Make Me a Monster by Kalynn Bayron | Gothic Horror Meets Modern Frankenstein Magic

Kalynn Bayron’s Make Me a Monster is a haunting modern gothic that reanimates the spirit of Mary Shelley with sharp emotion, creeping dread, and unforgettable atmosphere.

Kalynn Bayron has quickly become one of my favorite authors, and Make Me a Monster just proves why. While You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight still holds the top spot in my heart, this one comes in as a close second. From the moment I saw the dedication — quoting both Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven — I knew I was in for something dark, atmospheric, and utterly enthralling.

Huge thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC of this novel. I devoured it in one sitting — it’s that good.

A Modern Monster Story with Gothic Roots

The story follows Mika, a young woman whose family runs a funeral home — but there’s more to their work than prepping the dead. Mika and her father have a secret: they can bring the dead back to life. And no, not as zombies — think more Frankenstein’s monster than The Walking Dead.

That premise alone hooked me, but Bayron elevates it with tension that reminded me of Halloween (the original John Carpenter one): you can feel something lurking, you just don’t know when it’ll strike. The pacing is sharp, the tension constant, and the story builds like a heartbeat that won’t let you rest.

Atmosphere, Tension, and the Art of the Reveal

Bayron’s atmosphere is pitch-perfect — eerie, cinematic, and full of dread. The tension is constant, but not overwhelming. You’re waiting for the moment the mask drops, and when it does, it’s so satisfying. The early death and resurrection of Mika’s boyfriend sets the tone, but the true horror lies in the secrets around her: her family’s past, her heritage, and the revelation that she’s connected to the Frankenstein bloodline.

And yes, the monster is still alive — and still very, very angry.

This twist is where Bayron shines. The pacing never falters, the tone stays deliciously gothic, and every chapter peels back another layer of mystery and trauma.

Themes of Grief, Legacy, and Becoming

At its heart, Make Me a Monster is about grief, identity, and the weight of legacy. Mika may work around death every day, but when loss hits close to home, she unravels. Her journey is about learning what it means to live after loss — to confront family secrets, buried trauma, and the lies that shaped her reality.

There’s also a subtle but powerful exploration of womanhood and madness — how grief, fear, and silence are often weaponized against women who dare to question the world around them. Bayron captures that gothic sensibility perfectly, weaving Poe’s melancholia and Shelley’s existential dread into something fresh and resonant.

The Perfect Halloween Read

This book is pure spooky-season perfection — eerie but not gory, emotional but still thrilling. Bayron strikes that perfect gothic balance of beauty and horror. Between the graveyard chills, family secrets, and rising tension, it’s the kind of story that grabs you by the spine and doesn’t let go.

If you love Frankenstein, The Raven, or anything that blends horror with heart, Make Me a Monster deserves a place on your October TBR.

Final Thoughts

Make Me a Monster is a dark, modern gothic that honors Mary Shelley while carving its own monstrous path. Bayron’s writing is electric, her tension-building masterful, and her themes deeply human. It’s part horror, part grief study, and part love letter to gothic literature — and I loved every page.