Being a massive horror fan, especially a fan of classic horror movies, this book reeled me in hook, line, and sinker. Really loved this spin on the making of Frankenstein. The conflict of will the movie get made and how kept me turning the page. It's a fun, loving tribute to the classic horror days and to Frankenstein in particular.
However, I was most disappointed by the ending. It's very rushed, unsatisfactory, and certain story lines are just dropped at a moment's notice. Really would've loved another chapter or two to wrap up the story.
Despite this, it's still a fun read. Pick it up if you're a fan of horror or classic Hollywood. And don't be surprised if it leaves you itching to watch this iconic movie one you're finished reading it.

I really wanted to enjoy this book but it didn’t appear to be based on facts or history and it really meandered without a point. Parts were fun and interesting so the three star rating.

I picked this one up expecting it to be a non-fiction, historical account of the making of Frankenstein, but what I got was a fictionalized story from the point of view of many of the people involved in the making of the film...which was ever better!

I don't know how much was researched and how much was just plain made up, but this was a fun story from beginning to end, even if the ending is already known. Well done Julian David Stone.

I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I originally thought this was a non-fiction book about the making of Universal Studios’ 1931 horror classic, Frankenstein. However, once I began reading it, I found out it was a novel that mainly focused on Universal head of production Carl Laemmle Jr. and the decision whether to cast Bela Lugosi or Boris Karloff as Dr. Frankenstein’s monster.


I do not know enough about the making of the film to tell you whether the book’s contents are truthful or fabricated, but at a ‘big picture’ level, the book is accurate – Lugosi wavered multiple times on whether or not he wanted to play the part. Karloff, virtually unknown at the time, saw the part as the role that would establish him as an actor and launch his career toward stardom. There isn’t a lot of action involved, but the plot is fast-paced.

I gave It’s Alive four stars on Goodreads. It was a quick read that held my interest well. It reveals a lot about Hollywood’s studio system during the 1920s and 30s.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I love everything about the golden age of Hollywood, so when I saw this book on NetGalley I knew I had to request it. It was a book about the behind the scenes goings on leading up to the making of the film Frankenstein. This book is great if you are a fan of the golden age of Hollywood (like me), a movie buff or like the Universal Monsters films. Even if you are not a fan of the golden age of Hollywood, this is just a fun book. Even though I knew how it would end, I started wondering if the outcome would be. This was an entertaining, quick read and I really enjoyed it. I will look for other books by this author as well.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Greenleaf Book Group for an advance copy of this novel about Hollywood and the making of a classic film.

Hollywood in the early 1930's was going through quite a lot of growing pains. Movies had gone from silent to talkies, and though many stars, especially ones who seemed unable to transition to sound thought that talkies were a fad, sound in movies was here to stay. Another debate was what the people wanted. Did they want the same old movies, romances, dances, westerns, safe stories that made lots of money in the past, or did they want new ideas, like the film Dracula which had been a recent success, though few studio executives thought it would be. This battle of ideas is told in the novel It's Alive!, a fictional telling of the creation of the movie Frankenstein by Julian David Stone. A novel about film, family and Frankenstein, and the fight to create a classic.

Junior Laemmle is riding high in Hollywood. Son of Carl Laemmle founder of Universal Studios, Junior had taken a studio doing okay while repeating the past glories, to a studio with big ideas, bigger hopes and a success in the movie Dracula. Made head of production at a very young age, Junior is expecting an even bigger role vice president of the studio when his father arrives for the first time in awhile. Instead of a promotion talk is of the new film, a dark gothic movie with no dancing, a tad of romance, and no slapstick, something his father had always made money on. Junior is banking on the success of these movie to push him and the studio in the big leagues, though he has had a problem landing a star for his film. Which begins shooting on Monday.

A entertaining glimpse of classic Hollywood and the old studio ways of controlling everything. Stone has a very good grasp of the actors and studio people and the dialogue seems true to the era, and believable. The narrative never really drops and while not a thriller does keep the reader flipping to see if and how the movie gets made, which I won't spoil. This is not a behind the scenes film study, there is no making of or makeup tricks, this is more a of family story, about fathers, sons, and creativity and the magic of Hollywood.

Recommended for film buffs and lovers of old Hollywood. Some of the names might not mean much to modern readers, but Stone really captures the feeling and the attitudes of those in power, and those trying to create.

Really interesting story and clearly well researched. As a big time fan of old-school Hollywood, I found this book endlessly captivating. However, I do think there is enough drama and family dynamics explored here to engage readers who may not care for the classic Hollywood setting. I'm looking forward to reading whatever the author puts out next!

It’s Alive presents a fictionalized take on Carl Laemmle and his son, Junior, along with Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, and many others. The main focus is on whether or not Universal should make the movie Frankenstein.

Although Frankenstein was a horror film, this book is not at all. As long as you’re aware there won’t be any horror, it should satisfy you. Both of the Laemmle men were complicated, but I still found myself rooting for Junior, along with Karloff.

What’s funny is that all the filming of Frankenstein was skipped, and there are only a few scenes that are discussed. It works for this book, though.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

In 20th century pop culture there are few more famous cinematic phrases that Dr Henry (Victor in the book) Frankenstein shouting the immortal “It’s alive!” in reference to his monstrous creation coming to life. Although most Frankenstein adaptations feature this iconic quote, it is undoubtedly the 1931 version of the film directed by James Whale, starring Boris Karloff as the monster and Colin Clive as the mad scientist, which made it the stuff of movie legend. Julian David Stone builds his novel around this legendary Universal Pictures film and what went on behind the scenes.

It's Alive may be fiction but is scattered with facts and loosely based on true events, so would be best enjoyed most by those who have an interest in the golden era of Hollywood or old black and white horror films. It is unlikely that those who know little of the subject will be grabbed by a novel about the trials and tribulations of a film producer in the month leading up the first day of filming of Frankenstein. This is a novel for movie buffs, but at a relatively brief 234-pages it also lacked the heavy detail required to get the pulses racing of true Hollywood history geeks. I raced through this story and found myself turning to Wikipedia to verify various facts or connections, particularly those regarding one of the main characters, Carl Laemmle Jr.

The story of the ‘battle’ (much too strong a word!) to film Frankenstein revolves around movie producer Carl Laemmle Jr. who has his heart set on producing the flick and is buoyed by the success of Dracula the previous year. In this period horror was becoming big news in Hollywood and the studios were all seeking the next box office hit. It’s Alive details the conflict Carl has with his father Carl Laemmle Sr. who is the big boss and hates horror and could not understand why Dracula was so successful the previous year. In some ways Carl Sr. is stuck in the old days of silent films and still sees actors like Lon Chaney Sr. as big names. This family squabble (will or wont Jr. be made VP?) was entertaining enough but was hardly the stuff to get pulses racing and casual readers may find it all rather underwhelming and it was skated over with little genuine detail being provided.

The two other character threads might have a wider appeal as they concern the actors Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff. Again, these sequences will be enjoyed much more if you have some prior knowledge of these two screen greats and for the fact that when Frankenstein was filmed the two were at two very different stages of their prospective careers. Lugosi was already a star after his breakout hit Dracula the previous year and a long stint touring the stage version across the states. Karloff, on the other hand, was a down on his luck nobody who until Frankenstein had been living on scraps since arriving from England. It’s Alive portrays Lugosi as a slightly pompous character who dreams of his homeland back in Hungary, but his lust for fame and adoration in the USA is much greater. Karloff is much more down to earth and due to his lack of cash is eager to grab any role which might come his way, including a monster which does little more than grunt.

The novel is built around the well-known film trivia fact that Lugosi turned down the role of the monster in Frankenstein. He was already a star, did not want a grunting role and be (unrecognisably) caked in makeup whilst stomping around. He saw this as a stepdown and the novel lightly explores the inner turmoil Lugosi faces with ‘will he?’ or ‘won’t he?’ moments when it comes to accepting the role of the monster. Interestingly, James Whale has a surprisingly small role in the book and is portrayed as little more than a director or hire, who is equally conflicted with who should play the monster, the star Lugosi or the unknown actor Karloff. Was this enough material to build an entire novel around? I was not convinced and the whole thing could have done with more meat on its bones. Coincidently, Karloff also popped up as a character in Kim Newman’s excellent recent Something More Than Night, which although was set a few years later, was rich with atmosphere and period detail which It’s Alive often lacked.

Details are crucial to the success of this type of novel as the folks who are most likely to pick it up will invariably already be very knowledgeable in the subject matter. For example, Boris Karloff was a stage name for William Henry Pratt, but even his wife called him Boris on several occasions, which I found hard to believe. One would have thought it anybody used his real name then it would have been his wife! However, regarding period details there were lots of other nice touches, Lugosi has a nude painting of actress Clara Bow in his house, who successfully made the transition from silent to talkie films with the two genuinely briefly dated. Clara has a nice part in the book when she muses over how she once thought talkie films were nothing more than a fad!

With It’s Alive it is tricky to figure out what is fact and fiction, but that should not be seen as a criticism as it was a fun read and a light insight into the Hollywood system and the back and forth that went into deciding who played the monster in a truly iconic film. Turning down the role (after changing his mind a few times) was undoubtedly a decision poor old Bela Lugosi later regretted, however, if his career had gone with Frankenstein he might never have made the Ed Wood trash masterpiece Plan 9 From Outer Space!

This was one of my most anticipated reads on Netgalley, so I was really excited when they provided me with a free copy (thanks, Netgalley!). It's Alive! didn't disappoint: a fast-talking read charged with the exciting energy of the early years of Hollywood, this book is a must for film and history buffs interested in the era.

The book covers the tumultuous days before Frankenstein started shooting, and even though I knew the outcome, I still found myself on the edge of my seat as the fate of the movie and its leading actor was decided. The author's skills truly shine when describing the details of the movie-making process, and I learned a few new things about early 1930s Hollywood. I loved the descriptions of each location, from the soundstages to Hollywood nightspots to the dazzling villas of top executives. It was also interesting to read about Junior Laemmle's struggles with anxiety, and the way this conflict was resolved in the end added an interesting emotional layer to the story.

While the prose isn't perfect in places (particularly the opening pages), it doesn't detract from the energy of the story, and the author's solid understanding of both the era and the industry makes up for any run-on sentences. Overall, a solid four-star read.

It’s Alive is a tale of behind-the-scenes shenanigans that ushered into existence one of the greatest movie monsters of all time. Eventually, Universal became inextricably associated with Universal Monsters just as It’s Alive is a call inextricably linked to one of its most famous ones, but back in the day the very fate of the movie hung in the air, batted between the powers that be like a tennis ball at Wimbledon.
Universal studio owner Carl Laemmle and his son Junior Laemmle was firmly in the opposing camps. Junior, the youngblood, believed in the project passionately, his much more conventional dad wanted nothing to do with it. They couldn’t even agree on the casting, yo-yoing between two actors who later came to be (once again inextricably) associated with the monsters they played on screen.
You probably have to be a movie buff to really appreciate all this, but if you are, this book will certainly hold your interest. Its author is a man who’s no stranger to the movie industry and appears to know a thing or two about weaving a compelling narrative about it. The book, as a result, does a great job of bringing a black-and-white movie to life in technicolor. It’s enjoyable to read, well-paced and reasonably succinct. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

Came across this book on Netgalley (who kindly provided me with a copy). Said to myself about the title: "This is the line from Frankenstein."
This book indeed deals with the creation of the movie, especially how the role of the monster seemed to bounce between Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff. We know who got it so it reads like sort of a "Columbo" where we find out how it all came about.
Of course this is strictly for movie buffs, especially fans of the old Universal monster pics. Tough to say how much is fiction and how much is based on facts. After a few run-on sentences on page 1 and 2, it developed into a very breezy read about the three protagonists Lugosi, Karloff and producer Carl Laemmle jr.
Enjoyed it very much, my only beef: While so many books (and movies) are far too long nowaways, this one could have benefitted from being a tad more fleshed out, especially at the end. I know the movies and a little bit of the background but would have liked to read how Laemmle dealt with Lugosi after he did not get the role in the end.
Would wholeheartedly recommend this book to movie buffs...

This was a very good book loved it Love books about movie making especially historical fiction It is about the studio system in the 1930 as well as makin of Frankenstein