This Dark Endeavor (Frankenstein, adventure, brothers)

Book Title: This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel

Topic: Frankenstein, adventure, brothers

Thoughts: This tells the story of Victor Frankenstein at the age of sixteen.  For those Frankenstein fans, this is the beginning explaining why Victor Frankenstein decides to create a creature.  One day while playing around the family castle, the children, Victor, Konrad, Elizabeth, and Harold, find a secret passage that takes them to the Dark Library, which contains alchemy books that fascinate Victor. 

When Victor's twin brother, Konrad, becomes sick and the doctors cannot find out what is wrong with him or a cure, Victor decides to use alchemy to find the cure.  The problem is that the children cannot decipher all the languages. They enlist the help of an old alchemist, Polidori, who created an elixir that supposedly can heal a person.  Polidori sends the children for the ingredients, and they have several harrowing adventures.  

Oppel stays true to the Shelley story with Victor's family background and Elizabeth coming to live with the family.  Victor's father tutors the children, but Victor lets us knows throughout his adventures that he did not always pay attention to the lessons.  At times Elizabeth, Harold, or Konrad fill in the missing parts of the lesson.  As a teenager Victor learns that his father is not as perfect as he thought and defies his wishes.

Just like Frankenstein this is a dark book.  I am looking forward to reading the next book for more back story on why Victor turned out the way he did and to see what happens with Victor and Elizabeth's relationship.