The Strange Tale of Miss Victoria Frank - Gothic Horror Retelling
I love a classic retelling, and I love a Gothic horror story. Kelly Evans arrived in my inbox with the perfect combination of both with her recently released novella; The Strange Tale of Miss Victoria Frank. Not only has she done a classic retelling, she’s chosen one of the most fascinating figures in history; Nikola Tesla. Over 100 pages she delights and shocks with a beautifully written horror filled story. Let’s talk about!
“How can there be science without emotion? You mistake the study, Madame, if you believe our pursuit is void of feeling. For does it not take feeling and emotion to inspire us to greatness?”
Premise:
Nikola Tesla is doing lectures in New York City, somewhat reluctantly, as he’s tired of those who don’t really understand the science he’s developing. But he starts to notice an intriguing figure in the front row of his lectures; a young woman. When he is finally able to meet this young woman, he learns her name is Victoria Frank and she has a passionate interest in science. Despite the expectations of society, Tesla invites Victoria to be his assistant. But when the two begin to work together, Tesla discovers something horrific in Victoria.
“Oh, proper, proper, proper, that’s all I ever hear. I will decide what is proper for me.”
What I loved:
This is a hell of a story in only 100 pages. Evans has a great way of writing short and to the point without losing any sort of tension or excitement. This feels like a fully fleshed out story and when it ended, it felt completed. This is a rare feat accomplished in a novella.
The characters are wonderful. There’s not a large cast here; Victoria and Tesla of course, then Victoria’s somewhat boyfriend Edward and her best friend Lily. It all feels very accurate to the times with Tesla’s calm and proper way of speaking, Lily’s excellent fashion sense, Edward’s annoying griping about “proper” females and Victoria – a rebellious young woman trapped within a box society has claimed she must belong. I quickly bonded with both Tesla and Victoria and came to love their strange and scientific relationship. The devastating end hits that much harder as you do care deeply for these people.
The twist – I won’t reveal it here but it is incredibly well done. I was genuinely taken aback about Victoria’s mysterious family history and I love that Evans took the story this way.
“Climbing into her cot bed, she fell asleep quickly and dreamed of lightning, letters, and dead things.”
book mood board, all images found on weheartit
Overall:
The Strange Tale of Miss Victoria Frank is a quick and exciting read for those who love retellings and Gothic horror. It’s a joy to run around this lab as lightning strikes above (I actually got to read this during a thunderstorm!!!) and you feel the hair stand up on your arms. I’m so glad Evans arrived in my life with this lovely story and I can’t wait to read what she has next! Highly recommend this read for those who love (of course) Gothic horror, mysterious leading ladies who fight the patriarchy, brooding male leads who keep their emotions close, plot twists, and scientific experiments gone wrong.
You can purchase the book for yourself at mybook.to/VictoriaFrank
Visit Kelly Evan’s website at https://kellyaevans.com
And follow her on twitter at https://twitter.com/ChaucerBabe
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