In “Such Wicked Intent,” Kenneth Oppel returns to the characters that he established in “This Dark Endeavor.” Victor Frankenstein discovers a formula that purportedly can raise someone from the dead. Still mourning the tragic loss of his twin, Konrad, Victor again enlists the aid of Elizabeth and Henry in an attempt to bring Konrad back. Meddling with matters of life and death are forbidden for a reason, however, and the three soon find themselves caught up in a terrifying and mysterious journey that may lead to more heartache.
As a sequel, this book fell short. The characters do not evoke much empathy, and Victor’s hubris is utterly unbearable. The entire story itself seems to have a shaky premise, and while the writing does impart sufficient thrills to maintain a degree of interest, the ending seems sudden and forced. Moreover, the characters do not grow—an essential aspect for any novel. In fact, they seem to be worse off at the end than they were to begin with, and they certainly have not changed for the better. There is a feeling that a third book could follow, yet none is mentioned or available at the time of this review. Despite the promise of the first book, “Such Wicked Intent” simply does not follow through.
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