Bridging the Gap: Frankenstein and This Dark Endeavor

Reading Gris Grimly's Frankenstein for the first time, I felt like I was revisiting an old friend that had vanished for months on end. In spite of what that comment might suggest, I am not talking about reading Frankenstein from the new illustrated perspective (although I am sure that is a fascinating topic to talk about as well). Rather, I am referring to the "head start" on Frankenstein I got by reading Kenneth Oppel's two prequels to it, This Dark Endeavor and Such Wicked Intent.

This Dark Endeavor and Such Wicked Intent take place in Victor Frankenstein's adolescent years, focusing on events mentioned in passing throughout the original novel by Mary Shelley, like his search for the elixir of life. I did not pick these novels up from my love of the classic gothic novel; rather, I am a massive fan of Oppel's works. He is one of my greatest inspirations for writing because of his creativity and world building skills. I remember staying up into the long hours of a Tuesday night finishing Such Wicked Intent, enraptured in its conclusion despite knowing how much the next day's practice would hurt on four hours of sleep.

Reading Frankenstein for the first time after finishing those two books has made the exercise into a series of revelations and obscure references finally making sense for me. The bolt of lightning that inspired curiosity in Victor early on in Frankenstein acted as the conclusion of Such Wicked Intent, foreshadowing his future in reanimating the dead with energy. Similarly, his quest to resurrect the dead becomes more tragic having read This Dark Endeavor, serving as a dark mirror to his previous mission to save his dying brother from a mysterious illness.

With this background in mind, reading Frankenstein is a lot like playing Minesweeper. The biggest difference is that, instead of losing when I click on an unusual square, an invisible connection between the books is finally created for me. In a strange way, it's immensely satisfying to "get" the books with the original context in mind. I may have to reread them to see what other hidden references will be uncovered with this new perspective.

I am certain some plot threads from Oppel's prequels may have been single-serving, like Victor's twin brother Conrad, the love triangle/quadrangle, and Elizabeth's implied interests in the occult and "darker" sciences. Regardless, I am eager to continue the novel and see what else is in store. Grimly's artwork has undoubtedly made this journey much easier for me than reading a wordy Victorian novel would. Not that I mind Victorian novels - A Hero of Our Time and The Count of Monte Cristo are classics in my eyes - but he has made the story more approachable for time-cramped people like me.

Like that coin toss in No Country for Old Men, everything just lined up perfectly to make this reading of Frankenstein a unique one. I intend to make the most of it.

Works Cited:

Grimly, Gris, and Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. Frankenstein, Or, The Modern Prometheus. Vol. 1. New York: Balzer Bray, 2013. Print.

Oppel, Kenneth. This Dark Endeavor. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2011. Print.

Oppel, Kenneth. Such Wicked Intent. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2012. Print.