The Monster of Chateau Du Coeur

By: Jonathan Ferrara

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Two hundred years trapped in this castle, alone and miserable, without a single person to love or even to love such a hideous thing as I. I’ve been left here without a single memory of who I am, except that I was cruelly created in a lab by the Doctor, my Maker, my father, to only replace the son he lost many years ago. I’ve been trapped in this 17-year old body ever since, condemned to rot away in this castle. But then a family finds their way here, a family whose lineage traces back to the original owner of the castle. Amongst the family is a fellow 17-year-old boy, Collin—a boy who I can’t help but find myself drawn to—to love, to eat, I’m not sure. Collin quickly senses my presence, the monster of the castle, lurking behind his bedroom wall, watching him through subtle cracks in the foundation. I’m not alone anymore. The Doctor’s Failed Experiments have begun to appear. It is these three creatures who know the secret of the castle, and of the secret of the Doctor’s first experiment—the one who has sworn to return to take vengeance on all those who rest in the castle—the true Monster of Chateau Du Coeur. We’re all in danger.

Good retelling of Frankenstein

Jonathan Ferrara’s The Monster of Chateau Du Coeur, the second book in The Ghost of Buxton Manor series, reimagines Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein through a fresh, Gothic lens. I always enjoy retellings of classic literature, and like its predecessor, this novel is told from the perspective of the so-called "monster"—in this case, Adam.

While the premise is intriguing, the pacing feels uneven. The first half lingers too long on excessive details and an unnecessary subplot that does little to drive the story forward, while the latter half rushes through crucial developments. However, Ferrara excels at crafting suspenseful reveals that keep the reader engaged. One of the novel’s strongest aspects is Adam’s romance with Collin, a human, which adds warmth and emotional stakes to the narrative. At times, their love story carries the novel when the pacing falters.

Despite its strengths, The Monster of Chateau Du Coeur doesn’t deliver the same emotional impact as The Ghost of Buxton Manor. The first book had a raw, heart-wrenching quality that this installment lacks, likely due to its structural imbalance and overwhelming detail. While still an engaging read with moments of brilliance, the novel doesn’t quite reach the heights of its predecessor.