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Unwieldy Creatures
A tale of doom and ambition, loss and revenge, love and murder.
Unwieldy Creatures, a biracial queer, nonbinary retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, follows the story of three beings who all navigate life from the margins: Plum (she/her), a queer biracial Chinese intern at one of the world’s top embryology labs, who runs away from home to openly be with her girlfriend only to be left on her own; Dr. Frank (she/her), a queer biracial Indonesian scientist who compromises everything she claims to love in the name of science and ambition when she sets out to procreate without sperm or egg; and Dr. Frank’s nonbinary creation, painstakingly brought into the world due to complications at birth that result from a cruel twist of revenge, only to be abandoned. Plum struggles to determine the limits of her own ambition when Dr. Frank offers her a chance to assist with her next project. How far will Plum go in the name of scientific advancement and what is she willing to risk?
Unwieldy Creatures, a biracial queer, nonbinary retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, follows the story of three beings who all navigate life from the margins: Plum (she/her), a queer biracial Chinese intern at one of the world’s top embryology labs, who runs away from home to openly be with her girlfriend only to be left on her own; Dr. Frank (she/her), a queer biracial Indonesian scientist who compromises everything she claims to love in the name of science and ambition when she sets out to procreate without sperm or egg; and Dr. Frank’s nonbinary creation, painstakingly brought into the world due to complications at birth that result from a cruel twist of revenge, only to be abandoned. Plum struggles to determine the limits of her own ambition when Dr. Frank offers her a chance to assist with her next project. How far will Plum go in the name of scientific advancement and what is she willing to risk?
296 pages, Paperback
First published August 2, 2022
About the author
Addie Brook Tsai
6 books63 followersAddie Tsai teaches courses in literature, creative writing, and humanities at Houston Community College. She collaborated with Dominic Walsh Dance Theater on Victor Frankenstein and Camille Claudel, among others. Addie received her MFA from Warren Wilson College, and she received her doctorate in Dance from Texas Woman’s University. Her queer Asian young adult novel, Dear Twin, will be published by Metonymy Press in November, 2019. Her writing has been published in Banango Street, The Offing, The Collagist, The Feminist Wire, and elsewhere. She is the Nonfiction Editor at The Grief Diaries, Senior Associate Editor in Poetry at The Flexible Persona, and Assistant Fiction Editor at Anomaly.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
May 15, 2023
what a fucking incredible and SUPER QUEER Frankenstein retelling. I loved the STEM focus too! Dr. Frank is incredibly terrifying and fascinating. Like she could definitely step on me.
March 17, 2023
damn masc nonbinary lesbian mad scientist representation
i may be biased as a scientist tho but like good book
i may be biased as a scientist tho but like good book
September 9, 2022
I have been on a bit of a horror binge (and I rarely read horror) starting with Kris Waldheer’s retelling of Frankenstein, Unnatural Creatures, told from the points of view of three women in Victor Frankenstein's life; followed by Mary Shelley’s original Frankenstein; Elizabeth Kostova’s The Historian (a modern retelling Bram Stoker’s Dracula); and now Addie’s Tsai’s Unwieldy Creatures, a contemporary retelling of Frankenstein. The latter is so contemporaneous that it brings IVF (in vitro fertilization) and other enhancements to human fertility to the equation as well as being a queer, gender-swapped variation of Frankenstein.
As a physician, I am fully cognizant of the ethical and moral issues that must be considered in the creation and ending of life and was pleased that Unwieldy Creatures didn’t set those aside but brought them to the forefront with two brilliant—but morally bankrupt—scientists “duke it out” with the feelings and lives of others, including ones they have created in test tubes.Unwieldy Creatures takes a long, hard look at who is monster and who isn't.
This book also deals with family issues: what does a family consist of? is a family made or created? In addition, it handles in a sensitive way the issues of gender norms and differences: what does a male or female consist of? are genders made or created? from nature or nuture? In addition, the novel deals with the struggles of being from a mixed background: which race is dominant? the one whose genes are strongest? the one the child is raised as? As the mother of a mixed-race child, I find this line of thought very intriguing.
Tsai’s characters are vivid and compelling, their personalities ranging from the extreme narcissism of Dr. Frank to almost all-accepting Pine. The writing was stylistically unique enough that I underlined a lot of choice lines starting on the second page.
As a physician, I am fully cognizant of the ethical and moral issues that must be considered in the creation and ending of life and was pleased that Unwieldy Creatures didn’t set those aside but brought them to the forefront with two brilliant—but morally bankrupt—scientists “duke it out” with the feelings and lives of others, including ones they have created in test tubes.Unwieldy Creatures takes a long, hard look at who is monster and who isn't.
This book also deals with family issues: what does a family consist of? is a family made or created? In addition, it handles in a sensitive way the issues of gender norms and differences: what does a male or female consist of? are genders made or created? from nature or nuture? In addition, the novel deals with the struggles of being from a mixed background: which race is dominant? the one whose genes are strongest? the one the child is raised as? As the mother of a mixed-race child, I find this line of thought very intriguing.
Tsai’s characters are vivid and compelling, their personalities ranging from the extreme narcissism of Dr. Frank to almost all-accepting Pine. The writing was stylistically unique enough that I underlined a lot of choice lines starting on the second page.
March 13, 2023
I appreciate Tsai’s retelling / reimagining Frankenstein in modern day. And I would most likely like the book more read alongside the original and with a group to discuss.
As a stand alone work of fiction it doesn’t hold up. The voices of Li and Z are too similar as told in epistolary form. It rambles. Ash’s story was most interesting. (Maybe the epilogue should have been from dia point of view).
*Was received as part of my “feminist book club” subscription box. Check them out if you like women and books. :)
As a stand alone work of fiction it doesn’t hold up. The voices of Li and Z are too similar as told in epistolary form. It rambles. Ash’s story was most interesting. (Maybe the epilogue should have been from dia point of view).
*Was received as part of my “feminist book club” subscription box. Check them out if you like women and books. :)
April 9, 2024
I somewhat enjoyed this, but maybe it just wasn’t written for me. I often felt the language was at odds with the subject matter, and there was a lot of things that were tossed out that were clearly there for a more diverse and holistic approach to each character but just sounded weird given the 19th century style of the writing. It was hard to sympathize or root for any particular character, and I would have enjoyed some more gray morality from our creature, but it didn’t exactly deliver in those areas. Great representation, really interesting, just not for me I suppose. Zero trains.
January 21, 2024
2.5 stars currently rounded down, though i might change my mind at some point. clearly a bit of a mixed bag.
things i enjoyed:
— the early lives of both z and plum were an interesting read, i really enjoyed their early loves, their self-discoveries, their troubles, the paths that life (their choices, their parents, their circumstances) set them on.
— the overall discussion on gender and especially non-western views of it, precisely the kind of stuff we don't see in a lot of media written in western countries and exactly what we need more of.
— oh, the inevitable tragedy of anyone who's read frankenstein and knows z's hubris for what it is. you hear z's story and you see the signs, and still a part of you thinks maybe, maybe – but z's life was always a tragedy and her flaws were always going to be her downfall.
— i have the rainbow crate version, so both the dust jacket and the cover are really pretty!
things i disliked:
— it felt at times like the constraints of shelley's original work hindered both the plot and character work (e.g. character motivations seemed forced by the plot, rather than the plot moving forward due to the characters' motivations and actions).
— the pacing wasn't always the best, especially because we spend so much time in z's past but kind of breeze past the events that are happening in the present. speaking of which...
— the epilogue was either unnecessary (nothing wrong with a bit of a vague ending, though of course this one sets up the sequel) or it would have required way more effort. as it was, it didn't feel earned, more that it came out of nowhere. i loved the sense of community it tried to convey, it just would have required some expansion.
things that are more of a mixed bag:
— the writing style. it's a modern story, but the writing style felt like it very often tried to imitate shelley's. which, nothing wrong with that, it only struck me a few times how anachronistic it was, especially when there were suddenly quotations from frankenstein that the characters would just randomly say without them really meant as quotations at all. but overall it worked.
— the reading changes entirely depending on if you read the characters, and z in particular, as an unreliable narrator. given also that it's a story within a story within a story, in that it's really plum repeating z's story who at one point repeats ash's story, it's unclear how much we should trust anything z says at all, especially as she is, by her own word and by plum's, a real piece of work. ash's story in particular changes if we take z at her word (and word choices in particular) or if we don't, but because the epilogue is so rushed and we only really get z's version of ash, there's nothing that would really point to either reading. so, interesting from a literary analysis point of view, but frustrating as a reader due to the rushed ending.
things i enjoyed:
— the early lives of both z and plum were an interesting read, i really enjoyed their early loves, their self-discoveries, their troubles, the paths that life (their choices, their parents, their circumstances) set them on.
— the overall discussion on gender and especially non-western views of it, precisely the kind of stuff we don't see in a lot of media written in western countries and exactly what we need more of.
— oh, the inevitable tragedy of anyone who's read frankenstein and knows z's hubris for what it is. you hear z's story and you see the signs, and still a part of you thinks maybe, maybe – but z's life was always a tragedy and her flaws were always going to be her downfall.
— i have the rainbow crate version, so both the dust jacket and the cover are really pretty!
things i disliked:
— it felt at times like the constraints of shelley's original work hindered both the plot and character work (e.g. character motivations seemed forced by the plot, rather than the plot moving forward due to the characters' motivations and actions).
— the pacing wasn't always the best, especially because we spend so much time in z's past but kind of breeze past the events that are happening in the present. speaking of which...
— the epilogue was either unnecessary (nothing wrong with a bit of a vague ending, though of course this one sets up the sequel) or it would have required way more effort. as it was, it didn't feel earned, more that it came out of nowhere. i loved the sense of community it tried to convey, it just would have required some expansion.
things that are more of a mixed bag:
— the writing style. it's a modern story, but the writing style felt like it very often tried to imitate shelley's. which, nothing wrong with that, it only struck me a few times how anachronistic it was, especially when there were suddenly quotations from frankenstein that the characters would just randomly say without them really meant as quotations at all. but overall it worked.
— the reading changes entirely depending on if you read the characters, and z in particular, as an unreliable narrator. given also that it's a story within a story within a story, in that it's really plum repeating z's story who at one point repeats ash's story, it's unclear how much we should trust anything z says at all, especially as she is, by her own word and by plum's, a real piece of work. ash's story in particular changes if we take z at her word (and word choices in particular) or if we don't, but because the epilogue is so rushed and we only really get z's version of ash, there's nothing that would really point to either reading. so, interesting from a literary analysis point of view, but frustrating as a reader due to the rushed ending.
August 7, 2023
Work of art! This is the Frankenstein retelling I have been searching for!
I was completely immersed in the writing- it pulled me out of my month long reading slump
The focus on characters and seeing what led them to make such selfish/hurtful/terrible choices and the tragedy that befell them
The focus on identity, culture, love, and family
I adored the focus on modern day science and how it complemented Mary Shelley's original work perfectly!!!
I was completely immersed in the writing- it pulled me out of my month long reading slump
The focus on characters and seeing what led them to make such selfish/hurtful/terrible choices and the tragedy that befell them
The focus on identity, culture, love, and family
I adored the focus on modern day science and how it complemented Mary Shelley's original work perfectly!!!
October 28, 2023
"It was foolish, but of course, it is human nature that once the threat does not imminently appear, you believe you've gotten away with it."
4.5 rounded down to a 4, and immensely better than the original Frankenstein.
There is no summary, synopsis, or inside-flap blurb that could truly do Unwieldy Creatures justice. Naturally, the mere premise of 'queer Frankenstein retelling' had me from the moment I saw it, but I don't even know if I have the words to describe how much more intricate, intimate, and complex this story is.
First and foremost, I love that Unwieldy Creatures is a Frankenstein retelling, but in a world where Frankenstein exists. Unlike a lot of classic retellings, which try and make the story fresh in their respective worlds, Unwieldy Creatures is both a retelling and an homage. Everything from Z's alias as Dr. Frank to Ash quoting Frankenstein in dia's story is basically a love letter to Mary Shelley, and this is absolutely the perfect book for people who are fans of Shelley's original tale. Take the lessons learned from Frankenstein and expand on them in infinitely more compelling ways, and you have Unwieldy Creatures.
I could go on forever listing the things I loved about this book, but I'll condense it down to a choice few. Firstly, the first-person POV narration that switches between three characters, to have stories told within stories, is genius. I don't know what it is about that narration style that screams 'classic gothic literature' to me, but it does. It's reminiscent of the original Frankenstein, certainly, but also the way in which other horror classics were written as well, like Dracula and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Tsai absolutely nailed the feeling of Frankenstein's 1800s linguistic style while setting Unwieldy Creatures in the modern day, a combination which you wouldn't think would work well, but absolutely does.
Next, Tsai had some absolutely banger lines and concepts for Unwieldy Creatures, but I think what struck me most is how Tsai talks about Z and Ezra, and the cycle of abuse (some spoilers ahead!). Early in her storytelling, Z talks about how Ezra grew up to be as equally cruel as their abusive father, and how he'd changed so much from the sweet, young boy she knew, but how Ezra refused to change his behaviour. In contrast, Z talks about her own abusive tendencies that she developed from not only her father, but from her grandmother's pointed silence as well. Z grows up to have fits of rage the same way her father did, but (in her eyes), recognizing these tendencies as having come from a system of abuse is enough to move past them. Z never tries address her rages, because at least she acknowledges that they come from learned abuse, so that must be good enough. Often we expect victims of abuse to come to some grand realization about their own toxic behaviours, and that that realization will be enough to stop those behaviours, but that's simply not the case.
Tsai also really delves into how intricate systems of abuse can be, and explores the complexity of them. It's never black-and-white, never 'let yourself be abused or simply leave your abuser.' For Z's mother, enduring abuse and silently allowing the abuse of her child meant a way to keep a roof over their heads, food on the table, and a somewhat comfortable way of life; for Plum, carrying Z's child meant enduring Z's toxic behaviour, but it also meant that Plum would not have to risk homelessness again, and that she was guaranteed a high-paying, rewarding career. Choices like those are not easy ones to make, and while I think there are very few redeeming characters in Unwieldy Creatures, it's important to explore the cycles and systems of abuse and trauma that can make people who they are.
The only thing that kept this book from being a hard five-star read for me was that it didn't feel very much like horror. It was more heavy than scary, more exploratory than haunting, and so it's not quite what I expected out of a Frankenstein retelling. That being said, I think the few things that actually make Frankenstein a horror are the grave-robbing and giant monster made up of dead peoples' body parts, so when you take that away, you're left with more of a straight fiction than an actual horror story.
That being said, Unwieldy Creatures was a breathtaking pleasure to read, and you wouldn't believe how loudly I screamed when I saw the excerpt from the upcoming sequel book Unwieldy Loves in the back of my special edition! So absolutely thrilled that this story is continuing, and Addie Tsai has absolutely gained a fan for life.
4.5 rounded down to a 4, and immensely better than the original Frankenstein.
There is no summary, synopsis, or inside-flap blurb that could truly do Unwieldy Creatures justice. Naturally, the mere premise of 'queer Frankenstein retelling' had me from the moment I saw it, but I don't even know if I have the words to describe how much more intricate, intimate, and complex this story is.
First and foremost, I love that Unwieldy Creatures is a Frankenstein retelling, but in a world where Frankenstein exists. Unlike a lot of classic retellings, which try and make the story fresh in their respective worlds, Unwieldy Creatures is both a retelling and an homage. Everything from Z's alias as Dr. Frank to Ash quoting Frankenstein in dia's story is basically a love letter to Mary Shelley, and this is absolutely the perfect book for people who are fans of Shelley's original tale. Take the lessons learned from Frankenstein and expand on them in infinitely more compelling ways, and you have Unwieldy Creatures.
I could go on forever listing the things I loved about this book, but I'll condense it down to a choice few. Firstly, the first-person POV narration that switches between three characters, to have stories told within stories, is genius. I don't know what it is about that narration style that screams 'classic gothic literature' to me, but it does. It's reminiscent of the original Frankenstein, certainly, but also the way in which other horror classics were written as well, like Dracula and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Tsai absolutely nailed the feeling of Frankenstein's 1800s linguistic style while setting Unwieldy Creatures in the modern day, a combination which you wouldn't think would work well, but absolutely does.
Next, Tsai had some absolutely banger lines and concepts for Unwieldy Creatures, but I think what struck me most is how Tsai talks about Z and Ezra, and the cycle of abuse (some spoilers ahead!). Early in her storytelling, Z talks about how Ezra grew up to be as equally cruel as their abusive father, and how he'd changed so much from the sweet, young boy she knew, but how Ezra refused to change his behaviour. In contrast, Z talks about her own abusive tendencies that she developed from not only her father, but from her grandmother's pointed silence as well. Z grows up to have fits of rage the same way her father did, but (in her eyes), recognizing these tendencies as having come from a system of abuse is enough to move past them. Z never tries address her rages, because at least she acknowledges that they come from learned abuse, so that must be good enough. Often we expect victims of abuse to come to some grand realization about their own toxic behaviours, and that that realization will be enough to stop those behaviours, but that's simply not the case.
Tsai also really delves into how intricate systems of abuse can be, and explores the complexity of them. It's never black-and-white, never 'let yourself be abused or simply leave your abuser.' For Z's mother, enduring abuse and silently allowing the abuse of her child meant a way to keep a roof over their heads, food on the table, and a somewhat comfortable way of life; for Plum, carrying Z's child meant enduring Z's toxic behaviour, but it also meant that Plum would not have to risk homelessness again, and that she was guaranteed a high-paying, rewarding career. Choices like those are not easy ones to make, and while I think there are very few redeeming characters in Unwieldy Creatures, it's important to explore the cycles and systems of abuse and trauma that can make people who they are.
The only thing that kept this book from being a hard five-star read for me was that it didn't feel very much like horror. It was more heavy than scary, more exploratory than haunting, and so it's not quite what I expected out of a Frankenstein retelling. That being said, I think the few things that actually make Frankenstein a horror are the grave-robbing and giant monster made up of dead peoples' body parts, so when you take that away, you're left with more of a straight fiction than an actual horror story.
That being said, Unwieldy Creatures was a breathtaking pleasure to read, and you wouldn't believe how loudly I screamed when I saw the excerpt from the upcoming sequel book Unwieldy Loves in the back of my special edition! So absolutely thrilled that this story is continuing, and Addie Tsai has absolutely gained a fan for life.
January 28, 2023
Another queer book that really disappointed me this week. Not a good few days for queer people everywhere 😭
Starting off, I have not read Frankenstein. I think that definitely could've heightened this book for me and I could've drawn more parallels between the two stories (as many reviewers said they did), but, nonetheless, a book should be able to stand on its own and I feel like this one just didn't
My main issue with the book was Z. I liked her character near the end and the reveal of more aspects of her personality, but at a point earlier in the story (I'm trying my best to avoid spoilers here; those who have read the book will know what I'm talking about), Ezra ends up messing something up for her. What I don't understand is why it was so hard to just wait and fix it?? I get this is what Z has been working for her whole life, but why couldn't she just take a second and fix it. If she did it once she could do it again and as a scientist it makes absolutely no sense that she would do what she did with the risks of it. Like girlie that's just gonna mess up your project. A scientist would want it to be the safest it could be for success and if her goal is to make the most perfect human possible then the things introduced due to this mistake would undermine that. So why not just wait? Her motivations there made no sense, so for the rest of the book I was just wondering why this stupid conflict was occurring when it was all just Z acting (what I took as) out of character for the scientist she is shown to be. (Maybe it could be argued with things introduced later in the book that these actions make sense, but I seriously still don't understand it. Even if Z is super selfish, you'd want an experiment with the highest possible rate of success and the thing she went through with would never accomplish that)
There was some really good younger queer love stories and discussions around gender and how it is viewed in non-Western cultures, which I really appreciated, but the central plot of the book was just ruined for me by that one SUPER integral catalyst of everything
Also, for me, the epilogue was really dumb. It was like two pages and I didn't need it. I feel like books like this are so much more impactful when they end off on a bit of a cliffhanger. I don't need that happy fairy-tale ending that ties everything up so well and nothing's wrong for anyone anymore and everyone's happy, yay!!!! I get that we need more positive queer endings, but this one just didn't feel earned
Overall, the queer love stories in this book were really good. The character building for the characters when they are younger is excellent (in the present/when they're older it's a bit iffy), but the integral piece of the plot just rubs me completely the wrong way. If the whole thing that causes conflict in a book feels (to me) like it doesn't make any sense, the conflict and plot isn't earned, so it just kind of fell short for me
2.5/5 stars (I'm debating rounding up to three just because looking back at the love stories of the younger characters and the exploration of gender and queerness in non-white cultures, along with the influence of white cultures in those non-Western POVs, was really well-done. The scientist plot and the whole thing the book leads up to was just not doing it for me ☹️)
Starting off, I have not read Frankenstein. I think that definitely could've heightened this book for me and I could've drawn more parallels between the two stories (as many reviewers said they did), but, nonetheless, a book should be able to stand on its own and I feel like this one just didn't
My main issue with the book was Z. I liked her character near the end and the reveal of more aspects of her personality, but at a point earlier in the story (I'm trying my best to avoid spoilers here; those who have read the book will know what I'm talking about), Ezra ends up messing something up for her. What I don't understand is why it was so hard to just wait and fix it?? I get this is what Z has been working for her whole life, but why couldn't she just take a second and fix it. If she did it once she could do it again and as a scientist it makes absolutely no sense that she would do what she did with the risks of it. Like girlie that's just gonna mess up your project. A scientist would want it to be the safest it could be for success and if her goal is to make the most perfect human possible then the things introduced due to this mistake would undermine that. So why not just wait? Her motivations there made no sense, so for the rest of the book I was just wondering why this stupid conflict was occurring when it was all just Z acting (what I took as) out of character for the scientist she is shown to be. (Maybe it could be argued with things introduced later in the book that these actions make sense, but I seriously still don't understand it. Even if Z is super selfish, you'd want an experiment with the highest possible rate of success and the thing she went through with would never accomplish that)
There was some really good younger queer love stories and discussions around gender and how it is viewed in non-Western cultures, which I really appreciated, but the central plot of the book was just ruined for me by that one SUPER integral catalyst of everything
Also, for me, the epilogue was really dumb. It was like two pages and I didn't need it. I feel like books like this are so much more impactful when they end off on a bit of a cliffhanger. I don't need that happy fairy-tale ending that ties everything up so well and nothing's wrong for anyone anymore and everyone's happy, yay!!!! I get that we need more positive queer endings, but this one just didn't feel earned
Overall, the queer love stories in this book were really good. The character building for the characters when they are younger is excellent (in the present/when they're older it's a bit iffy), but the integral piece of the plot just rubs me completely the wrong way. If the whole thing that causes conflict in a book feels (to me) like it doesn't make any sense, the conflict and plot isn't earned, so it just kind of fell short for me
2.5/5 stars (I'm debating rounding up to three just because looking back at the love stories of the younger characters and the exploration of gender and queerness in non-white cultures, along with the influence of white cultures in those non-Western POVs, was really well-done. The scientist plot and the whole thing the book leads up to was just not doing it for me ☹️)
May 1, 2024
Am I glad I read it? Soooo glad but also kinda really mad that I waited so long to read it because THIS. WAS. EXCELLENT. It regrettably languished on my TBR for quite a while, and I probably - definitely - would have picked it up sooner than I did if I had know that, in addition to being a super-queer Frankenstein retelling, it’s also about cyclical violence and power dynamics in parent-child relationships! Who would’ve guessed that incredibly specific combo would hit so hard with me?! (Me, I would’ve guessed cause that is 100% my jam.)
What makes this book so special, I think, is the lens through which Tsai interprets the original story. To me, it is largely about the violence done to us by our parents, including that which we see our parents commit upon each other, and how we internalize and then pass that trauma on to our own children. Z, like the author, is nonbinary and biracial. Tsai draws really fascinating lines from toxic white masculinity, through power imbalances in the relationship between Z’s rich white father and poor Indonesian mother and between Z and her father; to cisheternormative standards for bodies, beauty, and gender; and the treatment of queer bodies under those standards. Z internalizes her father’s views and so is unable to see the child produced by her experiment, who differs from her expected ideal of perfection like she does from her father’s, as anything other than an unwieldy creature. I loved thinking about how Tsai explores this theme of cyclical violence and deviation from the cishet bodily ideal in various ways throughout the book.
Also of particular note is Tsai’s treatment of Z’s creation, who we eventually learn is named Ash. Late in the book, we get several chapters from Ash’s POV, in which we hear how dia came to name and gender diaself. Dia’s chapters are a deeply affecting and humane contribution to the novel, highlighting the personhood of a character usually only referred to as “the creature,” including by Z for most of the story.
Lastly, I’m so, so impressed at how Tsai managed to this book so compelling and emotional, given that we mostly know what’s going to happen and that the characters reflect on the goings-on as they tell the story.
What makes this book so special, I think, is the lens through which Tsai interprets the original story. To me, it is largely about the violence done to us by our parents, including that which we see our parents commit upon each other, and how we internalize and then pass that trauma on to our own children. Z, like the author, is nonbinary and biracial. Tsai draws really fascinating lines from toxic white masculinity, through power imbalances in the relationship between Z’s rich white father and poor Indonesian mother and between Z and her father; to cisheternormative standards for bodies, beauty, and gender; and the treatment of queer bodies under those standards. Z internalizes her father’s views and so is unable to see the child produced by her experiment, who differs from her expected ideal of perfection like she does from her father’s, as anything other than an unwieldy creature. I loved thinking about how Tsai explores this theme of cyclical violence and deviation from the cishet bodily ideal in various ways throughout the book.
Also of particular note is Tsai’s treatment of Z’s creation, who we eventually learn is named Ash. Late in the book, we get several chapters from Ash’s POV, in which we hear how dia came to name and gender diaself. Dia’s chapters are a deeply affecting and humane contribution to the novel, highlighting the personhood of a character usually only referred to as “the creature,” including by Z for most of the story.
Lastly, I’m so, so impressed at how Tsai managed to this book so compelling and emotional, given that we mostly know what’s going to happen and that the characters reflect on the goings-on as they tell the story.
January 18, 2023
This is a book that's been on my radar for quite a while. I had been keeping my eye out for it in the bookstores but none ever seemed to carry it so I was thrilled when a copy arrived in the mail last week c/o the author!
Unwieldy Creatures is a queer, gender-swapped retelling of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. In it, we meet Plum, a queer biracial Chinese Embryology intern, who is sharing the terrifying story of her time with Z, AKA Doctor Frank, a queer biracial scientist dead set on creating the "perfect" child without the use of egg or sperm.
It's an origin story as well as a cautionary tale. Z, we learn, allows her obsession with creating life sans men to taint her relationship with the woman she loves most, Hana. She will stop at nothing, is willing to risk everything but there are complications, and when her first experiment fails to meet her expectations, she not only loses the love of her life, she also heartlessly abandons the hideous child in the woods.
But our past never stays buried for long and years later, Z is confronted by the monstrosity, who begs her to create another child, one that they can love and that they can keep with them for the rest of their days. Z is rattled by this demand and turns to Plum, divulging the full and horrific history, asking for their assistance with this newest project.
Addie pulls the classic into contemporary times with ease, introducing IVF and queer lifestyles, our culture's obsession with beauty and the perfect body, and the ways in which parental abuse and childhood trauma shape us and haunt us in our adulthood. An interesting spin on a story in which the created continues to compel our sympathy while the creator effortlessly earns our wrath.
Unwieldy Creatures is a queer, gender-swapped retelling of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. In it, we meet Plum, a queer biracial Chinese Embryology intern, who is sharing the terrifying story of her time with Z, AKA Doctor Frank, a queer biracial scientist dead set on creating the "perfect" child without the use of egg or sperm.
It's an origin story as well as a cautionary tale. Z, we learn, allows her obsession with creating life sans men to taint her relationship with the woman she loves most, Hana. She will stop at nothing, is willing to risk everything but there are complications, and when her first experiment fails to meet her expectations, she not only loses the love of her life, she also heartlessly abandons the hideous child in the woods.
But our past never stays buried for long and years later, Z is confronted by the monstrosity, who begs her to create another child, one that they can love and that they can keep with them for the rest of their days. Z is rattled by this demand and turns to Plum, divulging the full and horrific history, asking for their assistance with this newest project.
Addie pulls the classic into contemporary times with ease, introducing IVF and queer lifestyles, our culture's obsession with beauty and the perfect body, and the ways in which parental abuse and childhood trauma shape us and haunt us in our adulthood. An interesting spin on a story in which the created continues to compel our sympathy while the creator effortlessly earns our wrath.
November 25, 2022
Overall, a wonderful read! I got this book at a book signing done by the author on my college campus and began it shortly after. She mentioned that this book, while can be enjoyed independently, was truly written for the people out there already unusually familiar with the original Frankenstein. As someone who is, the parallel narrative within Unwieldy Creatures and all the small references to the original found inside were such a treat. I ended up annotating the book with quotes, questions, and thoughts! I also resonated quite a bit with one of our main characters: Plum (aka Li), who functions as a sort of Walton-adjacent character. I also must point out the brilliance of the science-heavy angle taken, which is something I believe a lot of modern Frankenstein adaptations are missing. Between the advancements of IVF as a whole new way of playing God, employing gigantism and acromegaly to explain the Creature's unusual proportions, and making Z (our Victor Frankenstein character) an actual scientist, I was rather impressed, and it was part of, for me, what made this book such a joy.
The only reason I have chosen not to give this book five stars is because it gets a bit heavy-handed with the overt symbolism toward the end. Some sections (especially ones dealing with the use of pronouns for Ash, the Creature character) read as slightly forced, and would have been better left unexplained; similar to how a joke, once explained, is no longer funny. Explaining removes some of the subtexts the reader could tease out themselves.
The only reason I have chosen not to give this book five stars is because it gets a bit heavy-handed with the overt symbolism toward the end. Some sections (especially ones dealing with the use of pronouns for Ash, the Creature character) read as slightly forced, and would have been better left unexplained; similar to how a joke, once explained, is no longer funny. Explaining removes some of the subtexts the reader could tease out themselves.
August 20, 2022
5This is a modern retelling of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, where the monstrous feelings of being an outsider stem from family and gender differences historically considered outside of societal norms. It also deals with the struggle of being from a mixed background.
I found the story thought provoking based on the themes, the characters vivid and compelling, and the narcissism of Z frustratingly engaging. While I highly recommend this book, I did not give it 5 stars as I felt at times the story stretched logic trying to keep in lockstep with the original telling. But overall an enjoyable read.
I found the story thought provoking based on the themes, the characters vivid and compelling, and the narcissism of Z frustratingly engaging. While I highly recommend this book, I did not give it 5 stars as I felt at times the story stretched logic trying to keep in lockstep with the original telling. But overall an enjoyable read.
June 3, 2023
This book owns my soul.
Frankenstein is one of my favourite classics and this book was a breathtaking retelling.
I'm obsessed with the format of this book. You are told the story of three people's lives until they all interlink with one another. The way Addie writes about gender during some of Z's chapters felt like someone hit me in the chest. I loved the use of mandarin throughout the novel and also the usage of different cultures languages to describe gender & feeling.
A story about love, gender, parents and when ambition goes too far. I cried at so many points in this book and loved it.
Frankenstein is one of my favourite classics and this book was a breathtaking retelling.
I'm obsessed with the format of this book. You are told the story of three people's lives until they all interlink with one another. The way Addie writes about gender during some of Z's chapters felt like someone hit me in the chest. I loved the use of mandarin throughout the novel and also the usage of different cultures languages to describe gender & feeling.
A story about love, gender, parents and when ambition goes too far. I cried at so many points in this book and loved it.
April 9, 2023
Beautifully crafted retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. As with the original the question of who are the monsters and who are the innocents is not as clear cut as it would seem.
December 25, 2024
Finished this 14 minutes before my loan expired💪 In StoryGraph, I gave myself an extra day to decide on a rating. In Goodreads, however, I’m giving it a good 4 stars that could mean either 3.5 or 4, I feel like giving a rounded up rating if it’s the former. This was intriguing from beginning to end, and the author clearly loves the original Frankenstein story. Sometimes this made for some awkward spoon-feeding of the themes, but Tsai understands it on a fundamental level for sure and that extends to their characters.
I thought the POV switches were subpar? All three POVs more or less have the same writing style, and if it weren’t for the changes in personality reflected in their thoughts then I wouldn’t know who’s talking without a chapter name. Perhaps Ash’s writing can be excused, though, because dia’s “POV” is essentially a recollection of the story dia told an unreliable narrator? It didn’t feel like that interchangeability was intentional, though. I do think that Ash’s genuine thought process was shown and the storytelling plot device was just used as the reason to include it. (I’m assuming so, based on how the narrative treats dia.)
The writing also isn’t subtle, sometimes (often?) to the point of repetition. Particularly in Z’s chapters, where the first half is establishing her motivations for creating Ash. I’d be able to garner the message of a character’s parallels from a sentence or a paragraph, but a chapter later it would be reiterated, and I kind of hate that it seemed like the readerbase wasn’t trusted to pick up the inner workings of the characters? (This especially annoyed me when Plum started drawing comparisons to Z and Ash. She would constantly stress whenever she’d find more of herself in either of them and… I knew that already, lmao???) However, I thought that style of writing worked best towards the end of Plum’s POV, as she struggled through her pregnancy. To me, it worked in capturing the patterns she noticed in her life, and that led to her current (toxic) situation with Z. In those moments where she’s kind of dissecting the dysfunction of her life, it’s probably more important to be on-the-nose if she’s having a couple of breakthroughs (which she was, or at least seemed to be).
On the topic of the writing style: yes, it does still try to emulate Shelley’s writing despite the difference in time period. (Both in the events of the story, and when it was written.) Sometime moments I thought it was an interesting homage, others I thought it made the dialogue stilted, but that was particularly in Z’s chapters— there were… occasional 19th-century formalities at different points in her chapters? I understand the creative choice behind how her POV was structured, though, I just didn’t personally vibe with it. I’m also still trying to wrap my head around what I think of Ash as a representation of the monster, because while I feel the ableism around dia needs to be addressed, Z isn’t meant to be a good person and her opinions are frequently disagreed with. (I do acknowledge that some of the horror about dia, though, comes from dia’s origins and not just dia being disfigured/disabled.)
The ending was so abrupt?! Why did we skip right to the epilogue! So much must’ve had to happen off-page, wtf!
But, I really loved the queer representation! Plum, Z and even Ash categorize themselves in queer terms from their heritage rather than western terminology, and while specifically Plum and Z lived the struggles (and felt the expectations) of women, they weren’t strictly defined by that gender. (I can’t help but wonder if some of Plum’s uneasiness about her body towards the end was a bit of gender dysphoria?) I can’t speak in-depth on the Asian representation, but it was interesting seeing the parallel biracial narratives, and the points of contention that came not just from having a white parent that needed to unlearn their racism, but also from navigating the scientific world as female-presenting people.
I have mixed feelings about the execution of “Unwieldy Creatures”, but I came here from JesseOnYoutube’s recommendation, and I can see why they adored it so much. I’m a little surprised it isn’t talked about more often, to be honest?! It’s a very creative interpretation of Frankenstein, and as far as sci-fi goes, has the most scientific-sounding explanations for all the shit that unfolds. (There were several pages of further reading I didn’t have time to copy down, as much research went into writing this as the average fanfic.) (That is a compliment btw. I saw someone look into what space tasted like just so they could write a monsterfucking fic)
I thought the POV switches were subpar? All three POVs more or less have the same writing style, and if it weren’t for the changes in personality reflected in their thoughts then I wouldn’t know who’s talking without a chapter name. Perhaps Ash’s writing can be excused, though, because dia’s “POV” is essentially a recollection of the story dia told an unreliable narrator? It didn’t feel like that interchangeability was intentional, though. I do think that Ash’s genuine thought process was shown and the storytelling plot device was just used as the reason to include it. (I’m assuming so, based on how the narrative treats dia.)
The writing also isn’t subtle, sometimes (often?) to the point of repetition. Particularly in Z’s chapters, where the first half is establishing her motivations for creating Ash. I’d be able to garner the message of a character’s parallels from a sentence or a paragraph, but a chapter later it would be reiterated, and I kind of hate that it seemed like the readerbase wasn’t trusted to pick up the inner workings of the characters? (This especially annoyed me when Plum started drawing comparisons to Z and Ash. She would constantly stress whenever she’d find more of herself in either of them and… I knew that already, lmao???) However, I thought that style of writing worked best towards the end of Plum’s POV, as she struggled through her pregnancy. To me, it worked in capturing the patterns she noticed in her life, and that led to her current (toxic) situation with Z. In those moments where she’s kind of dissecting the dysfunction of her life, it’s probably more important to be on-the-nose if she’s having a couple of breakthroughs (which she was, or at least seemed to be).
On the topic of the writing style: yes, it does still try to emulate Shelley’s writing despite the difference in time period. (Both in the events of the story, and when it was written.) Sometime moments I thought it was an interesting homage, others I thought it made the dialogue stilted, but that was particularly in Z’s chapters— there were… occasional 19th-century formalities at different points in her chapters? I understand the creative choice behind how her POV was structured, though, I just didn’t personally vibe with it. I’m also still trying to wrap my head around what I think of Ash as a representation of the monster, because while I feel the ableism around dia needs to be addressed, Z isn’t meant to be a good person and her opinions are frequently disagreed with. (I do acknowledge that some of the horror about dia, though, comes from dia’s origins and not just dia being disfigured/disabled.)
The ending was so abrupt?! Why did we skip right to the epilogue! So much must’ve had to happen off-page, wtf!
But, I really loved the queer representation! Plum, Z and even Ash categorize themselves in queer terms from their heritage rather than western terminology, and while specifically Plum and Z lived the struggles (and felt the expectations) of women, they weren’t strictly defined by that gender. (I can’t help but wonder if some of Plum’s uneasiness about her body towards the end was a bit of gender dysphoria?) I can’t speak in-depth on the Asian representation, but it was interesting seeing the parallel biracial narratives, and the points of contention that came not just from having a white parent that needed to unlearn their racism, but also from navigating the scientific world as female-presenting people.
I have mixed feelings about the execution of “Unwieldy Creatures”, but I came here from JesseOnYoutube’s recommendation, and I can see why they adored it so much. I’m a little surprised it isn’t talked about more often, to be honest?! It’s a very creative interpretation of Frankenstein, and as far as sci-fi goes, has the most scientific-sounding explanations for all the shit that unfolds. (There were several pages of further reading I didn’t have time to copy down, as much research went into writing this as the average fanfic.) (That is a compliment btw. I saw someone look into what space tasted like just so they could write a monsterfucking fic)
April 1, 2024
3.75. The first half of this book was a 5/5, the second half was more like a 3.5-4. Overall such an interesting read and love the way gender/gender expression was brought into this.
May 14, 2023
The ending really saved the book for me, but I didn’t love the rest 😭
March 10, 2023
Provocative & captivating, I could not put it down. Tsai is a welcome breath of fresh air for me...this book entertained me while forcing me to crowbar my brain open a little. The science was also convincing to me as a layperson. One caveat: If you haven't read Frankenstein, read that one first. I don't think you'll get as much out of it otherwise.
June 15, 2024
I can't put into words just how much I was so hyped for this book and how much Unwieldy Creatures lived up to said hype and then some. I mean, c'mon--an Asian, queer, biracial and nonbinary retelling of Frankenstein?? I was immediately intrigued just by premise alone! Then I started reading this novel and even though it took a little while for me get invested, once the ball got rolling, I couldn't put this book down.
This novel deep dives into a variety of deep topics, such as what happens when man attempts to play God (particularly in the world of science), complications of being ethnically biracial and stuck between two different cultures, the toll that intergenerational trauma (especially domestic abuse and abandonment) takes on vulnerable and exploited people, and the complexities of exploring gender and gender identity in adulthood, broken upbringings, struggles of being queer, the complexities of gender roles and nonbinary identity and especially in context with Asian and Asian American culture. And Addie handled all of this beautifully, and the much diverse depiction of various parts of East Asian/East Asian (Chinese) American and Southeast Asian/Southeast Asian (Indonesian) American was a breath of fresh air and accentuated a very unique take on Asian and Asian American representation, and especially queer Asians and Asian Americans. And I appreciated Addie's many references to black intellectuals, pro abolitionists, poets and writers (and direct quotes from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein) peppered throughout the book.
Now onto the main characters: I liked and I felt sad for Plum, and I ended up not liking Z/Zoelle by the novel's final chapters and Ko was a sweetheart. But one of them stands out to me the most: Ash. Man did my heart bleed for Ash and dia immediately grew on me. And frankly, I empathize with Ash particularly due to a lot of Ash's arc having a ton of intersex coded symbolism, metaphors, analogies and imagery deeply tethered to Ash's story, characterization, arc and dia feelings of deep pain over Z's abandonment and society's ostracization of dia (thus, the themes of repeating the cycle of abandonment and trauma, as well as unintentional themes of intersexism and interphobia). And this particular chapter's deep diving into Indonesian culture norms of gender nonconforming identities + Ash explaining symbolic importance of dia name was so so beautifully written, and really deeply resonated with me and made my heart jump for joy. (Mainly cause I'm a mixed race black Asian and I was born intersex, and I was kinda lowkey projecting my own personal point of view onto this book (and Frankenstein in general). But then to see Addie weave these explicit metaphors into Ash's story arc was so validating; and so was Ash talking about bissu, an Indonesian cultural term for biological intersex people! To say that I was overjoyed would be an understatement. Thus, I empathize with Ash.)
In summary, Unwieldy Creatures is definitely one of my favorite Frankenstein retellings ever (and this was my first Frankenstein retelling novel), and Addie Tsai's one of my new favorite Asian queer novelists. Thumbs up!
This novel deep dives into a variety of deep topics, such as what happens when man attempts to play God (particularly in the world of science), complications of being ethnically biracial and stuck between two different cultures, the toll that intergenerational trauma (especially domestic abuse and abandonment) takes on vulnerable and exploited people, and the complexities of exploring gender and gender identity in adulthood, broken upbringings, struggles of being queer, the complexities of gender roles and nonbinary identity and especially in context with Asian and Asian American culture. And Addie handled all of this beautifully, and the much diverse depiction of various parts of East Asian/East Asian (Chinese) American and Southeast Asian/Southeast Asian (Indonesian) American was a breath of fresh air and accentuated a very unique take on Asian and Asian American representation, and especially queer Asians and Asian Americans. And I appreciated Addie's many references to black intellectuals, pro abolitionists, poets and writers (and direct quotes from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein) peppered throughout the book.
Now onto the main characters: I liked and I felt sad for Plum, and I ended up not liking Z/Zoelle by the novel's final chapters and Ko was a sweetheart. But one of them stands out to me the most: Ash. Man did my heart bleed for Ash and dia immediately grew on me. And frankly, I empathize with Ash particularly due to a lot of Ash's arc having a ton of intersex coded symbolism, metaphors, analogies and imagery deeply tethered to Ash's story, characterization, arc and dia feelings of deep pain over Z's abandonment and society's ostracization of dia (thus, the themes of repeating the cycle of abandonment and trauma, as well as unintentional themes of intersexism and interphobia). And this particular chapter's deep diving into Indonesian culture norms of gender nonconforming identities + Ash explaining symbolic importance of dia name was so so beautifully written, and really deeply resonated with me and made my heart jump for joy. (Mainly cause I'm a mixed race black Asian and I was born intersex, and I was kinda lowkey projecting my own personal point of view onto this book (and Frankenstein in general). But then to see Addie weave these explicit metaphors into Ash's story arc was so validating; and so was Ash talking about bissu, an Indonesian cultural term for biological intersex people! To say that I was overjoyed would be an understatement. Thus, I empathize with Ash.)
In summary, Unwieldy Creatures is definitely one of my favorite Frankenstein retellings ever (and this was my first Frankenstein retelling novel), and Addie Tsai's one of my new favorite Asian queer novelists. Thumbs up!
May 22, 2023
"Sometimes language crowds the mind so much, it's like standing without gravity. Sometimes the ground tells you who you are."
"The laws these days make me question what the point of art is anymore anyway. Sometimes there's no reason why nature goes sideways. Why would the universe give us science if not to use it?"
"Perhaps communication with another is the only thing we have to keep us from the darker depths of fate."
"Nature is a funny thing, and home is still home whether you want it to be or not, I suppose."
"The privilege to name is a power in and of itself. I suppose that's why I renamed myself Dr. Frank."
"At the time, I felt that my recognition of what was most heinous in me was enough. I never stopped to consider how I expected Hana to stop at nothing to make me whole again-to stop me from my basest impulses and to save me from my own violent tongue. Changing my behavior wasn't something I ever considered possible, or necessary."
"Instead, it only assured me that the people surrounding me were either not confident in my own abilities to surpass the innovations already performed by men or were disinterested in the kind of immersion in ideas I had already decided to devote my life to. There would no longer be anyone I could share these ideas with."
"When I look back, I can see it now-this young, excitable new mind desperately endeavoring to make a name for herself without thinking about the obstacles that prevented other minds from likewise discoveries. At times, Hana warned me not to get too ahead of myself, to think about some of the ethical concerns regarding the scientific direction I was headed, but she stopped when she realized all her efforts were in vain. Perhaps destiny would always dictate that this story would inevitably find me, as well as my destruction."
"What point was there to get excited by the newness of possibility only to know it would never be mine?"
"But, as always happens with secrets, the longer you get away with them, the harder they are to keep safe."
"It was foolish, but of course, it is human nature that once the threat does not imminently appear, you believe you've gotten away with it."
"The world is full of uncertainty, but it is not quite the same as when one knows the uncertainty that lies within their grasp."
"I, on the other hand, was so impassioned by my ambitions that I didn't see the dangers of my own impatience and haste for laboratory technology to catch up with my idealistic spirit."
"So much of ethical restraint lies far beyond the technological possibility of science. In other words, just because science enables us to perform a particular advancement in the development of new life doesn't mean we should. I hope, for your sake, you don't learn the hard way, like I did."
"Sometimes who you are is something you have to decide on, whether it's true or not."
"The laws these days make me question what the point of art is anymore anyway. Sometimes there's no reason why nature goes sideways. Why would the universe give us science if not to use it?"
"Perhaps communication with another is the only thing we have to keep us from the darker depths of fate."
"Nature is a funny thing, and home is still home whether you want it to be or not, I suppose."
"The privilege to name is a power in and of itself. I suppose that's why I renamed myself Dr. Frank."
"At the time, I felt that my recognition of what was most heinous in me was enough. I never stopped to consider how I expected Hana to stop at nothing to make me whole again-to stop me from my basest impulses and to save me from my own violent tongue. Changing my behavior wasn't something I ever considered possible, or necessary."
"Instead, it only assured me that the people surrounding me were either not confident in my own abilities to surpass the innovations already performed by men or were disinterested in the kind of immersion in ideas I had already decided to devote my life to. There would no longer be anyone I could share these ideas with."
"When I look back, I can see it now-this young, excitable new mind desperately endeavoring to make a name for herself without thinking about the obstacles that prevented other minds from likewise discoveries. At times, Hana warned me not to get too ahead of myself, to think about some of the ethical concerns regarding the scientific direction I was headed, but she stopped when she realized all her efforts were in vain. Perhaps destiny would always dictate that this story would inevitably find me, as well as my destruction."
"What point was there to get excited by the newness of possibility only to know it would never be mine?"
"But, as always happens with secrets, the longer you get away with them, the harder they are to keep safe."
"It was foolish, but of course, it is human nature that once the threat does not imminently appear, you believe you've gotten away with it."
"The world is full of uncertainty, but it is not quite the same as when one knows the uncertainty that lies within their grasp."
"I, on the other hand, was so impassioned by my ambitions that I didn't see the dangers of my own impatience and haste for laboratory technology to catch up with my idealistic spirit."
"So much of ethical restraint lies far beyond the technological possibility of science. In other words, just because science enables us to perform a particular advancement in the development of new life doesn't mean we should. I hope, for your sake, you don't learn the hard way, like I did."
"Sometimes who you are is something you have to decide on, whether it's true or not."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2023
2.75 rounded up
*What worked for me: the exploration of family (biological and found), gender and sexuality, race, and the consequences of hubris. I really liked the first third of the book or so, where these themes were thoroughly explored.
*What didn't work for me: I honestly felt like this would have been a bit more enjoyable if it was more loosely related to Frankenstein instead of being so close in both content and format. There were a few too many things that took me out of the story, especially Z's backstory, that made it a bit difficult. There were times I forgot the setting was supposed to be modern day because little was said about it besides things like "small town", and letters were frequently used (following the epistolary format of the original); I also frequently got lost on how old Z was supposed to be at certain points because there was no external context and she was obsessive in her "research" before even making it to college. Z becomes super toxic but somehow manages to keep her love interest? Z risks everything she's spent her life working towards because she can't wait a few more weeks? Ezra goes through what he goes through at the end and then is never heard from again? I dunno, it just started to feel like plot points needing to be checked off or explained instead of it feeling truly organic.
*What worked for me: the exploration of family (biological and found), gender and sexuality, race, and the consequences of hubris. I really liked the first third of the book or so, where these themes were thoroughly explored.
*What didn't work for me: I honestly felt like this would have been a bit more enjoyable if it was more loosely related to Frankenstein instead of being so close in both content and format. There were a few too many things that took me out of the story, especially Z's backstory, that made it a bit difficult. There were times I forgot the setting was supposed to be modern day because little was said about it besides things like "small town", and letters were frequently used (following the epistolary format of the original); I also frequently got lost on how old Z was supposed to be at certain points because there was no external context and she was obsessive in her "research" before even making it to college. Z becomes super toxic but somehow manages to keep her love interest? Z risks everything she's spent her life working towards because she can't wait a few more weeks? Ezra goes through what he goes through at the end and then is never heard from again? I dunno, it just started to feel like plot points needing to be checked off or explained instead of it feeling truly organic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2023
2.5 stars. Frankenstein is one of my favorite books, I’ve read it five or six times, so I was really excited for this queer/non-binary retelling of the story, but ultimately this book was a slog to get through and I really didn’t enjoy it. Probably would have DNFd if it wasn’t for a book club.
So, credit where credit is due, the quotes and illusions to the original Frankenstein were fun, I really liked that the author used the same nested story telling that the original employs so delightfully.
What didn’t work for me was the pacing. This book is so slow and repetitive. We spend 222 pages on what an awful person Z is. She is unredeemable as a character for me, which I know is how she is meant to be characterized but to spend more than 200 very repetitive pages on her and then only about 50 on all the action of the book, and then to just stop the story at the peak climax without resolving anything at all, and then to jump 18 years to an epilogue which gave no hint whatsoever as to how our characters got there was just painful to read.
Cutting Z’s story in half would have made for better pacing and giving another chapter or two to wrap up the story would have been a far superior ending.
So, credit where credit is due, the quotes and illusions to the original Frankenstein were fun, I really liked that the author used the same nested story telling that the original employs so delightfully.
What didn’t work for me was the pacing. This book is so slow and repetitive. We spend 222 pages on what an awful person Z is. She is unredeemable as a character for me, which I know is how she is meant to be characterized but to spend more than 200 very repetitive pages on her and then only about 50 on all the action of the book, and then to just stop the story at the peak climax without resolving anything at all, and then to jump 18 years to an epilogue which gave no hint whatsoever as to how our characters got there was just painful to read.
Cutting Z’s story in half would have made for better pacing and giving another chapter or two to wrap up the story would have been a far superior ending.
December 29, 2023
This is a wonderful recontextualization of the original Frankenstein story that expands on the same base theme within regard to biracial and queer identities, as well as giving more in depth looks at how Frankenstein is, in part, a story about parenthood and neglect. The voices and existence of these characters as both their own people and the original characters is deeply engaging. I do wish the story would have done more with the fact that Frankenstein by Mary Shelley does exist in the world (Dr. Frank is called Dr. Frank due to her attachment to the story and Plum and Ash also express more than passing familiarity) by letting the characters not just acknowledge but interact with the blatant parallels that their own stories exhibit. A very engaging read, I didn't want to put it down once.
December 26, 2023
A beautiful retelling of Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, and I mean beautiful. The writing was touching and painted amazing photos in my head. The physical text was a joy to read with the Chinese characters thrown in throughout the text with the footnotes for translation.
I have to admit the story of Frankenstein as told through a lens of infertility is not something I would have connected in my brain, but it just makes so much sense. The queer twist of it all was also so well written. It isn't often that we find our main characters to be queer and non-binary, and I really wish we would see more of this.
I have to admit the story of Frankenstein as told through a lens of infertility is not something I would have connected in my brain, but it just makes so much sense. The queer twist of it all was also so well written. It isn't often that we find our main characters to be queer and non-binary, and I really wish we would see more of this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2023
This was March’s Feminist Book Club Choice, and everything about it was RIGHT UP MY ALLEY. Frankenstein is one of my very favorite books, so I was so stoked to see a reimagining and dissection of that tale. It’s a biracial, queer, gender-swapped retelling of Frankenstein - that dives even further into some of the disturbing questions into humanity that Frankenstein first unveiled centuries ago. A must read for any Frankenstein fan - I’ll definitely be rereading this along with that classic from now on.
March 1, 2024
My emotions are unwieldy
This story was a delight to read. I wish I had reread Frankenstein before I read this, but I still remembered enough of it to appreciate the wonder of this story. To say that I appreciated the intersectional natures of all the characters’ identities (crossing queerness, genders, cultures) is such an understatement. This year I am aiming to intentionally diversify my bookshelves and this novel was the perfect start to that. I can’t encompass everything I feel about this book into words, but it will stay with me for a long time.
This story was a delight to read. I wish I had reread Frankenstein before I read this, but I still remembered enough of it to appreciate the wonder of this story. To say that I appreciated the intersectional natures of all the characters’ identities (crossing queerness, genders, cultures) is such an understatement. This year I am aiming to intentionally diversify my bookshelves and this novel was the perfect start to that. I can’t encompass everything I feel about this book into words, but it will stay with me for a long time.
February 25, 2023
This book is packed with so many ethical and moral dilemmas, ponderings on love, race, identity, sexism, classism and violence. As I read, I could feel my brain being too tiny to take it all in at once.
I was challenged by this book in a lot of ways. And I'm grateful for that.
I was challenged by this book in a lot of ways. And I'm grateful for that.
April 18, 2023
WHAT HOW ADDIE TSAI PLEASE I NEED TO KNOW HOW WE GOT FROM THE LAST CHAPTER TO THE EPILOGUE PLEASE HOLY SHIT
ok so this book is about ambition and taking what you feel you're owed and phewwww writing was phenomenal what a story
ok so this book is about ambition and taking what you feel you're owed and phewwww writing was phenomenal what a story
April 20, 2023
Classic storytelling. The contemporary positioning of this Frankenstein repackaged tail is one of the best retellings of a classic, I’ve read. Nothing is forced, it spools out twists with huge respect given to the original.
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