for the dark and dangerous. When he, Elizabeth and Henry stumble on yet another dark secret in their freaky house - and no, it doesn't at all feel like a repeat or re-tell to the first book - their disagreements about what to do escalate. There's a lot more sneaking around, vio...more

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Jun 06, 2013 Adam rated it 4 of 5 stars

The best part of Kenneth Oppel's Such Wicked Intent is how well it works as Gothic fantasy that subtly pays homage to its source material. As the second in a series about a young Victor Frankenstein, it sets up the original tale of a power-mad scientist creating a living being from a patchwork of dead guys zapped with electricity. The underlying personality traits are developed -- Victor loves power, hates death, and wants to act like God -- but actual patchwork corpses are not. Instead, Oppel p...more The best part of Kenneth Oppel's Such Wicked Intent is how well it works as Gothic fantasy that subtly pays homage to its source material. As the second in a series about a young Victor Frankenstein, it sets up the original tale of a power-mad scientist creating a living being from a patchwork of dead guys zapped with electricity. The underlying personality traits are developed -- Victor loves power, hates death, and wants to act like God -- but actual patchwork corpses are not. Instead, Oppel packs the book with creepy, fun, gothic imagery like a decrepit mansion, a gateway to the afterlife, a prehistoric god-like being, and a pocket watch made out of a dead bird. The book works because it goes beyond its premise and stands alone as a gothic novel.

The plot follows Victor's point of view as he tries to bring his twin brother Konrad back from the dead. The pacing is quite fast and the book juggles several plots that all come together for a slam-bang finale. While the final 50 pages were increasingly action-and-revelation-packed, this was actually almost a downer for me, because the rest of the book was such a slow burn: The ending was so different that it gave me whiplash. I've seen this before in Oppel's books, notably the Airborn series. Oppel lovingly crafts his plot twists, leaving plenty of well-placed clues, but then leaves all the good twists for the climax of the book, when it would be more fun to have them all earlier, so that the readers can enjoy the consequences. Luckily, the rest of the book is still engaging enough to keep me until the climax.

The only real downside to the book, and the reason I dropped a star from my "fully enjoyable" five star rating, is that all the characters are fairly navel-gazing. They worry so much about their own emotions that they tend to devolve into jealousy. Victor, naturally, is the worst of the lot, due to his tragic lust for power. It's supposed to add human interest, and it's certainly in line with gothic literature's proclivity for melodrama. But since there's so much, it felt repetitive. And I don't like reading about a bunch of whiners.(less)

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Feb 11, 2013 Kvothem rated it 4 of 5 stars

Book #2 in the series and often (for me) the second book disappoints. That is not the case here as the story picks up pretty much where it left off, after the death of Konrad how does the family Frankenstein, along with Elizabeth and Henry react?
As in book #1 Victor Frankenstein, twin to Konrad, can't let nature run it's course, can't let Konrad rest in peace. Here Victor follows a lead which could lead to them bringing Konrads spirit back to life. Much of the book is spent either in the "spir...more

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Sep 02, 2012 Albert rated it 5 of 5 stars

The second installment in the Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein takes up shortly after the ending of the first novel with the Frankenstein family mourning the loss of their son Konrad and the burning of the Dark Library.
Victor, still believes somehow he can revive his loss brother and when finds that one book does not burn, he stumbles onto the possibility of finding Konrad and bringing him back.
His friends, Elizabeth and Henry, once again join Victor on his quest to ressurect his dead broth...more

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Mar 26, 2013 Celise rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, canadian-authors, young-adult, supernatural, might-have-made-me-cry, sequels-to-read, historical

Kenneth Oppel, finally some Canadian writing talent that I can appreciate consistently throughout his body of work.
Contains spoilers.
Oh dear, my heart. Where to begin?

To start, I must say that I particularly enjoy the switch between past and present tense first-person narration. The present tense feels so much more in-the-moment for when they are in the Spirit World.
I picture Oppel thinking something like this: How am I going to beat the rather disturbing three trials from the first novel? Solut...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Alisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Hey, there's some minor spoilers in this, so if you haven't read it, go away :)

...

Such Wicked Intent was full of twists. Just when you think you have it figured out, it changes. I swear, every time someone (usually Victor...) makes a horrible decision, I practically rip my hair out and yell "WHY?!" (Ex. Not giving up going into the spirit world for Elizabeth) I just don't understand why he doesn't take the easy route out sometimes when its the most logical thing to do. Like, he really wanted her...more

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Sep 24, 2012 TheBookSmugglers rated it 3 of 5 stars

Originally reviewed on The Book Smugglers

**WARNING: This review contains unavoidable spoilers for the first book in the Victor Frankenstein series. If you have not read This Dark Endeavor and do not wish to be spoiled, LOOK AWAY.**

Review:

It has been weeks since Konrad's death, and Chateau Frankenstein is frozen in a state of cold grief. Victor's failed concoction - the elixir of life, brewed at much danger and cost Victor the fingers of his left hand - is a bitter blow. In his grief and rage, V...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Kristin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: family, ghosts, gothic, mystery, read-in-2012, reader-s-advisory, scary, ya, paranormal

This is the sequel set in a prequel series about the teen years of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein - an intriguing idea that effectively delivered on its premise in This Dark Endeavor. Such Wicked Intent takes place about three weeks after This Dark Endeavor finishes. Victor's twin Konrad has died despite Victor's and his friends' attempts at saving his brother's life through desperate and unsavory means. The first book in this series focused on a rational set of people's descent down a dark path th...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Ariella rated it 5 of 5 stars

You can also read this review here

Such Wicked Intent is a very scary book. Seriously, this is even better than the first one and I'm not even sure that is possible. I was reading this in the daylight and I was scared to death. (Well, I don't watch scary movies either, so I guess my opinion on scary stuff probably doesn't matter that much).

My favorite, Victor, is finding his way into trouble again. Or should we say, trouble finds him. Victor is always too curious for his own good so we can't bla...more

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Oct 05, 2012 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-boyfriends, paranormal, series, so-many-feelings, young-adult, favorites

I devoured this book in two days. From the first word to the last, I was engulfed in the continued story of Victor Frankenstein and his friends. It soared above and beyond that of the first book, This Dark Endeavor, with a faster paced, dark and twisted plot line that brings the reader into that of the Spirit realm.

In this book we pick up right where we left off, with Victor after the loss of his twin brother, Konrad. Grief stricken and consumed with guilt over his brothers death, Victor and his...more I devoured this book in two days. From the first word to the last, I was engulfed in the continued story of Victor Frankenstein and his friends. It soared above and beyond that of the first book, This Dark Endeavor, with a faster paced, dark and twisted plot line that brings the reader into that of the Spirit realm.

In this book we pick up right where we left off, with Victor after the loss of his twin brother, Konrad. Grief stricken and consumed with guilt over his brothers death, Victor and his father burn all of the books from the Dark Library in an effort to rid Chateau Frankenstein from any more empty promises and allure that the study of Alchemy brings. After setting the books ablaze, the next morning Victor goes outside into the courtyard to take one last look at the charred remains. It is then that he notices a book completely unburned.

How could a book not burn?
I swallowed against the heavy thump of my heart. Some birds trilled as they flew overhead. The courtyard was still empty, but it wouldn't be long before the servants came to start removing the debris. I seized a shovel, stepped into the ash, and carefully slipped the blade under the red object. I lifted it out and deposited it on the cobblestone. Kneeling, I saw its cover, wonderfully decorated with scrollwork but bearing no title or name. A book that would not burn.

Walk away.

Victor, being Victor and unable to withstand temptation, slips the book into his pocket. He examines it in the privacy of his own bed chamber and is tempted again by what he finds inside. Instructions to build a Spirit Board and it's promise of allowing its user to converse with the dead. From here the story takes off.

We're brought into the spirit world, uncover more mysteries hidden under the chateau and experience Victors power hungry personality soar to a whole new twisted level. It was a breathtaking ride that kept me hanging onto every word until the very end. New and old characters come together in this novel to bring the reader on a twisted ride between the living and the dead in an attempt to play God resulting in dire consequences. Victor, Henry and Elizabeth each grow (for better and for worse) in this tale and I can only hope that we get to see Victors full transformation into that of Dr. Frankenstein in a third novel.

The final lines of the story sent a chill of excitement down my spine, leaving Oppel both room to begin another story or end the series here (and force you to go read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein if you haven't already!) :
(view spoiler)

CHILLS! (less)

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Feb 04, 2013 Leselurch rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

*Worum geht's?*
Konrad ist fort. Victor kann nicht fassen, dass all seine Bemühungen, all seine Opfer tatsächlich umsonst gewesen waren. Denn obwohl es ihm gelang, das Elixier des Lebens herzustellen, konnte er das Leben seines Bruders nicht retten. Diese irrsinnige Alchemie - nichts als Humbug! Voller Wut und Verzweiflung verbrennt Victor jedes einzelne Buch aus der Dunklen Bibliothek. Er will nichts mehr mit diesem Unsinn zu tun haben! Doch dann entdeckt Victor in den Trümmern ein seltsames Buc...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Sue Smith rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2013

I started this book because I wanted a read that wasn't going to tax my mind at the time (long story) and one I wouldn't have to invest too much of my emotions into. So I happened upon this cover - yes I get pulled in by how a book looks - and instantly decided that this would be just fine. EMO boy scheming to get clever, grief-ridden girl .... add in a twist of the early years of Dr. Frankenstein (according to the jacket) .... and voila!!!!!

So as it turned out, I was surprised by it. What I th...more

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About Kenneth Oppel

I was born in 1967 in Port Alberni, a mill town on Vancouver Island, British Columbia but spent the bulk of my childhood in Victoria, B.C. and on the opposite coast, in Halifax, Nova Scotia...At around twelve I decided I wanted to be a writer (this came after deciding I wanted to be a scientist, and then an architect). I started out writing sci-fi epics (my Star Wars phase) then went on to swords...more

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This Dark Endeavor (The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, #1)

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“I believe there is something on this earth that you desire more than anything, and it isn't me.” — 7 people liked it

“You're like something drawn with the sun's fire, and I can take only little glimpses of you.” — 6 people liked it

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Such Wicked Intent (The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein #2)

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