There are not so many YA Canadian authors out there. But let me tell you something, Kenneth Oppel alone, counts for a thousand more.
There is no biggest pleasure in the world than to read a book written by Kenneth Oppel. He was born to write and to express his thoughts in the most eloquent and graceful way. From tender and heartwarming moments, to the most gruesome and ghoulish scenes, Mr. Oppel's quill never ceased to dazzle me.
Such Wicked Intend, sequel to This Dark Endeavor, kept me completely absorbed within its pages. Its haunting and utterly bewitching atmosphere, strong cast of characters and out-of-this-word marvelous plot, make this book one of the best YA novels I have ever read.
It is impossible not to love the impulsive, ambitious, jealous and highly arrogant young Victor Frankenstein. Victor, who always wants to prove others that he's right and whose thirst for power is like the one of a man who has been long lost in a desert, is one of my favorite characters in the YA world. But, underneath those pejorative connotations, there is a young man whose heart feels and suffers (as much, or even more than the rest) the lost of his beloved twin brother. Victor's complex personality, if well is full of flaws, I as a reader can easily feel sympathy for him. Kenneth Oppel masters the creation of multi-layered and mountain-thick characters. Victor is the perfect proof of that.
Within the darkness of this book there is so much beauty. Beauty in the writing, beauty in the character's noble hearts, beauty in the outcome. But there is also outrageous ambition. Victor wants to be his own master and create his own rules and limits of what it is possible and not. Again, playing God is an irresistible temptation for Victor. His insatiable hunger for power, and his constant unbearable grieving (emotional and physical), leads him to discover once again the evil secrets of the dark library, now almost completely burned.
With an extraordinary narrative, Such Wicked Intend delivers with fiery passion a grandiose piece of YA literature. Those who seek excellence will certainly find it here. Bravo!
