Strange Star

January 1, 2018

Gr 5 Up-Lord Byron, Percy Shelley, Mary Shelley, Clare Clairmont, and Dr. John Polidori are all sitting around the fireplace on a stormy night. The goal of the night's assemblage is to "tell a ghost story that will terrify the assembled company." Everyone has had a turn except Mary Shelley, who is uncharacteristically stuck for a thrilling tale. The party is about to turn in for the night when there is a knock on the door. Standing outside is a pale girl named Lizzie, covered in scars like tree branches. She accuses Mary of kidnapping her little sister, and then launches into a story full of intrigue, in which a mysterious scientist named Francesca Stein moved into the mansion on the hill and began conducting strange experiments, culminating in bringing a dead wolf back to life using the power of electricity. Carroll's version of how Shelley came up with Frankenstein is as inventive and thrilling as the novel itself, but the real power of the story comes from the underlying theme of not judging people by their appearance-much like the original, and still a prevalent message today. The book also includes several strong female characters: Lizzie, blind after getting struck by lightning, overcomes many obstacles in order to get her sister back; Lizzie's mom, whose independence from her husband separated her from the rest of society; even Francesca Stein is shown in an admirable light as a brilliant female scientist struggling to break into the profession, until her experiments go awry. VERDICT A entertaining, thoughtful rendition of Frankenstein'sconception. Some readers may not understand the references to the original story, but they'll enjoy it nonetheless.-Tyler Hixson, Brooklyn Public Library

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2017
'Twas a dark and stormy night in 1816 when several literary luminaries gathered at a Swiss villa to spin tales of unearthly terror. Beginning with their host, Lord Byron, the participants--who include Percy and Mary Shelley--embark upon their evening's entertainment but are soon interrupted by the dramatic arrival of a blind English girl, famished and bearing mysterious scars. She has a shocking story of her own to tell, one that includes a comet that portends misfortune; the arrival in Somerset of a reclusive woman scientist, Francesca Stine; a ravening beast preying on livestock in the night; an arrogant cloaked gentleman lurking in graveyards; visions of imminent death; and horrific experiments in the name of science. The sole nonwhite character, Felix, is a former American slave who somehow acquired his freedom and sailed to Europe, where he was hired by Byron's housekeeper. The inclusion of a courageous young person of color who is respected by the white people around him is a welcome novelty in historical fiction. Against the backdrop of the central mystery, the texture of daily life in Georgian England and some of the pressing social issues of the day are vividly portrayed. Suspenseful and atmospheric, the book features an afterword by the author about Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and her inspiration for the characters and plot.An adventure story packed full to the brim with drama--and just the right amount of shivery, fearsome delight. (Horror. 9-14)

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January 1, 2018
Grades 4-7 On a dark summer night in Switzerland, Lord Byron challenges his friends to tell ghost stories, while Felix, a servant boy told to stay out of sight because of his dark skin color, listens at the door. One guest, Mary Shelley, struggles with the challenge. Then, a knock at the door: a half-dead girl named Lizzie with strange scars has appeared on the doorstep, and she has a chilling story of her own. A cometsome say a bad omenpassed over Lizzie's village, and a lightning storm changed her life for the worse. Her inquisitive sister keeps getting into trouble, and a mysterious scientist keeps appearing in the graveyard. As all these seemingly unconnected things come to a head, Lizzie faces an incredible journey, carrying a story that, perhaps, Mary Shelley needs to hear. Frankenstein's influence is clear in this Gothic-infused middle-grade novelthough knowledge of it is certainly not a prerequisiteand Carroll (In Darkling Wood, 2017) is adept at crafting tense, atmospheric backdrops. Effective as an introduction to a classic or as stand-alone horror-lite.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)