Blog Tour: The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White

I am super excited to be on the blog tour for The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White! I absolutely loved this book! Before we get to my review, here's a little information about the book.

Title: The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein
Author: Kiersten White
Release: September 25, 2018
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Formats: Hardcover, paperback, eBook, audiobook
Pages: 304
Review: 5 Stars

Synopsis:

Elizabeth Lavenza hasn't had a proper meal in weeks. Her thin arms are covered with bruises from her "caregiver," and she is on the verge of being thrown into the streets . . . until she is brought to the home of Victor Frankenstein, an unsmiling, solitary boy who has everything--except a friend.

Victor is her escape from misery. Elizabeth does everything she can to make herself indispensable--and it works. She is taken in by the Frankenstein family and rewarded with a warm bed, delicious food, and dresses of the finest silk. Soon she and Victor are inseparable.

But her new life comes at a price. As the years pass, Elizabeth's survival depends on managing Victor's dangerous temper and entertaining his every whim, no matter how depraved. Behind her blue eyes and sweet smile lies the calculating heart of a girl determined to stay alive no matter the cost . . . as the world she knows is consumed by darkness.

You Can Find it At:
Goodreads
Amazon
Audible
B&N
iBooks
TBD

First Impressions

I was excited for this book the second I heard about it. While I've never read Frankenstein, I love Frankenstein retellings. From the first line of the book I was hooked. All the words were so beautiful and the sentences were put together so well. Here's the first line to give you a sense of the beauty.

"Lightning clawed across the sky, tracing veins through the clouds and marking the pulse of the universe itself."

Within a few lines I knew I would love the book, and I was right. I haven't read her And I Darken series, but I have a feeling they would be similar in vibe. I've also read her Supernaturally trilogy and that was light and fun while this is dark and tragic.

Characters

The main character is Elizabeth Lavenza. She grew up with the Frankenstein family. You don't quite realize it at first, but as you go on you realize how much of an unreliable narrator she is. To an extent the book is a journey through her psyche. She will do anything she needs to do to protect Victor Frankenstein. Her survival depends on it. At first I wasn't quite sure about her character. She seemed to dote on him unnecessarily, but as the story developed I realized just how complex her character actually was.

There are a handful of side characters in the book. Some we never actually meet, they are just referenced. The two side characters I liked to most were Justine and Mary. Justine serves as a calming force for Elizabeth, reminding her about what is innocent in the world. Meanwhile Mary pushes Elizabeth to trust others and not keep everything dark and twisted bottled up. They were both fascinating and formed an impressive support structure for Elizabeth. There was also Victor himself, but he can jump in a freezing lake.

World-Building

Let me tell you about the glory of this world. While it takes place in a historical version of the world we know, the atmosphere Kiersten White creates is phenomenal. Her descriptions are sharp and paint a picture as dark and twisted as the characters. Here's another quote from the book which serves to highlight that twisted world.

"But the mattress was soft and the blankets warm. Thus every small animal is lulled into security."

 I just can't say enough how amazing this book is. You will be hooked from page one and will not be able to put it down. I don't recommend reading it at night though, because you won't be able to fall asleep.

Author Bio:

KIERSTEN WHITE is the New York Times bestselling author of The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein, the And I Darken series, comprised of And I Darken, Now I Rise, and Bright We Burn; the Paranormalcy series; Slayer, and many more novels. She lives with her family near the ocean in San Diego, which, in spite of its perfection, spurs her to dream of faraway places and even further-away times. Visit her at www.kierstenwhite.com.

You Can Find Her At:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Goodreads

Giveaway:

3 Winners will receive a finished copy of THE DARK DESCENT OF ELIZABETH FRANKENSTEIN, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:
10/15/2018- Under the Book Cover- Review
10/16/2018- Simply Daniel Radcliffe- Review
10/17/2018- Novel Novice- Review
10/18/2018- My Fangirl Chronicles- Review
10/19/2018- Pandora's Books- Review

Week Two:
10/22/2018- Jessica Writes- Review
10/23/2018- Tween 2 Teen Book Reviews- Review
10/24/2018- Here's to Happy Endings- Review
10/25/2018- Savings in Seconds- Review
10/26/2018- Vicky Who Reads- Review

Week Three:
10/29/2018- Smada's Book Smack- Review
10/30/2018- YA Books Central- Interview
10/31/2018- For the Lover of Books- Review
11/1/2018- Malanie Loves Fiction- Review
11/2/2018- Oh Hey! Books.- Review

Week Four:
11/5/2018- The Hermit Librarian- Review
11/6/2018- Tales of the Ravenous Reader- Interview
11/7/2018- BookHounds YA- Review
11/8/2018- Eli to the nth- Review
11/9/2018- Portrait of a Book- Review