Synopses & Reviews
andlt;Bandgt;Devotion turns deadly in this second Gothic thriller from Printz Honorand#8211;winner Kenneth Oppel that is and#8220;every bit as thrilling and engagingand#8221; (andlt;I andgt;VOYAandlt;/Iandgt;) as andlt;I andgt;This Dark Endeavorandlt;/Iandgt;.andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;When does obsession become madness? Tragedy has forced sixteen-year-old Victor Frankenstein to swear off alchemy forever. He burns the Dark Library. He vows he will never dabble in the dark sciences againand#8212;just as he vows he will no longer covet Elizabeth, his brotherand#8217;s betrothed.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;If only these things were not so tempting.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;When he and Elizabeth discover a portal into the spirit world, they cannot resist. Together with Victorand#8217;s twin, Konrad, and their friend Henry, the four venture into a place of infinite possibilities where power and passion reign. But as they search for the knowledge to raise the dead, they unknowingly unlock a darkness from which they may never return.andlt;Bandgt;andlt;/Bandgt;
Review
* "Printz honor-winner Oppel skillfully portrays [Victor] as both a troubled teen and the boy who would become Frankenstein. Addictions and lustful encounters add another layer of sophistication to the gothic melodrama. A standout sequel and engrossing ghost story."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Review
"Everything readers love about Oppel is here: his fierce intelligence; baroque but concise prose; developed, unsentimental characters; and ability to keep his eye on the prize—in this case, the stubborn, yet somehow still likable, character of Victor and his slow road to becoming Mary Shelley’s mad scientist."--Booklist
Review
"Oppel’s second book in The Dark Endeavor Chronicles is every bit as thrilling and engaging as the first one.... Oppel’s character development is exceptional, and it is clear that he has done his research. The book draws readers in from the beginning and continues to create suspense as the characters go in and out of the spirit world, where dark creatures lurk. Fans of both Oppel’s first book and Shelley’s original work will not be disappointed."--VOYA
Review
"Kenneth Oppel creates a darkly Gothic world so unique it’s not bound by literary traditions.... Mr. Oppel is an expert storyteller and an outstanding world builder."--NY Journal of Books
Review
"Vividly descriptive language and further development of complex main characters keep the narrative intense and engaging.... The improbable doesn’t seem so impossible thanks to Oppel’s impressive storytelling ability."--The Horn Book
Review
"Fans of Kenneth Oppel and This Dark Endeavor will seize upon this tightly written, morbid tale in which the familiar adventurers blossom into more complete, nuanced characters who fight to save themselves from their own worst instincts." < -="" i="" -=""> - Shelf Awareness - < -="" -="">
Synopsis
Devotion turns deadly in this second Gothic thriller from Printz Honor-winner Kenneth Oppel that is “every bit as thrilling and engaging” (VOYA) as This Dark Endeavor.When does obsession become madness? Tragedy has forced sixteen-year-old Victor Frankenstein to swear off alchemy forever. He burns the Dark Library. He vows he will never dabble in the dark sciences again—just as he vows he will no longer covet Elizabeth, his brother’s betrothed.
If only these things were not so tempting.
When he and Elizabeth discover a portal into the spirit world, they cannot resist. Together with Victor’s twin, Konrad, and their friend Henry, the four venture into a place of infinite possibilities where power and passion reign. But as they search for the knowledge to raise the dead, they unknowingly unlock a darkness from which they may never return.
About the Author
Kenneth Oppel is the author of numerous books for young readers. His award-winning Silverwing trilogy has sold over a million copies worldwide and been adapted as an animated TV series and stage play. andlt;iandgt;Airbornandlt;/iandgt; won a Michael L. Printz Honor Book Award and the Canadian Governor Generalandrsquo;s Literary Award for childrenandrsquo;s literature; its sequel, andlt;iandgt;Skybreakerandlt;/iandgt;, was a andlt;iandgt;New York Timesandlt;/iandgt; bestseller and was named Childrenandrsquo;s Novel of the Year by the London andlt;iandgt;Timesandlt;/iandgt;. He is also the author of andlt;iandgt;Half Brotherandlt;/iandgt;, andlt;iandgt;This Dark Endeavorandlt;/iandgt;, andlt;iandgt;Such Wicked Intentandlt;/iandgt;, and andlt;iandgt;The Boundless.andlt;/iandgt; Born on Canadaandrsquo;s Vancouver Island, he has lived in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, Canada; in England and Ireland; and now resides in Toronto with his wife and children. Visit him at KennethOppel.ca.