Color Me in
Natasha E. Diaz
This novel reimagines the story of Frankenstein through the eyes of Elizabeth, exploring themes of ambition, obsession, and the consequences of creation.
This Dark Endeavor
Young Adult
★★★★★5.0 (3)
A gripping, gothic prequel that imagines teenage Victor Frankenstein's first desperate brush with forbidden science, turning a classic villain's origin into a tense story of jealousy and love.
What It's About
Kenneth Oppel takes the young Victor Frankenstein, years before he builds his famous creature, and gives him a twin brother, Konrad. The two live in their family's château near Geneva with their cousin Elizabeth and their friend Henry Clerval. When Konrad becomes seriously ill and ordinary doctors can do nothing, Victor turns to the alchemy texts hidden in a forbidden room of the house. That decision leads him to a disgraced alchemist and a dangerous hunt for the strange ingredients of a supposed elixir of life.
The story is told in Victor's own voice, and that is the book's sharpest choice. He is clever, brave and devoted to his brother, but also proud, competitive and quietly resentful of a twin who seems to come first in everything, including Elizabeth's affections. Oppel lets those feelings tangle with the quest, so the danger comes as much from Victor's own heart as from cliffs, caves and lakes.
Reading it feels like a fast adventure wrapped in gothic atmosphere: candlelit libraries, storms, risky climbs and gruesome experiments, with a love triangle running underneath. You don't need to know Mary Shelley's novel to enjoy it, but readers who do will catch the ways Oppel plants the seeds of the obsessive man Victor becomes. It is the first of two books, followed by Such Wicked Intent.
Read this if you…
- enjoy gothic atmosphere mixed with fast-paced adventure
- are curious how Victor Frankenstein might have become the man in Shelley's novel
- like morally complicated narrators driven by love and jealousy
Skip it if you…
- want a faithful extension of Mary Shelley's tone and philosophical depth
- dislike love triangles in young adult fiction
Key Ideas
- 1
The making of an obsessive mind
Oppel's real subject is how Victor becomes the man who will later defy death. Grief, love and wounded pride push him to believe rules exist to be broken if the cause feels noble enough. The book traces that shift closely, so readers see a sympathetic teenager drifting toward the reckless arrogance Shelley's Victor is known for.
- 2
Brotherly love shadowed by rivalry
Victor's devotion to Konrad is genuine, yet he also envies his twin's ease, charm and favored place. Oppel keeps both feelings alive at once, which makes Victor's choices morally murky. The twin relationship gives the quest emotional stakes: saving Konrad is an act of love, but also tangled up with Victor's wish to prove himself.
- 3
Science, alchemy and forbidden knowledge
The story sits at the line between old alchemy and emerging modern science. Victor's father represents rational inquiry and warns against the hidden books, while the elixir promises shortcuts. The novel asks how far curiosity should go, and what happens when a young person decides that knowledge forbidden by adults is the only answer worth trusting.
- 4
A love triangle with real tension
Elizabeth is spirited and capable rather than decorative, and both twins are drawn to her. The romance is not a side plot; it sharpens Victor's jealousy and complicates his motives for saving his brother. Oppel handles it with restraint suited to teen readers, but it adds a charged, uneasy layer to the adventure.
- 5
Gothic adventure pacing
Oppel structures the book as a series of perilous tasks to gather ingredients, giving it the momentum of a quest story. Each episode brings physical danger and some grim details, balanced with eerie settings and moments of dark humor. The result moves quickly and suits readers who want atmosphere without slow, dense prose.
Limitations
Some readers find the love triangle more prominent than they'd like and feel it pulls focus from the darker material. The quest structure, built around collecting ingredients one by one, can feel episodic and predictable in places. Purists may object that the invented twin and the changes to Victor's backstory sit awkwardly beside Shelley's original. It is also clearly pitched at teen readers, so adults expecting the moral weight of Frankenstein may find it lighter, though it doesn't shy away from grim moments.
Questions Readers Ask
- Do I need to read Frankenstein before This Dark Endeavor?
- No. The novel stands on its own as a gothic adventure, and Oppel introduces everything you need. Knowing Shelley's book does add a layer, because you'll notice how Victor's choices foreshadow his later obsession, but many readers pick up the original afterward precisely because this prequel made them curious.
- What age group is This Dark Endeavor for?
- It is aimed at roughly ages 12 and up. There is peril, some gruesome alchemical details and a restrained romance, but nothing graphic. Adults who enjoy young adult gothic fiction or Frankenstein retellings often enjoy it too, though they should expect a teen-focused voice and pacing.
- Is there a sequel to This Dark Endeavor?
- Yes. The story continues in Such Wicked Intent, which follows Victor further into dangerous experiments. The first book works as a complete adventure, but its emotional threads carry directly into the second, so readers who like the first will want both.
What Creators Say About This Dark Endeavor
Reviews from readers on YouTube. Their opinions are their own.
- Published
- 2011
- ISBN
- 9781442403178
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Category
- Young Adult
Book details and cover from Google Books.
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