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A review by cgreenstein
Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match by Sally Thorne
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I could not get over the premise of the book. The idea of creating an ideal person for yourself specifically so that you can marry them and live out your fantasy imaginings? It's too manipulative for me. And while I appreciate that Angelika did mature over the course of the book, I don't understand why Will was attracted to her beyond the basic "she's pretty." She didn't share any of his values or priorities, and she resurrected him and made him out of body parts without his consent, and then when he was in immense pain and complete shock at being alive and having no memories, her move was to try to pressure him into physical intimacy that he said he didn't want. It's hard to root for a romance heroine who behaves like that.
I've read a number of other reviews that objected to the faith vs. science themes in the book, and I actually appreciated the attempt at pulling those into the narrative. I have objections to the details and the framing and the implications and other things about the way it was done, but given that this is a Frankenstein retelling, those tensions (which do not have to exist at all, as science and faith are wholly compatible, but that's a topic for another book review) belong in the narrative. The Frankenstein homage would be incomplete without them. Also, a ton of modern people are religious, but modern books that aren't explicitly Christian tend to either ignore religion or cast it as a negative force where believers are either destructive or duped, and I liked that this book acknowledged that religion isn't a joke, that it does exist, and that there are smart and kind people who believe in God.
But yeah this book was not my thing. I loved Sally Thorne's first and third novels, so I'll read her next book for sure, and it's okay that I really did not like this one.
I've read a number of other reviews that objected to the faith vs. science themes in the book, and I actually appreciated the attempt at pulling those into the narrative. I have objections to the details and the framing and the implications and other things about the way it was done, but given that this is a Frankenstein retelling, those tensions (which do not have to exist at all, as science and faith are wholly compatible, but that's a topic for another book review) belong in the narrative. The Frankenstein homage would be incomplete without them. Also, a ton of modern people are religious, but modern books that aren't explicitly Christian tend to either ignore religion or cast it as a negative force where believers are either destructive or duped, and I liked that this book acknowledged that religion isn't a joke, that it does exist, and that there are smart and kind people who believe in God.
But yeah this book was not my thing. I loved Sally Thorne's first and third novels, so I'll read her next book for sure, and it's okay that I really did not like this one.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual harassment