Eynhallow

Starred review from November 1, 2023
Eynhallow, an uninhabited island in the Orkney Islands, long considered haunted by Trolls and Finfolk, was home to a few hardy families until 1851. McGregor (Wasps in the Ice Cream, 2022) uses the real place and its eerie history as the atmospheric setting for his compelling and convincing retelling of Frankenstein. In 1797, Agnes is one of 20 souls living on Eynhallow. She spends her days caring for her children, avoiding her husband's wrath, and gossiping with her pregnant neighbor. Life is hard and lonely on the windswept island. Visitors are rare. When a rich foreigner arrives to hide himself away, it upends everyone's lives, especially Agnes', whose husband hires her out to help keep house for the mysterious stranger. Told exclusively through Agnes' strong narrative voice, readers are immersed in the plot and the place, even before Frankenstein arrives, but as Agnes gets to know her employer better, the tension, unease, and danger build, sightings of a monster lurking in the darkness increase, and Frankenstein's curse becomes Agnes' burden. An excellent example of the very best of the popular historical and retelling horror tropes, this unsettling novella will be eagerly devoured by fans of Alma Katsu and Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

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Starred review from December 1, 2023

The latest from McGregor (Wasps in the Ice Cream) is a hauntingly lonesome tale that imagines the bride of Frankenstein. McGregor pummels readers with the desperation of the Isle of Eynhallow and the brutality of life for protagonist Agnes. When wealthy and desperate Victor Frankenstein comes to the island, bringing hope and unthinkable terror, he also brings something else--the creature. This beautifully written story expands masterfully on Mary Shelley's classic tale while comfortably standing on its own and adds a unique spin that will keep readers glued to the pages. The novel boasts near-perfect pacing, compelling voices, and spine-tingling thrills that almost vibrate on the page. It's a true onslaught to the senses and will thrill readers. VERDICT This is a must-buy for libraries that are looking to add fresh new horror to their collection. The story has broad appeal and will entice patrons with its additions to the classic Frankenstein story, as well as horror readers seeking something new. Recommend to those who liked T. Kingfisher's What Moves the Dead and Philip Fracassi's Boys in the Valley.--Jeremiah Paddock

Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from February 1, 2025

McGregor (Wasps in the Ice Cream) offers a retelling of Mary Shelley's classic story that includes its own tragic and terrifying elements. Agnes Tulloch and her family live on the windswept island of Eynhallow. Growing disillusioned with island life and her boorish husband, Agnes, like many other island residents, takes note of the stranger who has come to Eynhallow to work in solitude. Hired to cook and clean for the stranger, the infamous Victor Frankenstein, Agnes finds herself drawn to him, even as the evil he brings sweeps over the island. Many authors have tackled Shelley's story, but McGregor doesn't simply use the story as a shoddy skeleton for his own. He assembles a compelling narrative that steadily becomes monstrous as Agnes and the island get swept up in Frankenstein's machinations. As portrayed by narrator Angela Ness, Agnes is a multifaceted woman who loves her family (her children, at least) but wants something more out of life. Listeners will understand why Frankenstein might tempt her and weep for Agnes as she's consumed by horror and heartbreak. VERDICT Fans of Frankenstein retellings like Victor Lavalle's Destroyer will savor this story of infatuation gone horribly wrong.--James Gardner

Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from February 1, 2025

McGregor's reimagining of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein transports listeners to 1797, as Agnes, one of only 20 residents of the tiny, windblown island of Eynhallow, reckons with the arrival of wealthy and mysterious Victor Frankenstein and the creature he has brought in his wake. Narrator Angela Ness offers an atmospheric listening experience as she viscerally communicates the pall enveloping the remote island. Ness's characterizations are outstanding, adeptly capturing the islanders' plainspoken manner and Agnes's sharp intelligence and protective spirit.

Copyright 2025 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.