If you're looking for a historical setting that combines early science with a little horror, this is the story for you.
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About the author
An inventive new spin on a classic tale - Tesla would approve!
I absolutely love historical fiction, especially when it involves characters from real history whose lives I find very interesting. Nikola Tesla is one of those people for me, with his inventions and visions of what could be setting him apart from a lot of people from his time. From movies to even other fiction, I love when Tesla is featured as a character, and knew right away that this little book would be a fun one for me! Miss Victoria Frank is a young woman with a curious mind and a few skeletons in her closet. She befriends Tesla, a hardworking scientist who feels isolated by his own curiosity, and they begin a working relationship. I really enjoyed the relationship between these two characters; both were sort of outcasts in their own right, Victoria with her inability (and lack of desire) to fit into the traditional roles expected of her as a woman, and Tesla’s insistence that there was more beyond what science had shown them, if they pushed enough boundaries. There were a few side characters that were also enjoyable to read, and felt realistically depicted with their personality flaws and quirks. Kelly Evans’ book is just over the 100 page mark (in the physical paperback edition), which means it’s really quick to get through in a single sitting. With 2020 being the kind of year it has, I’ve relied heavily on books that I can pick up, get sucked into, and finish without having to stop – and The Strange Tale of Miss Victoria Frank was exactly what I was looking for. Quick, perfectly paced, and filled with enough mystery and action that by the time I finished, I was a little surprised at how much Evans managed to include in her story. I really enjoyed the way this one ended as well. Sometimes with a novella, it can feel like the ending is rushed, or like things are left unanswered for the sake of fitting into a certain page count. In Miss Victoria Frank, the ending felt perfectly wrapped up, with no open or loose threads left for the reader. There’s a little bit of a twist to this that I won’t give away, but I will say that I absolutely loved the blend of real historical characters, and fictionalized ones. This was my first book by the author, and I’m so appreciative of her sending it my way for review! I had a lot of fun reading it, and am looking forward to reading more by Evans in the future!
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2020
- Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2020
I absolutely love historical fiction, especially when it involves characters from real history whose lives I find very interesting. Nikola Tesla is one of those people for me, with his inventions and visions of what could be setting him apart from a lot of people from his time. From movies to even other fiction, I love when Tesla is featured as a character, and knew right away that this little book would be a fun one for me!
An inventive new spin on a classic tale - Tesla would approve!
Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2020
Miss Victoria Frank is a young woman with a curious mind and a few skeletons in her closet. She befriends Tesla, a hardworking scientist who feels isolated by his own curiosity, and they begin a working relationship. I really enjoyed the relationship between these two characters; both were sort of outcasts in their own right, Victoria with her inability (and lack of desire) to fit into the traditional roles expected of her as a woman, and Tesla’s insistence that there was more beyond what science had shown them, if they pushed enough boundaries. There were a few side characters that were also enjoyable to read, and felt realistically depicted with their personality flaws and quirks.
Kelly Evans’ book is just over the 100 page mark (in the physical paperback edition), which means it’s really quick to get through in a single sitting. With 2020 being the kind of year it has, I’ve relied heavily on books that I can pick up, get sucked into, and finish without having to stop – and The Strange Tale of Miss Victoria Frank was exactly what I was looking for. Quick, perfectly paced, and filled with enough mystery and action that by the time I finished, I was a little surprised at how much Evans managed to include in her story.
I really enjoyed the way this one ended as well. Sometimes with a novella, it can feel like the ending is rushed, or like things are left unanswered for the sake of fitting into a certain page count. In Miss Victoria Frank, the ending felt perfectly wrapped up, with no open or loose threads left for the reader. There’s a little bit of a twist to this that I won’t give away, but I will say that I absolutely loved the blend of real historical characters, and fictionalized ones.
This was my first book by the author, and I’m so appreciative of her sending it my way for review! I had a lot of fun reading it, and am looking forward to reading more by Evans in the future!
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- Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2020
A historic, gothic piece that seamlessly combines science, classic horror fiction and feminism.
A historic, gothic piece that seamlessly combines science, classic horror fiction and feminism.
Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2020
Victoria Frank is a scientist. The year is 1898, the backdrop is New York City. When those around her would tell her to learn to type, to marry, to have children – she remains a scientist. There aren’t a lot of opportunities for a girl like her, so when her path crosses with that of the famed inventor Nikola Tesla it feels like a perfect fit.
She begins to work in his lab as his assistant. Things feel innocuous at first, but we will learn that Victoria doesn’t simply have a love of the sciences. She isn’t just feeding her desire for scientific knowledge - she is resurrecting her familial legacy.
There is an aspect to this story that makes it special. The aspect revolves around that legacy. The damned context clues are all there, but I didn’t catch it. So, when I discovered this piece (I am struggling not to even hint at it), that part made the book for me. But, if you look closely enough you can figure it out.
This is a short, fairly straightforward story. I appreciated that the science wasn’t blurred by romance. This story was all about the melding of two beautiful minds and Evans kept the bodies out of it altogether. I liked and appreciated that.
In hindsight, I think the ending should have been expected. I should have realized what was coming, but I didn’t. When it happened, it surprised the hell out of me.
I wavered a bit on my rating here. It came down to the change of my personal reading scenery to early 20th century America. I liked the story, but I think the atmosphere and the brevity knocked it up to 4 stars. It comes in at right at 100 pages. I started thinking about what I would rate this if it was a short story in a collection. I know it would be a highlight of any gothic, period horror collection, and the fact is the premise and characters are going to stick with me.
For me it was all about the melding. The vintage feel, I felt like I was reading an old story minus any weird English language issues. Science, the historically significant cast of characters, the feminist themes. “Anything I can do, you’re damn right she can do better.” And, and, and the tie-in to the epitome, the dawn of classic horror fiction.
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