This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein - Hardcover

"Oppel has reinvented the gothic thriller for modern readers. The narrative crackles with tension, emotions run high, and the atmosphere is perfectly dark and brooding. The Shelleys would be proud. I definitely recommend you check out the book when it's published August 23. I anticipate This Dark Endeavor will get a lot of attention, and rightly so."--Rick Riordan

"Oppel's novel is a gripping tale of undying devotion, mixing hope with foreboding."--The Horn Book in a STARRED review

"Oppel's tale is melodramatic, exciting, disquieting...a delicious mix."--Publisher's Weekly in a STARRED review

"Brash, jealous, and arrogant, Victor is sweet relief from today's introspective YA protagonists, and one can easily visualize how this teen becomes the mad genius of Shelley's Frankenstein."--Booklist

"Oppel grapples with the human duality of animal and soul in ways that recall (but don't repeat) Shelley's similar thematic explorations as he revitalizes the classic horror tale for a new generation."--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, STARRED review

"This Dark Endeavor may renew interest in Frankenstein, but it also stands alone as an original and welcome addition to the world of young-adult fiction."--Kelley Armstrong, author of the Darkest Power series

"A dark and dramatic back story for Shelley's tormented creator."--Kirkus Reviews

"Sharp readers will find allusions to Mary Shelley, her literary circle, and classic horror films; for those simply wanting a good story with plenty of action, this book will not disappoint."--School Library Journal

"The action and suspense begin on page one and let up very little in this excellent work of gothic science fiction."--VOYA

"This Dark Endeavour by Kenneth Oppel...is a brilliantly layered exploration of what made Victor Frankenstein the man he became.... Victor's struggle to pit fraternal love against his baser emotions, particularly his animal attraction to their cousin Elizabeth, who loves Konrad, gives a compelling psychological edge to this richly imagined Gothic thriller.--The Telegraph

The first book in a pair of dark, gothic thrillers that tell the story of young Victor Frankenstein's life - everything that happened before he became the creator of THAT monster.