Broken

Today’s post is on Broken by A. E. Rought. It is the first in a trilogy I think and is published by Strange Chemistry. It is 366 pages long. The cover is blood red with Emma as a white figure in the center and the author/title in black. The intended reader is young adult but if you are a Frankenstein fan you should give this one a try. There is some language, some violence but no sex in this novel. It is for YA and up not for children like just Frankenstein. The story is told from the first person point of view of Emma. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- A string of suspicious deaths near a small Michigan town ends with a fall that claims the life of Emma Gentry’s boyfriend, Daniel. Emma is broken, a hollow shell mechanically moving through her days. She wanders the town in the late Fall gloom, haunting the cemetery and its white-marbled tombs, feeling Daniel everywhere, his spectre in the moonlight and the fog.
When she encounters newcomer Alex Franks, only son of a renowned surgeon, she’s intrigued. He is strangely… familiar. From the way he knows how to open her locker when it sticks, to the nickname she shared only with Daniel; even his hazel eyes with brown flecks are just like Daniel’s. The closer they become, though, the more something inside her screams there’s something very, very wrong with Alex Franks.

Review- I really enjoyed this book. It is a sort of retelling of Frankenstein more of a reimagining. Whereas Frankenstein is the narrator in the original novel; but in this he is just a side scary side character. The point of the story is Emma and Alex. I am a fan of Frankenstein but I never liked the doctor or felt sorry for him. I pitied the creature and again Alex was the one who I felt for. Emma is a good heroine with some fire and some brokenness. Alex is a magnificent character. He is very drawing and pulls feeling of sympathy from the reader. His father is insane, the life he had before is gone, and the one girl who he cannot get out of his head is just a confused as he is. Rought creates a believable town which someone unbelievable happens in. She brings to life these characters with grace, wit, and a little black science but I loved every minute of it. The one scene that I will warn about is when Emma goes to visit Alex in his home as a surprise. That is when she discovers what is really going on behind those closed doors and it was very intense. Rought truly brings home how monstrous Dr. Franks really is. So if you are looking for an excellent reimagining of Frankenstein then look no further than Broken.

I give this book a Five out of Five Stars. I get nothing in return for my review and I was given this book as an ARC for free.