Customer Reviews

The Remarkable Miss Frankenstein

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

You know, when I read a book I want to be transported to a different place. A place where the laws of nature and rational thought don't necessarily belong. This book took me there.
Clair is an intelligent, independent woman in a time when those character attributes in a woman weren't appreciated. She has a passion and dedication to her science that no one, with the exception of her eccentric family can appreciate. That is until she meets Ian. He alone seems to be able to tolerate her search for the "truth at all costs". You find out later of course that he has a very important reason for keeping her close. What he doesn't realize of course is that he will fall totally in love with her.
There are a lot of historical inconsistencies in this book. That did not bother me one bit. The author took the best bits of history and literature and made them her own. It was a charming and adorable story. A refreshing change of pace from the heavy handed sexual paranormal read. Not that there is anything wrong with that. I heartily recommend this book.

I found it difficult to rate this book as it was alternatingly laugh-out-loud hilarious and boring. Clair Frankenstein is a scientist who wants to win the Scientific Discovery of the Decade Award and is therefore investigating the supernatural, much as her uncle did when he assembled the Frankenstein monster (now known as her cousin Frederick)from various body parts. Her first attempt to find a vampire results in her meeting Baron Ian Huntsley whom she determines is not a vampire when he asks her to go riding in the park in broad daylight. Ian attempts to prevent Clair from discovering the supernatural creatures by distracting her through seduction attempts and then directing her towards the harmless Duke of Ghent. The situations Clair finds herself in are quite humorous, particularly when she witnesses the liasion between Lady Montcrief and the Honorable Christopher Wilder. The intermingling of people and characters from various time frames was also amusing, including Durlock Homes and Professor Whutson, Edgar Allan Poe, and Vincent Price (with his trademark laugh of course). However, I was annoyed by Clair's naive and ditzy letters to her friend Jane Van Helsing and her seemingly inability to use any common sense. Overall, this novel was worth reading but not nearly on the level of Lynsay Sands, Katie MacAlister, or MaryJanice Davidson.

I had a hard time getting into this book. I really liked Ian, but Claire was a little too muddle headed for me. Since I started the book I had to finish it, but by about half way through it I found myself wanting to read it. It is not the best book I have read, but it is also not the worst. I would probably read it again if I had nothing else to read. I would be interested in finding out more about Claire's friend Jane Van Helsing and the vampire Asher (maybe together??).

Being a Frankenstein brings with it high expectations, and a reputation. Clair Frankenstein, niece to the great Victor Frankenstein, is determined to live up to both. To that end, she is on a quest to make the decade's most remarkable discovery before that sleuth, Durlock Homes or the double minded Dr. Jekyll can. Finding a vampire would do the trick. Since she is sure that Ian Huntsley is one, she beards him in his den, as it were, but the baron denies all blood drinking, etc. Though Clair is not certain he's not lying, after all, who would admit to something like that, she continues to search for another vampire, werewolf, or warlock among the ton. Ian is rather distressed by this. He finds Clair very appealing, and is sure she'll get herself killed if she's not careful. He takes it upon himself to, if not halt her intrepid hunt, at least fill it with red herrings. All the while, he battles his attraction to her, until only his love stands between her and a fate worse than death.

**** Half the fun of this book is looking for the jokes. Clair has a plethora of fascinating relations, such as her aunt who is sure she's the Queen of England, Bess Tudor. The ton has never been more interesting than now, as guest "stars", such as Edgar Allen Poe, V. Price, Ozzie and his bewitching cats, Dr. Whutson, and many more populate it. Hidden songs provide a fun soundtrack, if you can mentally hear them over your chuckles, that is. I do hope that Miss Webber will give Asher a sequel. He has potential to be even more intriguing than Ian and Clair. ****

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore, Freelance Reviewer.

This book belongs in a literary category all it's own -- 'tripe'. I paid 50 cents for my copy in a used book store, and am determined to get my money's worth. I am doggedly shovelling through the psuedo-bodice-ripper plot and awkward attempts at humor, though it takes a literary snow plow to do so. When I'm done, The Remarkable Miss Frankenstein will make great kindling for my fireplace. You can bet a monkey on it.

I checked this book out from my library and was looking forward to reading it. I was very disappointed. I can appreciate that the author likes puns (yes, I identified the Beatles songs/lyrics), but they seemed heavy-handed.

In addition, although I realize that some suspension of disbelief is often called for when reading historical romances or the paranormal, some things just grated on my nerves. For example, if I read correctly, the story takes place around 1829, but the author uses quotes from Thoreau. He would have been 10. A character quotes a passage from Yeats' poem "When You Are Old"; Yeats was born in 1865 (there is at least one other reference to Yeats). The main character records pigs with a "new-fangled recording device"; were there any in the early 1800s? I don't think so. There are other time problems in the text.

Overall, I think the author was just too amused at herself and her "witty" plays on words. I found the book sloppy overall. I have never written a review for Amazon, but I was so disgusted I had to vent.

I almost skipped this book but something made me go back and pick it up. What a hoot! If you like punnish humor, finding old friends in the oddest places, and a goofy romanctic entanglement or two, you'll like this book. I nearly fell out of bed laughing when the heorine and her erstwhile self-appointed protector fell out of a closet at an inopportune moment. Most of the classic horror stereotypes are here- vampires, werewolves, the Frankenstein monster (his name is Frederick and the family has adopted him)as well as a twist on some well known characters. (I hope the author is planning to do a book with the VanHelsing clan!)Light reading, but worth it!

I've read every book in the series thus far and was crazy about each one.

"The truth at all costs." It's the Frankenstein family motto and what drives Clair Frankenstein to great lengths to prove her theories that creatures of the night exist. The only problem is that so far she's only succeeded in embarrassing herself! But she's bound and determined to make the Scientific Discovery of the Decade award hers. In Regency England a young woman like Clair is considered more than a little eccentric but with a family like hers it isn't hard to excuse some of her stranger behaviors. When she attempts to prove that Baron Huntsley is a vampire she manages to find both a suitor and a man who will foil her many attempts to prove that while he isn't a vampire, someone else must be.

Headstrong and proud, young Miss Frankenstein won't let London rest in peace until she's won the respect she deserves and proven that she is a woman of science worthy of recognition. Even if that means late night meetings in graveyards, breaking into a warlock's kitchen and annoying Baron Huntsley by constantly putting herself in danger. Will Clair be able to prove that the Wolfman of London exists? That vampires stalk the night in search of fresh blood? That her cousin Frederick, a man made from grave robbed body parts, is less the monster than these creatures of the night?

I'm known for not caring too much for Regency set tales but this one was made all the better for it. I very much enjoyed that, while historically not very accurate, a young woman of decent breeding could romp about London so fearlessly. Clair is a little too-stupid-to-live naive at times but she means well and it suits the story well by allowing Baron Hunstley to foil her. The romantic side of the story is a little dull but I wasn't personally that interested in that as much as whether Clair found her proof. There are definitely a few sex scenes to tantalize the readers who are looking for a little spice though!

The humor through-out was cute and the dialog often really witty which I liked. The carefully mentioned secondary characters such as Edgar Allen Poe, Sherlock Holmes and the Van Helsing family enrich the plot. I particularly found a reference to Poe and a taxidermied raven really cheeky.

Summing it all up I think a reader who likes a good spoof/farce and can handle reading a historical and paranormal romance will find this one charming. It's definitely not dark or sequel-worthy but just the sort of funny tale you can enjoy at the beach or on an airplane. Enjoy!

This book is full of cliches, making it pretty much unreadable. I don't think I've ever read anything so poorly written.

Don't waste your money!