This Dark Endeavour
The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein
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2011 Governor General’s Literary Awards Finalist - Children's Literature (Text)
Victor Frankenstein leads a charmed life. He and his twin brother, Konrad, and their beautiful cousin Elizabeth take lessons at home and spend their spare time fencing and horseback riding. Along with their friend Henry, they have explored all the hidden passageways and secret rooms of the palatial Frankenstein chateau. Except one.
The Dark Library contains ancient tomes written in strange languages and filled with forbidden knowledge. Their father makes them promise never to visit the library, but when Konrad becomes deathly ill, Victor knows he must find the book that contains the recipe for the legendary Elixir of Life.
The elixir needs only three ingredients. But impossible odds, dangerous alchemy and a bitter love triangle threaten their quest at every turn.
Victor knows he must not fail. Yet his success depends on how far he is willing to push the boundaries of nature, science and love—and how much he is willing to sacrifice.
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Author Extras
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Critical Praise for
This Dark Endeavour
"...this is his best book yet..."
- Rachel’s Reading Timbits
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"In this stylish gothic tale, first in a planned series, teenage Victor Frankenstein makes a desperate attempt to create the forbidden alchemical Elixir of Life, in order to save his beloved twin brother, Konrad, from an untimely death. Oppel hews closely to the Frankenstein mythos, and with a delicious mix of science, history, and horror, he peers into the psyche of a young man who is beginning to hunger for greater control over life and death."
- Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
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"Oppel has reinvented the gothic thriller for modern readers. The narrative crackles with tension, emotions run high, and the atmosphere is perfectly dark and brooding. The Shelleys would be proud. I definitely recommend you check out the book when it's published August 23. I anticipate This Dark Endeavor will get a lot of attention, and rightly so."
- Rick Riordan, author of the bestselling Percy Jackson series
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"Oppel's novel is a gripping tale of undying devotion, mixing hope with foreboding."
- Horn Book (Starred Review)
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"Brash, jealous, and arrogant, Victor is sweet relief from today's introspective YA protagonists, and one can easily visualize how this teen becomes the mad genius of Shelley's Frankenstein."
- Booklist
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"A dark and dramatic back story for Shelley's tormented creator."
- Kirkus
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"The last 60 pages had me gasping, 'Wowzer!' No doubt teen readers will say, 'Oh my God!'"
- Cleveland Plain Dealer
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This Dark Endeavour
WITH BONUS MATERIAL: Pages from Victor Frankenstein's sketchbook and an excerpt from the upcoming sequel, Such Wicked Intent , available August 2012. Victor Frankenstein leads a charmed life. He and his twin brother, Konrad, and their beautiful cousin Elizabeth take lessons at home and spend their...
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YOU ARE WATCHING: This Dark Endeavour: Trailer Related Link
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