"[Helga's] voice captures an entertaining yet heartfelt depiction of sheltered girlhood in rebellion. [...] A delightful update on a familiar classic, pulsing with youthful optimism and punk rock attitude."
—Kirkus Reviews
"[A] grotesque creature feature and existential examination of personhood make up this thoughtful interpretation of a snarky teen’s second chance at grappling with body autonomy, personal agency, and familial obligation."
—Publishers Weekly
"Poignant and precocious, Helga oozes teen mentality in its purest, most uninhibited form. [...] A creative Frankenstein reimagining, begging to be read alongside the classic, Helga is dynamic, grotesque, and wonderfully strange."
—Booklist
"[S]punky, funny, and enlightening. [...] VERDICT This book is relatable to any reader just trying to be accepted and learn their place in the world."
—SLJ
"Helga is a stellar narrator."
—BCCB
"A delightfully counter-culture, charmingly grotesque romp of meat and stitches and torn fishnet stockings! Helga is the perfect mash-up of Frankenstein and all the girls finding their place in this bizarre, messy world."
—Andrew Joseph White, New York Times bestselling author of Hell Followed with Us
"Yu is a master of atmospheric, angsty horror. Helga is a vibrant retelling about finding your power and true acceptance."
—Adrianna Cuevas, author of The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto
“Catherine Yu has truly outdone herself in creating a Frankenstein retelling that takes all the horror of its predecessor while revamping it with the neon lights, bubbling humor, and punk sensibilities of the 21st century. Helga is a laugh-out-loud horror comedy romp that's bursting at the sutures with teenage excitement, island whimsy, and a healthy dose of existential fear drenched in sopping gore. This book is an absolute bloody delight.”
— Kayla Cottingham, New York Times bestselling author of My Dearest Darkest and This Delicious Death
08/23/2024
Gr 9 Up—Eighteen-year-old Helga is not your typical teen girl living on a volcanic island—she is a science experiment her father developed; a new twist on the classic Frankenstein story. When Helga's father goes away for a business trip, Helga escapes his lab assistant, Penny, and goes to Amaris City, "a place like no other." She soon finds the night market of the city which is full of clubs, friends, boys, and all kinds of delectable treats. And what do most science experiments who turn into teen girls want? Love. Helga only has so much time before her father returns or disaster ensues. This YA novel is fun to read—it's spunky, funny, and enlightening. Yu presents a refreshing coming-of-age story about a teenage girl who is put together like Frankenstein. During the course of the novel, Helga learns about relationships with boys, friends, and family. Helga reminds readers what it is to be human; there are wonderful things in the world, but not everything is perfect, especially with a young, teenage worldview. VERDICT This book is relatable to any reader just trying to be accepted and learn their place in the world.—Maeve Dodds
2024-05-30
A teenager who was created in a lab tries to find her place in the world while searching for her soul mate.
Eighteen-year-old Helga isn’t like other girls—she’s the result of an experiment by her father, a revered scientist in Amaris City who speaks Mandarin and studied in China, and his 20-something assistant. When she’s finally brought to life, it’s clear that Helga is nothing like the obedient automated machine that her father, enabled by the wealth and innovative ambition of the Institute, originally designed. Despite his disapproval, Helga yearns to learn more about the volcanic island that she calls home, especially the hip area called Downhill. When Helga’s father takes a business trip, she seizes the opportunity to explore. She saturates herself in the people, sights, and sounds of Downhill, and her desire for autonomy and true love grows in urgency. As the clock ticks down to her father’s return, Helga falls for Clyde, a slender, pierced, and charmingly deceptive blue-eyed musician with dreams of stardom, whose ulterior motives could destroy her dreams of freedom. The narrative, told through Helga’s bright-eyed point of view, cleverly pays tribute to Mary Shelley’sFrankenstein. Helga’s inner journey to understanding morality, mortality, and identity is engaging, and her voice captures an entertaining yet heartfelt depiction of sheltered girlhood in rebellion. Helga’s described as appearing Asian.
A delightful update on a familiar classic, pulsing with youthful optimism and punk rock attitude.(Horror. 14-18)
