by Alisa Kwitney
♦publisher: Harlequin Teen
♦release date: February 27nd, 2018
♦hardcover, 320 pages
♦series: companion to come
♦source: ARC from publisher for honest review
When Lizzie Lavenza enrolled at Ingold as its first female medical student, she knew she wouldn't have an easy time. From class demands to being an outsider among her male cohorts, she'll have to go above and beyond to prove herself. So when she stumbles across what appears to be a faulty Bio-mechanical--one of the mechanized cadavers created to service the school--she jumps at the chance to fix it and get ahead in the program.
Only this Bio-mechanical isn't like the others. Where they are usually empty-minded and perfectly obedient, this one seems to have thoughts, feelings...and self-awareness.
Soon Lizzie realizes that it is Victor Frankenstein--a former student who died under mysterious circumstances. Victor, it seems, still has a spark of human intelligence inside him, along with memories of things he discovered before his untimely death...and a suspicion that he was murdered to keep that information from getting out.Suddenly Lizzie finds herself intertwined in dark secrets and sabotage that put her life, and the lives of Victor and their friends, in danger. But Lizzie's determined to succeed--even if that means fighting an enemy who threatens the entire British Empire.
Only this Bio-mechanical isn't like the others. Where they are usually empty-minded and perfectly obedient, this one seems to have thoughts, feelings...and self-awareness.
Soon Lizzie realizes that it is Victor Frankenstein--a former student who died under mysterious circumstances. Victor, it seems, still has a spark of human intelligence inside him, along with memories of things he discovered before his untimely death...and a suspicion that he was murdered to keep that information from getting out.Suddenly Lizzie finds herself intertwined in dark secrets and sabotage that put her life, and the lives of Victor and their friends, in danger. But Lizzie's determined to succeed--even if that means fighting an enemy who threatens the entire British Empire.
{Amy's Book Review}
Horribly addicting, Cadaver & Queen will take you back to the 1800’s where medical experiments and advances are changing the world. Fast paced and alluring, Alisa Kwitney’s adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is truly authentic, spinning a new take on Victor Frankenstein, exploring a whole new side of life, death and the place in-between.
With its constant twists and turns you be kept guessing trying to decipher
whose intentions are for medical advancements and whose are for a darker purpose. Being told in both Lizzie and Victors voices opens the plot to host many characters that all could take center stage at any moment. But even with its large accumulation of characters, each one has their own strong presence and value to the storyline, building a story that could fracture off in multiple directions. A delicate romance does blossom, but one that is sweet,caring, not rushed and without a love triangle, which I do truly appreciate.
The only negative aspect of this book is the rushed ending leaving with it many story holes. There was an amazing opportunity to add one or two more chapters to help clear some major plot questions, however these questions could still be answered in the promised companion novel, that is said to focus on another character, but still includes Lizzie and Victor in the story.
Overall, its breathtaking cover instantly draws you right in, opening the door to curiosity, with all the nuts and bolts to a good mystery; ultimately posing the question, can you really love what others see as a monster?
{Becky's Audiobook review}
I wholeheartedly agree with Amy's review! Alisa Kwitney drew me in from those very first sentences where you realize you are seeing the story through the eyes of someone who is trapped and about to be mentally conscious during their own autopsy! The opening definitely set this story up for a skin-crawling tone befitting of any great retelling of Frankenstein.
The entire cast of characters carrying this story had me fully intrigued and I thought the audiobook performance of each of them was outstanding, making it easy to follow who was who with an array of perfectly-executed accents and distinct personalities. Narrator Saskia Maarleveld did an amazing job. I loved Lizzy's determined nature, both defiant and aware of the extra challenges and discriminations she faces as a young woman in the medical world. The romance was sweet and I loved the slow and cautious way that it built up---Victor's situation just had me constantly routing for him to succeed in both finding his murderer and coming "back to life".
The mystery kept me constantly guessing as the suspicion slips from person to person. There are some great surprises and twists and pitfalls, but I definitely agree that the ending was rushed and a bit muddled. I'll be needing more from this story in the future, and hopefully some answers to a few hovering questions, but I'll gladly step back into this world when that time comes!
 |
| follow me on Instagram! |
•ABOUT THE AUTHOR•
Alisa Kwitney was an editor at DC Comics/Vertigo and is the Eisner-nominated author of graphic novels, romantic women’s fiction and urban fantasy. She was one of the authors of A Flight of Angels, which made YALSA’s Top Ten List for Great Graphic Novels for Teens, and the YA graphic novel Token, named a highlight of the Minx imprint by PW. Alisa has an MFA from Columbia University. Her thesis, Till the Fat Lady Sings, a comedy of manners about college and eating disorders, made The New York Times’ new and noteworthy in paperback list. The first issue of her latest comic book series, Mystik U, is coming out November ’17 from DC Comics. Her first YA novel, Cadaver & Queen, will be coming out with Harlequin Teen in February ’18.
Purchase the book: Indiebound • BookDepository • Amazon
Audiobook: Audible • HooplaDigital
0 comments :
Post a Comment