Mister Creecher by Chris Priestley
Bloomsbury, 2011. ISBN 9781408827987.
(Ages: 15+) Set in England in 1818, this book follows the story of
Mr Creecher, also known as Frankenstein's monster, who follows his
creator to England to make sure Frankenstein keeps his promise of
making him a mate.
Young Billy, an orphan boy living a precarious life on the mean
streets of London, comes across Mr Creecher lying in an alley.
Hoping to rob his body, he instead becomes reluctantly entangled in
the creature's obsession. In return for Mr Creecher's protection,
Billy agrees to help him track Frankenstein and his friend Clerval
as they slowly make their way from London to the Lakes District, and
then on to Scotland
Billy and Creecher's is an unlikely friendship with
misunderstandings and mistrust undercutting their mutual reliance on
each other. As Creecher slowly reveals his story, Billy is both
horrified and sympathetic to his plight, but can he overcome his
divided feelings and a true friendship form?
Chris Priestly has expanded on the fictional world of Frankenstein
by giving us insights into the life and mind of Frankenstein's
monster, and it is easy to feel understanding at times towards his
quest.
This is a slow, dark, evocative and atmospheric novel, which also
includes a smattering of real life people in the form of the
Romantic poets, and with literary and filmic references scattered
throughout. There are some wonderful descriptive moments, but
the story can be repetitive and clunky in parts. Even though there
is a little humour and wit running through it, the story can never
in reality overcome its sense of impending doom. We know that Mary
Shelley's book ends in tragedy, but you hold out hope for Billy,
whose life is changed in numerous ways by his interaction with the
creature.
The author asks the question can poverty, discrimination, brutality,
abandonment and the lack of love make monsters of us all? Does
your own inhumane treatment justify you treating others
inhumanely? I'm not sure if this question is answered
satisfactorily, but this theme is used to reveal a twist at the end
for those readers familiar with villains in Victorian literature.
A thoughtful, sad read.
Alicia Papp