THE WORKSHOP OF FILTHY CREATION by Richard Gadz – Review

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Workshop of Filthy Creation by Richard Gadz
Published by Deixis Press on October 25 2021
Genres: Adult, Horror
Pages: 316
Format: Finished hardcover
Source: Publisher
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The nitty-gritty: Richard Gadz channels Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in this thoroughly original, gruesome thriller set in Victorian London, perfect for fans of classic horror tales.

This was my first time reading a title from Deixis Press, and I have to say I’m very impressed, both by the quality of the story and the gorgeous hardcover edition that the publisher provided for review. I can’t think of a better review to post on Halloween, because The Workshop of Filthy Creation takes inspiration from the granddaddy of horror, Frankenstein!

The story takes place in 1879 Victorian London and centers around several main characters. Wilhelm von Frakken is a brilliant scientist who has successfully reanimated dead tissue using electricity. His greatest achievement is a woman named Maria, pieced together from the dead and brought to life by von Frakken. But Maria isn’t just a walking corpse. She’s got a sharp and curious mind, and she’s surprisingly strong. Her odd features and piercing blue eyes strike fear in passersby, but all she wants to do is understand her place in the world and why she’s having terrible nightmares.

Maria escapes von Frakken’s clutches in Paris and comes to London with Professor George Hobson, but von Frakken isn’t far behind. Enlisting the aid of a couple of dubious doctors—Clements and Polidori, who are secretly performing illegal organ transplants—von Frakken is determined to get back his “property”—Maria—in order to use her to “farm” his future experiments. Luckily, Maria has some sympathetic allies in her corner, but von Frakken’s diabolical vision of the future makes him very dangerous indeed. Maria is determined to end the man who foolishly created her, but von Frakken won’t give up so easily.

The Workshop of Filthy Creation is a fast-paced romp through Victorian London, complete with foggy London streets, gruesome medical practices, terrible working conditions for the poor, and much more. Richard Gadz nails the Gothic sensibility and Victorian-era characters, and the story was practically dripping with atmosphere. Gadz nicely balances nail-biting action scenes with horrific descriptions of medical procedures, and I can honestly say I was never bored. Word of warning to the squeamish: the story doesn’t shy away from graphic descriptions of dead bodies and dead body parts. There are a couple of scenes describing severed heads and exposed spinal columns and the like that fit in perfectly with the subject matter, but they are described in living, bloody color, so do beware. This is von Frakken’s “workshop of filthy creation,” his evil laboratory where bits and pieces or organic matter soak in fluids until they’re ready for use, and I loved every bit of it. 

In Gadz’s story, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was based on von Frakken’s grandfather Victor, who performed successful experiments involving the dead and electricity, and I loved this clever twist on the classic tale. Wilhelm von Frakken is continuing in his grandfather’s footsteps but has taken things to a completely new level, envisioning a time when his practices have become commonplace, a time without illness or disease, and in fact a time when humans are no longer human. It’s a terrifying concept, one that gives the reader plenty of food for thought.

Maria is a wonderfully nuanced character. Not only is she a marvel of science, but despite her pieced-together body, she’s completely self aware and knows exactly what she is, much like the original Frankenstein monster. She’s filled with compassion and understanding of human nature, but there is also a dark side to her personality, and her rage at von Frakken erupts when least expected. Unlike Shelley’s creature, though, Maria has a happier end to her story.

Most of the other characters are more caricature than fully developed, however. Von Frakken is your typical evil mad scientist. Jabez Pell, a factory owner who briefly joins forces with von Frakken, is a slimy businessman whose only concern is to get rich quick. And Clements and Polidori are even slimier, using their healthy patients in their organ transplant schemes.  

The final, exciting showdown between Maria and von Frakken takes place at the Natural History Museum, and Gadz even throws in a lightning storm that harkens back to elements in the original Frankenstein, which I thought was a nice touch. Yes, there are some over-the-top scenes, but they never felt out of place to me. Overall, this was such a well done, well researched and well executed story, thrilling and emotional, and I look forward to more stories from Richard Gadz in the future.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.