Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match Book Review

This absolutely hilarious and surprisingly thought provoking fall read by Sally Thorne should go on everyone's October TBR. In Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match, Thorne examines so many interestingly complex topics—but stays true to the hilarity of the concept, making for a wildly entertaining read.

Sally Thorne is the USA Today bestselling author of The Hating Game. She spends her days climbing into fictional worlds of her own creation. She lives in Canberra, Australia with her husband in a house filled with vintage toys, too many cushions, a haunted dollhouse and the world's sweetest pug. You can find her online at sallythorneauthor.com, on Instagram @sallythorneauthor or on Twitter @Sally_Thorne. You can find more of my reviews of her works here. 

For generations, every Frankenstein has found their true love and equal, unlocking lifetimes of blissful wedded adventure. Clever, pretty (and odd) Angelika Frankenstein has run out of suitors and fears she may become the exception to this family rule. When assisting in her brother Victor's ground-breaking experiment to bring a reassembled man back to life, she realizes that having an agreeable gentleman convalescing in the guest suite might be a chance to let a man get to know the real her. For the first time, Angelika embarks upon a project that is all her own. When her handsome scientific miracle sits up on the lab table, her hopes for an instant romantic connection are thrown into disarray. Her resurrected beau (named Will for the moment) has total amnesia and is solely focused on uncovering his true identity. Trying to ignore their heart-pounding chemistry, Angelika reluctantly joins the investigation into his past, hoping it will bring them closer. But when a second suitor emerges to aid their quest, Angelika wonders if she was too hasty inventing a solution. Perhaps fate is not something that can be influenced in a laboratory? Or is Will (or whatever his name is!) her dream man, tailored for her in every way? And can he survive what was done to him in the name of science and love? Filled with carriages, candlesticks, and corpses, Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match is the spooky-season reimagining of the well-known classic that reminds us to never judge a man by his cadaver!

Right off the bat, Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match is wildly entertaining and a book that I felt was literally impossible to put down. I loved how Thorne told this story—starting with a prologue from the point of view of Blackthorne Manor, diving deeply into Angelika's voice and point of view, deviating sometimes (but not always) into Victor's or Will's perspective, until we finally end at our happy ending. The way the story wove through this period in time was absolutely delightful, and kept me so entranced that I was left wondering how it would end all the way up to the end.

This story is a retelling, and one born from fan fiction. Iconic! If you haven't read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, then you absolutely should. Thorne reimagines Mary's story here, and I found this version to be both the perfect lighthearted retelling imaginable. Thorne leans into some of the same complex lines of thought as the original—creation and religion and responsibility and science—while also retaining some unique spins on all the aforementioned topics. Thorne leaning into these complicated thoughts and feelings about identity and creation, as well, just made this book so thought provoking, in a way one might not originally expect from a book of this concept.

Another fantastic element of this book is its concept—the sister of Victor Frankenstein, Angelika Frankenstein, literally makes her match. While Thorne leans into the complexity of thought and feeling related to heavy topics, she also leans into the hilarity of the entire situation. How do you not want to read a book with this concept? Thorne does a great job leaning into how wild this concept is, grounding us with some real discussion, and it just makes the whole book that much more engaging and entertaining. 

I also loved the depiction of the relationships. Angelika's and Will's relationship is understandably complex, and Thorne pulls on all of those threads. But she also pulls on the threads of Angelika's relationship with Victor, their siblinghood as well as their partnership, and the complexities borne out of the combination of those. Thorne also examines Angelika's and Lizzie's relationship, and the complexities of finally gaining a sister, but also being usurped by her. All-in-all, I felt like Thorne developed all the relationships in a really satisfying, complex way. 

Basically, if you can't tell, I was pretty obsessed with this book, and highly recommend it for those who want a fun, lighthearted, autumnal retelling. You can find more from Sally Thorne online at sallythorneauthor.com, on Instagram @sallythorneauthor or on Twitter @Sally_Thorne. You can find more of my reviews of her works here. 

*This review can also be found on my Goodreads page*