Teen Frankenstein by Chandler Baker is a book that I picked up because I very much enjoy retellings of classic books. I just think it is so much fun to see authors take a super old story and put a modern twist on it. Plus, I had read Kenneth Oppel’s retellings of Frankenstein and wanted to see how this one compares. Also? The whole female main character really appeals to me as well.
The opening of Chandler Baker’s Teen Frankenstein is basically an ad for why you should never text and drive (I am 100% down with this, FYI). So, basically Tor (Victoria the main character) is driving home from her best friend’s house when she gets a text and looks down at it and accidentally kills some guy. However, because she is a genius, she brings the body home and much like the inspiration for this book, resurrects the body. Adam, the boy she brings back to life, enrolls in school with Tor and essentially she has to teach him how to be human all over again. Hijinks ensue.
On the whole, I just wasn’t that wild about the main character of Teen Frankenstein. So, okay I know I am an awful person for judging Victoria from the lens of an adult, but my reviews are completely subjective. I never once claimed to be an objective reviewer. So, relative to my personal perspective, Victoria is the worst. She is mean to her friend Owen. She is mean to other kids at her school and doesn’t give them a chance. Yes, I get that she is socially awkward and kind of weird and not a rich kid. However, maybe she would have more than one friend if she wasn’t such a dick.
Overall, this book was sort of a slow read. I couldn’t tear through it because I just didn’t care. I was not that into Tor. This story isn’t one that really drew my attention the entire time. It isn’t bad per se, just the characterization was not what I typically like and enjoy. However, the spin on the original classic is kind of cool and I liked the way in which Teen Frankenstein modernized the story. Your mileage may vary though.
Other reviews of Teen Frankenstein by Chandler Baker:
- Novel Novice – “a wickedly fun read“
- Life Of A Female Bibliophile – “jumps immediately into action“
- This Girl Reads A Lot – “readable story with intriguing characters“
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[…] (from Here) by Chandler Baker, Wesley King Also by this author: Teen Frankenstein: High School Horror Narrator: Michael Crouch, Annie Q Length: 9 Hours 35 Minutes Published by Penguin on October 28, […]