Included in this edition of This Dark Endeavor, enjoy a free edition of Mary Shelley's classic Frankenstein.
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reviews
Nov 09, 2011
karen
rated it: 
huh. i had never heard of this kenneth oppel fellow, but i guess he's some big deal in YA publishing. i have so much to learn.
i liked this book very much. but more important than my enjoyment, this is going to be a great book for reluctant boy readers. that's a big problem in the world of educators and librarians: "why won't the boys reeeeead??" and from where i'm standing, i get it. most of the YA stuff is all girls girls girls. and although there are some fantastic More...
36 comments
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(50 people liked it)
Oct 30, 2011
Stephen
rated it: 
Light, fluffy and completely forgettable.
Don’t miscomprestand me, there’s some diversionary entertainment value here and the pace is pretty perky, but I still reached the end with "what's the point?" swirling in my head causing a nagging itch that the book never scratched. It left me with a mild case of the Mehs. Granted, not a full dose of Meh, but Meh nonetheless.
Call it Meh-lite.
Now I shan’t go a-bashing as the book committed no major literar More...
Don’t miscomprestand me, there’s some diversionary entertainment value here and the pace is pretty perky, but I still reached the end with "what's the point?" swirling in my head causing a nagging itch that the book never scratched. It left me with a mild case of the Mehs. Granted, not a full dose of Meh, but Meh nonetheless.
Call it Meh-lite.
Now I shan’t go a-bashing as the book committed no major literar More...
26 comments
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(48 people liked it)
Nov 26, 2011
Allie: TheBookStalker
rated it:
I was interested in reading this book partially because of the hype. This first I’d ever heard of this title came in the form of an announcement that Summit Films had acquired the screen rights. You can read that here.
I also liked the cover (sorry, it’s a weakness). But you have to admit, it’s just kind of a cover just made to appeal to a bookstalker like me, with a keyhole to peep through and everything. And the plot also appealed to my bookstalking nature…a forbidden library! Yeah! More...
I also liked the cover (sorry, it’s a weakness). But you have to admit, it’s just kind of a cover just made to appeal to a bookstalker like me, with a keyhole to peep through and everything. And the plot also appealed to my bookstalking nature…a forbidden library! Yeah! More...
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(3 people liked it)
Nov 05, 2011
Cathy
rated it: 
This review is also on my blog at: http://abnormallyparanormal.blogspot.com...
I love this book SO much, I can't write a deserving review. I can't quite convey all of my emotions. It is so much more than I was expecting it to be, and leads me down two distinct paths. On the one hand, it's magical, adventurous, dramatic, and romantic. And, on the other, terrifying, heart-breaking, and absolutely tragic. I feel almost gutted. It got under my skin and in my head in a way that doesn't norma More...
I love this book SO much, I can't write a deserving review. I can't quite convey all of my emotions. It is so much more than I was expecting it to be, and leads me down two distinct paths. On the one hand, it's magical, adventurous, dramatic, and romantic. And, on the other, terrifying, heart-breaking, and absolutely tragic. I feel almost gutted. It got under my skin and in my head in a way that doesn't norma More...
2 comments
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Dec 28, 2011
Alex
rated it:
Let me just say... I LOVED THIS BOOK. It's got everything; love, death, adventure, with a mix of paranormal/sci-fi thrown in. I have never seen the Frankenstein movie or read the book, so I picked up this novel mainly because of the hype.
I found myself really liking the main character, Victor Frankenstein, and was also drawn to the complex relationships he has with those around him. It didn't feel like a prequel, but a stand-alone novel. I also liked the writing style. I found that More...
I found myself really liking the main character, Victor Frankenstein, and was also drawn to the complex relationships he has with those around him. It didn't feel like a prequel, but a stand-alone novel. I also liked the writing style. I found that More...
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(1 person liked it)
Dec 27, 2011
Angela
rated it:
I thought this book was fabulous. I received my free copy from the publisher, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, through the First Reads/Goodreads marketing lottery. Even though I'm thirty years old I still enjoy reading young adult fiction every now and then. "This Dark Endeavor" is equally appealing to adults as it is to young readers. Its like the Harry Potter series with alchemy, caves, strange animals, and danger. The adventures in this book keeps the reader glued. The
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(1 person liked it)
Jan 18, 2012
Spark740
rated it: 
I've tried reading Kenneth Oppel before, one of his bat books - totally did not work for me. I really lost track of what the bat was doing in the underworld with glowing stuff and something to do with his father, etc. Anyways, decided to try this one, not considering the author. To start with the good stuff: great action. Pulls you along like a horseshoe magnet. (Bad simile there.) That alone is what prompts one to finish the book. Seriously, gets your heart beating, and there's variance in
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Feb 10, 2012
Brent
rated it:
I’m rarely disappointed in a book by Ken Oppel, but his latest, This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, may be my favorite yet.
Yes, it’s the story of a teenage Victor Frankenstein, and normally I’m not a fan of these “before they were famous” retellings of classic figures from myth or literature (for that matter, I’m not a big fan of reboots and reimaginings in general). But I’m making an exception in this case, if only because the book is so masterfully plotted More...
Yes, it’s the story of a teenage Victor Frankenstein, and normally I’m not a fan of these “before they were famous” retellings of classic figures from myth or literature (for that matter, I’m not a big fan of reboots and reimaginings in general). But I’m making an exception in this case, if only because the book is so masterfully plotted More...
Feb 08, 2012
Alan
rated it:
"Well we all create monsters come back for their masters..."I have long thought the original Frankenstein to be at heart a horror story of a particularly motherly sort (and never mind that at the time she wrote it, Mary Shelley was just a teenager who had had no opportunity as yet to raise a child of her own). Frankenstein shows what can happen when a father, or a mother, participates in a thoughtless act of creat More...
—"Lovesongs," by New Model Army, on the album The Ghost of Cain
Jan 21, 2012
Barbara
rated it:
For those of us who have wondered about the formative years of Victor Frankenstein, this incredible book offers plenty of insight. Beginning when Victor and his twin brother Konrad are 16, the author portrays both brothers as being fiercely competitive, but in the case of Victor, that fierceness often leads him to go too far. When the brothers and their distant cousin Elizabeth stumble upon a library filled with books about alchemy and other types of dark magic, Victor can't stop thinking about
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Jan 20, 2012
Victor Frankenstein lives a charmed life at Frankenstein Chateau, outside of Geneva. He lives with his kinder and more skilled twin Konrad, and their distant cousin Elizabeth who has been like a sister to them. Everything changes when Victor discovers an unfamiliar secret passage that leads to the Dark Library, which is filled with his ancestor’s studies in alchemy. When Konrad becomes ill, alchemy might be the only way to save his life. Victor, Elizabeth and their friend Henry embark on a dange
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Jan 14, 2012
Rachel
rated it:
3.5 – I’m a bit on the fence about it. It has brilliant moments, but overall I wasn’t in love.
It’s the story of a sixteen-year-old Victor Frankenstein (yes, that Frankenstein) living in a castle outside Geneva with his parents, twin brother, cousin Elizabeth, and best friend Henry. His twin brother gets a debilitating disease and Victor and his friends go on a quest involving Indiana-Jones-like obstacles and alchemy to heal him.
The author did a great job making Victor human More...
It’s the story of a sixteen-year-old Victor Frankenstein (yes, that Frankenstein) living in a castle outside Geneva with his parents, twin brother, cousin Elizabeth, and best friend Henry. His twin brother gets a debilitating disease and Victor and his friends go on a quest involving Indiana-Jones-like obstacles and alchemy to heal him.
The author did a great job making Victor human More...
Jan 12, 2012
Karen
rated it:
In the 1800s, Victor Frankenstein is struggling with his twin brother Konrad's mysterious illness. When the doctor is unable to stop the fever and other symptoms, Victor and his cousin Elizabeth consult Polidori, an alchemist who supposedly created an elixir of life. Consulting the Dark Library, the two try to recreate this in order to save Konrad. This involves a great deal of action and adventure, as well as some grusome personal sacrifice. In the end, the two are unsuccessful, but I imagine t
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Jan 07, 2012
Tyler
rated it:
"Frankenstein" is my absolute favorite novel. So it goes with out saying that this book had a lot to live up to in my eyes.
The end result is that in neither lived up to what I wanted, but it didn't completely destroy my respect for it, either.
Without any plot spoilers, I'll just say that everything seemed rather - how shall I say this? - uninspiring? It was plotted really well, it's just that this plot device has been used so many times that I'd prefer to call it More...
The end result is that in neither lived up to what I wanted, but it didn't completely destroy my respect for it, either.
Without any plot spoilers, I'll just say that everything seemed rather - how shall I say this? - uninspiring? It was plotted really well, it's just that this plot device has been used so many times that I'd prefer to call it More...
Jan 07, 2012
Darren
rated it:
I first stumbled across Mr Oppel's work through his brilliant Airborn (and sequels), and when I discovered that his writing talent was now being focused on a prequel to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein how could I be anything but very excited?
This excitement was not misplaced. I had expected a dark, gothic horror-based story but instead I got so much more. The horror element is more psychological than most stories of this genre written for teens these days - rather than gore it relies on st More...
This excitement was not misplaced. I had expected a dark, gothic horror-based story but instead I got so much more. The horror element is more psychological than most stories of this genre written for teens these days - rather than gore it relies on st More...
Dec 25, 2011
Warning: This review contains major spoilers.
This Dark Endeavour was an interesting prequel take on Frankenstein filled with secret rooms, creepy caves, forbidden knowledge, and DIY surgery. It also does a wonderful job of subtly setting up the threads of arrogance in Victor Frankenstein’s early character. This teen might not quite be ready to try and steal fire from the gods, but the seeds have definitely been sown.
For me, though, where it really shone was in its use of th More...
This Dark Endeavour was an interesting prequel take on Frankenstein filled with secret rooms, creepy caves, forbidden knowledge, and DIY surgery. It also does a wonderful job of subtly setting up the threads of arrogance in Victor Frankenstein’s early character. This teen might not quite be ready to try and steal fire from the gods, but the seeds have definitely been sown.
For me, though, where it really shone was in its use of th More...
Dec 19, 2011
Lj
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Dec 17, 2011
Jason
rated it:
(5 out of 5 Stars) Vivid, Intense, and Engrossing, This Dark Endeavor is the Best Series Launch We’ve Seen in a Long Time.
Kenneth Oppel, best known for his books Silverwing and the Michael L. Printz winning Airborn writes a teen-oriented prequel to Mary Shelley’s classic Frankenstein. It’s a risky career move for Oppel- for one thing; a Frankenstein prequel aimed at teen audiences isn’t exactly the smartest thing to do. Teens wouldn’t have interest in the book if they aren’t interest More...
Kenneth Oppel, best known for his books Silverwing and the Michael L. Printz winning Airborn writes a teen-oriented prequel to Mary Shelley’s classic Frankenstein. It’s a risky career move for Oppel- for one thing; a Frankenstein prequel aimed at teen audiences isn’t exactly the smartest thing to do. Teens wouldn’t have interest in the book if they aren’t interest More...
Nov 27, 2011
Dulwichbooks
rated it:
The first book in an 18th century gothic thriller set in Switzerland featuring identical twins, Victor and Konrad Frankenstein along with their younger siblings and cousin, Elizabeth as they grow up in a safe and liberal world under the guidance of their parents.
The story starts a little slowly but builds up into a fast paced thriller dealing with first loves, passion, adventure, jealousy and secret love. Discovering the Dark Library in their chateau the twins are pulled into a world of str More...
The story starts a little slowly but builds up into a fast paced thriller dealing with first loves, passion, adventure, jealousy and secret love. Discovering the Dark Library in their chateau the twins are pulled into a world of str More...
Nov 26, 2011
Christian
rated it:
Derivative works can be hit or miss. You Don't Know About Me, for example, was a clear hit. This Dark Endeavor, fortunately, is also a hit. Granted, Frankenstein is my favorite Gothic novel and probably one of my favorite works from that time period (and also one of the few novels I've read multiple times, considering that I think there are too many books out there to reread any), so I may be predisposed to like This Dark Endeavor. Regardless, I found this novel to be utterly entrancing and capt
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Nov 10, 2011
Heather
rated it:
Victor and Konrad Frankenstein are twin brothers born to an afluent family. They have a sister named Elizabeth who is adopted into the family. The boys discover a wealth of hidden books dealing with alchemy, the illegal practice of turning materials into different potions and elixirs. When Konrad becomes ill, Victor, Elizabeth, and their friend Henry will risk their lives to create the elixir of life to guarantee his health.
The journey to create this magical potion though requires th More...
The journey to create this magical potion though requires th More...
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Oct 30, 2011
Kendra
rated it:
Being a huge fan of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, I was excited to read this prequel which examines the life of teenaged Victor Frankenstein. The premise revolve around Victor and his twin brother Konrad, their cousin Elizabeth, and their friend Henry. The teens discover a hidden library full of "dark" books and are told by Mr. Frankenstein to never visit the room again. However, when Konrad becomes deathly ill, Victor remembers that one of the books in the dark library contained the fo
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Oct 24, 2011
Jessica
rated it:
I read Frankenstein last year and had a hard time enjoying it. (You can see my Classic Tuesdays review for it here.) One of my big problems with Mary Shelley's masterpiece was Victor himself. I couldn't stand him. He was boring and whiny. When I started This Dark Endeavor, I figured it would also be a really slow book, with not-so-great characters. This was not the case. I still could not stand Victor but, there was something about him as a teenager that not only made me laugh, but it kept me in
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(3 people liked it)
Oct 18, 2011
Review originally posted to www.books4hearts.com
Okay, if any of you ever saw my review of "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley, you know that I liked it, but also was maybe a little bit underwhelmed after my expectations from the Hollywood portrayal of the Frankenstein monster (yes I realize this is absolutely *blasphemous*). I'm actually re-reading it right now, and appreciating it a lot more. (Give me a break, it was one of the first Gothic 19th century novels I'd read, and it More...
Okay, if any of you ever saw my review of "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley, you know that I liked it, but also was maybe a little bit underwhelmed after my expectations from the Hollywood portrayal of the Frankenstein monster (yes I realize this is absolutely *blasphemous*). I'm actually re-reading it right now, and appreciating it a lot more. (Give me a break, it was one of the first Gothic 19th century novels I'd read, and it More...
Sep 25, 2011
Sandra
rated it:
My first introduction to Frankenstein was the old black and white movie that were on TV in the 1960’s. I loved spending my Saturdays watching them. When I hit college and studied Byron, and Shelley I learned how the story of Frankenstein came about. Percy and Mary Shelley were visiting their friend Lord Byron when a storm came up. They sat around telling ghost stories when a challenge was thrown out. They were each to write a scary story and see who could come up with the best. Enter Mary
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Sep 17, 2011
Riki
rated it:
If you purchased the Kindle edition, please be aware that the version you purchased might be bundled with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Why does this matter? Because, if like me, you occasionally glance at the percentage of the book you've read, then you might make the mistake of assuming that you're nowhere near the end of the book when the book very abruptly ends. It's EXCRUCIATING! I thought there was more to this story to be told, as there were loose ends still to be tied up, alas, it was not
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Sep 01, 2011
Natalia Belikov
rated it:
http://dazzlingreads.blogspot.com/
This Dark Endeavor moved me to tears. I think I was living under a rock because this is the first book by Kenneth Oppel I ever read. Such an unforgivable sin! I will definitely read more of his book! But, once again, I am very short of words to express how much I love this book because this was absolute perfection!
As a fan of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein myself, I have to say that Oppel blew my mind with this book. He created Victor More...
This Dark Endeavor moved me to tears. I think I was living under a rock because this is the first book by Kenneth Oppel I ever read. Such an unforgivable sin! I will definitely read more of his book! But, once again, I am very short of words to express how much I love this book because this was absolute perfection!
As a fan of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein myself, I have to say that Oppel blew my mind with this book. He created Victor More...
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Aug 17, 2011
Emily
rated it:
Audio Review: From the very first chapter, I was absolutely hooked by Luke Daniels' narration.Though Konrad and Victor are identical twins, Daniels gave each of them a distinct voice that very clearly matched their personalities. Victor was hasty, loud, and often immature. Konrad was deliberate, gentle, but sometimes haughty. I was even impressed with his narration of Elizabeth and Victor's mother. A good narrator should add to the story, and I felt like listening to the audio brought me a littl
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Aug 10, 2011
I know you’ve heard of Dr. Frankenstein and his monster. You’ve probably also seen a movie about him or read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein for school or some light gothic reading. But have you ever wondered what made Victor Frankenstein become the man who created the “Monster”? What drove him to want to create life from nothing?
What Kenneth Oppel has done with This Dark Endeavor is help answer these questions and more, most of which I never knew to ask because it doesn’t always occur t More...
What Kenneth Oppel has done with This Dark Endeavor is help answer these questions and more, most of which I never knew to ask because it doesn’t always occur t More...
Mar 19, 2011
Diana
rated it:
Fifteen-year-old Victor Frankenstein who has a conflicted relationship with his identical twin Konrad is drawn into unspeakable danger after finding a secret hidden library in the family's ancestral summer castle in the mountains outside Geneva. The Dark Library is found when Elizabeth, cousin and love interest of both twins stumbles into a shelf and a secret passage opens. The library is full of tomes on alchemy but guarded by a lethal trap that, with the help of his brother, cousin, and friend
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