Vividly descriptive language and further development of complex main characters keep the narrative intense and engaging. Encounters with dark supernatural powers and the back-and-forth travel to the spirit world (using a drop of a mysterious elixir, a talisman, and a clock) make this book's premise less plausible than its predecessor's; and yet, the improbable doesn't seem so impossible thanks to Oppel's impressive storytelling ability.

– HORN BOOK 

Mr. Oppel is an expert storyteller and an outstanding world builder. Such Wicked Intent is sinister, creepy, even horrific. At the same time it is highly appealing, humanistic, and thought provoking.

– NEW YORK JOURNAL OF BOOKS 

Everything readers love about Oppel is here: his fierce intelligence; baroque but concise prose; developed, unsentimental characters; and ability to keep his eye on the prize�in this case, the stubborn, yet somehow still likable, character of Victor and his slow road to becoming Mary Shelley's mad scientist. 

– BOOKLIST

Oppel writes beautifully, conjuring up an atmospheric and gripping gothic adventure where our foreknowledge of Victor's ultimate quest only adds to the tension.

– DAILY MAIL (UK)

Oppel's second book in The Dark Endeavor Chronicles is every bit as thrilling and engaging as the first one. Such Wicked Intent delves deeper into the psyche of a future madman. Oppel's character development is exceptional, and it is clear that he has done his research. The book draws readers in from the beginning and continues to create suspense as the characters go in and out of the spirit world, where dark creatures lurk. Fans of both Oppel's first book and Shelley's original work will not be disappointed. 

– VOYA

Printz honor-winner Oppel skillfully portrays him as both a troubled teen and the boy who would become Frankenstein. Addictions and lustful encounters add another layer of sophistication to the gothic melodrama. A standout sequel and engrossing ghost story. 

– KIRKUS (STARRED REVIEW)