Frankenstein

By Mary Shelley and Oscar Domínguez

Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus, is often referred to as one the most important literary works of all time. Adapted and reprinted thousands of times, and often cited as the birth of the gothic novel and the science fiction genre, Frankenstein has captivated readers for centuries. This stunning edition is designed for a younger audience, complete with breathtaking illustrations and a more accessible, abridged text.

It is the haunting tale of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates cognizant, ghoulish being through a scientific experiment. On a dark, stormy night the creature is brought to life by being shocked with an electrical current harnessed from a lightning storm.

With its grim, but gripping narrative, Frankenstein is the classic story of life and death, humanity and monstrosity, and blurring the lines in between.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Racehorse for Young Readers
• Release date: Oct 17, 2017
• ISBN: 9781631581878

Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley (1797-1851) was an English novelist. Born the daughter of William Godwin, a novelist and anarchist philosopher, and Mary Wollstonecraft, a political philosopher and pioneering feminist, Shelley was raised and educated by Godwin following the death of Wollstonecraft shortly after her birth. In 1814, she began her relationship with Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, whom she would later marry following the death of his first wife, Harriet. In 1816, the Shelleys, joined by Mary’s stepsister Claire Clairmont, physician and writer John William Polidori, and poet Lord Byron, vacationed at the Villa Diodati near Geneva, Switzerland. They spent the unusually rainy summer writing and sharing stories and poems, and the event is now seen as a landmark moment in Romanticism. During their stay, Shelley composed her novel Frankenstein (1818), Byron continued his work on Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage (1812-1818), and Polidori wrote “The Vampyre” (1819), now recognized as the first modern vampire story to be published in English. In 1818, the Shelleys traveled to Italy, where their two young children died and Mary gave birth to Percy Florence Shelley, the only one of her children to survive into adulthood. Following Percy Bysshe Shelley’s drowning death in 1822, Mary returned to England to raise her son and establish herself as a professional writer. Over the next several decades, she wrote the historical novel Valperga (1923), the dystopian novel The Last Man (1826), and numerous other works of fiction and nonfiction. Recognized as one of the core figures of English Romanticism, Shelley is remembered as a woman whose tragic life and determined individualism enabled her to produce essential works of literature which continue to inform, shape, and inspire the horror and science fiction genres to this day.

Book preview

Letter 1

St. Petersburg, Dec. 11, 17—

To Mrs. Saville, England

YOU will rejoice to hear that your terrible fears about my trip are unfounded. I arrived here yesterday, and the first thing I want to do, dear sister, is assure you that I am well and growing more confident that my work will be a success.

I am north of London, in St. Petersburg, Russia; and as I walk the streets, a cold northern breeze plays upon my cheeks. It awakens me and fills me with delight. It is a wind of promise that makes my daydreams passionate and clear. As I head for the North Pole, everyone warns me that it is frosty and empty, but I only see it as a region of beauty and delight. There, Margaret, the sun never sets; its broad disk touches the horizon and breaks up the light to create a scene of splendor.

Anything is possible in a place where the sun always shines, a place that has the power to turn a compass needle in its direction. It is my dream to see a part of the world no man has visited, where there are no footprints. I am so drawn to this place that I have no fear of danger nor death. I begin this difficult voyage with the joy a child feels when he and his friends set out in a little boat to explore a local river. Even if I am wrong about everything, you can’t deny that my mission, to discover a new, faster route between countries by way of the North Pole, will benefit all mankind for generations. Today, it takes many months to get there. Perhaps I will also finally understand the secret of magnetism at the pole. That is something only a journey like this can make possible.

I have imagined this trip since childhood. I’ve read of voyages to discover the North Pacific Ocean through the seas around the pole. You may remember our good Uncle Thomas’s library was filled with histories of all the voyages made in pursuit of this discovery. I was a poor student, but I was always fond of reading. I studied these books day and night, so it was all the more painful when my father, on his deathbed, forbid my uncle to let me sail the seas.

These dreams faded when I read the great poets for the first time. Their work lifted my soul to heaven. I became a poet for one year, and it was paradise. I imagined I might one day be as beloved as Homer and Shakespeare. But, as you know, I failed as a poet and was terribly disappointed. But when I inherited a fortune from my cousin, my thoughts returned to my dreams of adventure and exploration.

I have planned this voyage for six years. I remember the exact hour I made my decision. My first task was to train my body to be strong. I accompanied whalers on expeditions to the North Sea; I voluntarily endured cold, hunger, thirst, and lack of sleep. I often worked harder than the common sailors during the day and spent my nights studying mathematics, medicine, and physics. Twice I worked on a Greenland whaler in a job below my station. I must admit I felt a little proud when my captain offered me a promotion and asked me to stay on; that’s how valuable he considered my services. And now, dear Margaret, after all that, do I not deserve to accomplish something great? My life might have been passed in ease and luxury, but I chose glory over wealth.

This is the best time of year for traveling in Russia. Sleds fly quickly over the snow, which offers a far smoother ride than an English stagecoach. It’s not too cold if you are wrapped in furs, which you need, lest your blood freezes in your veins. I do not plan to lose my life on the road to Archangel. I shall leave in two or three weeks, and my intention is to hire a ship there and as many sailors as I think necessary. I do not intend to sail until June and when shall I return? Ah, dear sister, how can I answer this question? If I succeed, many, many months, perhaps years, will pass before you and I may meet again. If I fail, you will see me again soon, or never. Farewell, my dear, excellent Margaret. Heaven shower down blessings on you, and save me, that I may again and again thank you for all your love and kindness.

Your affectionate brother,

R. Walton

Letter 2

Archangel, 28th March, 17—

To Mrs. Saville, England

TIME passes so slowly here, where I am surrounded by frost and snow! But I have taken an important second step. I have hired a ship and started taking on sailors; they seem dependable and courageous.

But I am lonely and have no friends, Margaret. If I am successful, I’ll have no one to share my joy; if I fail, no one will comfort me. And writing is a poor substitute for a friend. I need someone like me, who understands me, who can sympathize, help me reason out my plans, and balance my faults. I am too passionate and impatient. Even more important, I want a friend more educated than I. When I studied those voyages in our uncle’s library many years ago, I realized I needed to learn languages. Now I am twenty-eight and more illiterate than many schoolboys of fifteen. I need a friend who will not hate my daydreaming, but care enough to keep me on track. These are useless complaints; I will not find a friend on the wide ocean, nor here in Archangel among merchants and seamen. Still, even these lowly, rugged men have some feelings. My lieutenant, for instance, is brave and hard working; he wants glory, to get ahead. He is a coarse, lower-class Englishman, but still has great humanity. I first met him on a whaling vessel. He was unemployed, so I hired him for my voyage. His kind and gentle nature stands out on the ship.

I spent a great deal of time alone as a child. The years I was being raised by you were my best. But your gentle, feminine nature made me so refined I cannot get used to the brutality of the men on board ship. Yet do not suppose, because I complain a little, that I am giving up on my dreams. Those are as fixed as fate, and my voyage is only now delayed by poor weather. The winter has been dreadfully severe, but a mild spring promises to come early, so perhaps I may sail sooner than I expected. I shall do nothing rashly: you know I will be wise and considerate, especially when others are in my care.

I cannot describe how excited I am, half happy, half fearful. I am going to unexplored regions, to the land of mist and snow, driven by my love of poets and their passion for the mysteries of the ocean. There is something at work in my soul which I do not understand. I am practical and driven, but a dreamer, which makes me different than most men, makes me want to travel the wild sea and explore these unvisited regions. But to get back to more important matters … Shall I meet you again, after crossing immense seas, and coming back by way of the most southern cape of Africa or America? I dare not expect such success, yet I cannot bear to think about things going wrong. Continue for the present to write to me whenever you can; I may receive your letters on some occasions when I need them most to lift my spirits. I love you very tenderly. Remember me with affection if you never hear from me again.

Your affectionate brother,

Robert Walton

Letter 3

July 7th, 17—

To Mrs. Saville, England

My dear Sister,

IWRITE a few lines in haste to say that I am safe—and well along on my voyage. This letter will reach England by a merchant sailor on a ship traveling home from Archangel. He is more fortunate than I, who may not see my native land, perhaps, for many years. I am, however, in good spirits: my men are bold and dedicated, nor do the floating sheets of ice that continually pass us appear to dismay them. We have already reached a very high latitude; but it is the height of summer, and although colder than England, the southern winds that blow us speedily towards my destination are warmer than I’d expected.

There are no remarkable incidents to write about, other than one or two stiff winds and the springing of a leak. I will be happy if nothing worse happens to us during our voyage.

Farewell, my dear Margaret. Be assured that for my sake and yours I will do nothing dangerous. I will be cool, determined, and wise.

But I shall be successful. Why not? So far I have found a safe way over these unexplored seas, the very stars witnessing my triumph. Why not proceed? What can stop the determined heart and will of man?

My full heart wants to write forever … But I must finish. Heaven bless my beloved sister!

R.W.

Letter 4

August 5th, 17—

To Mrs. Saville, England

SUCH a strange accident has happened that I cannot bear writing about it, although you will probably see me before you receive this letter.

Last Monday (July 31st) we were nearly surrounded by ice, which closed in the ship on all sides. The fog was thick. It was dangerous. We waited, hoping for warmer temperatures and better weather.

About two o’clock the mist cleared, and we saw vast, uneven sheets of ice in every direction as far as the eye could see. We were all growing anxious when a strange sight distracted us from our problem. We saw a low carriage fixed on a sled drawn by dogs. It was half a mile north. A being that looked like a gigantic man sat in the sled guiding the dogs. We watched the fast-moving traveler through our telescopes until he was lost behind an uneven section of ice. It was amazing. We were hundreds of miles from land, but this mirage made it seem like we must be closer. We were ice-bound so we couldn’t follow him. About two hours later we heard the ice crackle, and before long our ship was free. But we waited until morning so we wouldn’t hit any of the large, loose chunks of ice that might still be floating about. I used this time to rest for a few hours.

As soon as it was light I went up on deck and found all the sailors busy on one side of the vessel, apparently talking to someone in the sea. It looked like the sled we had seen. It had drifted toward us in the night on a large chunk of ice. Only one dog was still alive; but there was also a human being whom the sailors were trying to get onto our ship. He was not the other huge traveler, who seemed to be from some undiscovered island, but a European. When I appeared on deck, the ship’s master introduced me. Here is our captain, and he will not allow you to die on the open sea.

The stranger addressed me in English, but with an accent. Before I come on board your vessel, said he, will you have the kindness to tell me where you are going?

I was astonished that a man on the brink of destruction would care where we were headed when we were saving his life. I replied, however, that we were on a voyage of discovery towards the northern pole.

He appeared satisfied and came on board. Good God! Margaret, if you had seen the man! His limbs were nearly frozen, and incredibly thin from his fatigue and suffering. I never saw a man in such a bad condition. We attempted to carry him into the cabin, but as soon as he was below deck he fainted. We accordingly brought him back outside and gave him a little brandy. As soon as he showed signs of life we wrapped him up in blankets and placed him near the chimney of the kitchen stove. Slowly he recovered and ate a little soup, which restored him wonderfully.

Two days passed before he could speak, and I feared that his sufferings had damaged his mind. When he was well enough, I put him in my own cabin and tended to him when I was not on duty. I never saw a more interesting creature: his eyes are wild, somewhat mad, but if anyone is kind or does him a small favor, his face lights up, as it were, with a beam of kindness and sweetness like I’ve never seen. But he is generally sad and despairing, and sometimes grinds his teeth.

When my guest was a little better, I had to keep the men from asking him a thousand questions. I would not allow it since he needed rest. Once, however, the lieutenant asked why he had come so far upon the ice in so strange a vehicle.

His face took on a gloomy expression as he replied, To seek one who fled from me.

And did the man whom you pursued travel in the same fashion?

Yes.

Then I fancy we have seen him, for the day before we picked you up we saw some dogs drawing a sled, with a man in it, across the ice.

This aroused the stranger’s attention, and he asked lots of questions concerning the route which the demon, as he called him, had traveled. Soon after, when he was alone with me, he said, I have made you and your crew too curious. Please be considerate and don’t ask any more questions.

Certainly; it would be rude and inhuman to trouble you with any more questions.

And yet you rescued me from a strange and dangerous situation; you have kindly restored me to life.

Soon after this he asked if I thought that the breaking up of the ice had destroyed the other sled. I could not answer for sure. The ice had not broken up until nearly midnight, and the traveler might have arrived safely on land before then. Suddenly, he was eager to be up on deck to watch for the sled we had seen; but I persuaded him to remain in the cabin, for he was far too weak for the cold, raw air. I promised that someone would watch for him and give him an instant report if any new object should appear.

That’s my journal entry about this strange occurrence. The stranger has gradually improved in health but is very silent and appears uneasy when anyone except myself enters his cabin. Yet his manners are so

Reviews for Frankenstein

[moniquesnyman-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A classic isn't a called a classic because it's a run-of-the-mill type of book. It's a groundbreaking novel/movie/song that inspires people and stays with you forever, and it's likely that it won't be topped in one, two or sometimes three generations. A classic is a classic because it's unique, and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is definitely a classic. The prose is beautiful, the story is gripping and the book itself is absolutely breathtaking. As far as horror is concerned, this is one of those must-have classics that you can revisit every couple of years.

But we all know the story about Frankenstein and the monster he creates out of body parts. We all know who Igor is and what happens in the end, I mean, if you haven't read the book then you've probably watched one of the movies, right? So, instead of going on and on about the plot we all know about, I'm going to talk about the beautiful book. Seriously, this is one super pretty book. It's in Penguin Books' horror series, recently brought out for horror fans that includes five other fantastic titles (American Supernatural Tales was one of them). This is one pretty edition for one creepy tale ... in other words, you'll freaking love it if you have a thing for horror books. Also, I'm pretty sure it'll be a collectors edition in the not-so-distant future.

If that doesn't appeal to you, and you need a little something extra, rest assured that I can sweeten the pot for those folks on the edge. Guillermo Del Toro is the series' editor and there's a nice little introduction by him. Yes, he's not all movies all the time, sometimes this horror director makes time for books too!

So, yes it's pretty, yes it's a great edition and yes, the editing is great. As far as I'm concerned you can donate your other editions of Frankenstein to the less fortunate, because this one just looks so much better on a bookshelf.

[aseikonia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the second or third time I've read this and it's just as marvelous as before. A tale within a tale within a tale by a literary mastermind at the height of her genius.

[cindywho-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is another one I'd just never gotten around to reading. The story is far from what popular culture has made of it (I confess I was most familiar with the Young Frankenstein version) The monster is much more vocal and interesting. Victor is kind of a weenie and it's all a bit overwrought. I listened to the audiobook from the classic tales podcast and the narrator was pretty good, obviously enjoying all the "begone!s" and "wretchs"

[dalepeters_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Disappointing, especially for such a highly regarded "classic". 5% action, 95% describing how everyone *feels* about what just happened.

[reading_fox · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Seminal fantasy work, one of the early defining books of fantasy genre. Shame it isn't more readable though I suspect that's just my more modern tastes.

[ladycalamity · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Amazing book. It's so much more than I thought it would be. Very interesting!

[kellyholmes-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A chilling tale! I read this in high school, which was a while ago, but even thinking about it now gives me the creeps.

[maddi-815887 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's a wonderful, intense and superbly written novel.Don't be afraid to read it even if you don't like the genre.

[maryh10000 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Considered by many to be the first science fiction novel.

[ladypembroke · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have thought, but this being a classic piece of literature, I'm not going to write them down for posterity. That never served me well in lit classes, and I don't foresee it going well on the internet.

[deusxmachina-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I love this book so much more than any of the movie adaptations I've ever seen (actually, for anyone seeking horror and thrill in a story, this may be a huge disappointment), but in comparison to other novels of that genre and time period it's far from being flawless.I love the ideas in this story - the idea that one has to take responsibility for their creations, the idea that a being can be as gentle and good as a lamb, it will inevitably become a monster if it experiences nothing but rejection, the idea that just because something is scientifically possible doesn't mean that it should be done. Despite all the Romantic dressing up in this novel that makes it very clearly a product of its age, these premises are still modern and relevant.My gripe is with the characters. I'm aware that this is probably the 21st century reader in me, but - gods almighty, that Victor is a pathetic, self-absorbed piece of selfpity, full of "woe is me", much more fixated on his own emotions and tragic history than on the danger he has released carelessly on the world and without much reflection about his own role in this disaster. All his relationships seem shallow and superficial, and the only woman with a meaningful role in the story gets classically fridged to give him the final push.One day I'll have to read an adaptation from the wretch's point of view. His actions, reactions and justifications seem so much more interesting than Victor's.

[mdabril · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Frankenstein is one of my all-time favorite books, but it's important to understand why people like my enjoy it. If you haven't read the book, it may not be what you think.I love Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. To be clear, she is not the best author ever. Some aspects of her writing are a little juvenile and at times ever downright boring. Even though she herself was a woman, her female characters tend to be somewhat shallow and idealistic. Nevertheless, Shelley has a unique and gifted mind that is almost even prophetic in character. Her novel "The Last Man," for example, is one of the first to imagine the extinction of the human race, which is now a real possibility and an important area of thought. Similarly, Frankenstein is not altogether novel, since it builds heavily on earlier Romantic language, concepts, and images especially from Goethe and Mary's husband Percy Shelley. Nevertheless, she outdoes them by imagining in a prophetic way what the technological creation of new life could mean for the human person.With this in mind, let's be clear that Frankenstein is NOT a scary book, NOT about some dim-witted or pathetic monster, and NOT a source of cheap chills and thrills. It is first and foremost about the scientist who creates the monster. He does so out of a genius that unites both modern science and premodern thinking. Specifically how he makes the monster is beside the point; Shelley is secretive on this matter so that we do not get lost. It is not evident, for example, that he makes it from corpses; he uses corpses for study, but he seems to fashion the monster directly.The principle point of the book, therefore, is the emotion of Frankenstein as he comes to terms with his own creation. That which he fashioned to be beautiful, wonderful, superior to humanity turns out in fact to be hideous, ugly, and terrifying. The monster is superior to his maker in intelligence and power but not morality, and this forces Frankenstein to face his own unworthiness as a creator.Thus while Frankenstein the book is born out of Romantic ideas about the genius, the excellence of humanity, and the transcendence of the Promethean man--the one who dares to challenge the gods by taking upon himself the act of creation--it also profoundly serves as a counterpoint to the same Romantic spirit. This new Prometheus turns out to be a mere, weak man, who cannot quite come to terms with what he has created. Thus like her book "The Last Man," Shelley poses a vital question: Is humanity really still the gem of creation, or will the transcending force of nature ultimately leave us behind in the dust from whence we came?Frankenstein is thus a book that every reader of English should engage at some time. It would help, however, to have some familiarity with Romanticism (see an encyclopedia) and to spend some time reading some poems by other Romantic writers such as Percy Shelley. A brief look into Mary Wollstonecraft's Shelley biography might help as well, since I would argue that she is deeply shaped by the continual tragedies of her life, including the loss of her mother at an early age and a complex relationship with her father.

[jalenv_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My sympathies are with the monster. Victor von Frankenstein was a responsibility-avoiding, self-absorbed jerk!

[jonfaith · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As an eight year old child, I found myself in love with horror films. It was a Scholastic Press survey of horror cinema for children which appeared to crystallize this fascination. It was terrible time for a kid. We had moved twice in four years and my mom had left. My dad was traveling for work and a series of housekeepers and sitters were keeping the home fires burning. It is no surprise that I was reading all the time and staying up too late watching inappropriate films on television. That said, I was never drawn to Frankenstein.

The father of some neighborhood friends used to proclaim the superiority of all the Universal films, especially to the hyper-gore films of the late 70s. I could agree with Bela Lugosi or Claude Rains (as the Invisible Man) but I wasn't moved by Lon Cheney Jr's Wolf Man or the lump of clay which was Frankenstein's monster. It remains elusive to distinguish.

It was with muted hopes that I finally read Frankenstein this past week. I was pleasantly surprised by the rigid plot which slowly shifts, allowing the Madness of the Fallen to Reap Vengeance on the Creator (and vice versa). Sure, it is laden with symbols and encoded thoughts on Reason, Science and Class. Frankenstein remains an engaging novel by a teenager, one doomed by fate. It is prescient and foreboding. Highly recommended.

[drardavis · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Despite its 19th century style and vocabulary this story still horrifies, partly because the gruesome details are left to the imagination. Victor Frankenstein does not reveal how he reanimates the creature. Stephen King would have spent several bloody chapters arranging the guts and brains and eyeballs. The motion picture image of the creature is only supported by Shelley’s description of the watery yellow eyes and the straight black lips. The pearly white teeth, lustrous flowing black hair, limbs in proportion, and beautiful features give a more godlike aspect to the monster. The violence is barely described. A dead body with finger prints on its throat. An execution. Some screams and sticks and stones to drive the creature out of a cottage. Even the death of Victor’s fiancee is but a muffled scream in a distant bedroom and a body on the bed. The true horror is symbolic, mythical, ethical, and metaphysical. Mary Shelley describes the consequences of hubris in prose while her husband gives a similar image poetically in Ozymandias. “Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.”

[faith_murri · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful.
I have to admit, I was somewhat weary of this book. Despite its short page count, it is very wordy and has long, large paragraphs, and that made the prospect of reading this rather daunting. However, I swallowed my pride and did it, and was greatly rewarded.

I do know that for the sympathy of one living being, I would make peace with all. I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and rage the likes of which you would not believe. If I cannot satisfy the one, I will indulge the other.
Frankenstein and his creature are both so interesting and complex; they're also both so pitiful. So much of their anguish and sorrow could have been avoided if not for human pride. They are both agents of horror and destruction in both action and inaction, and that made for a really interesting story.

Besides that, it's extremely quotable.

Life, although it may only be an accumulation of anguish, is dear to me, and I will defend it.
I was amazed at how Hollywood has continuously gotten the story wrong, so much so that this book felt entirely unique and the twists were effective. I don't know whether I should scorn or love Hollywood for their utter failure to accurately adapt this book into a faithful film. On one hand, this book deserves a great movie. On the other, the plot integrity of a very old book was maintained. The television show Penny Dreadful had a Frankenstein story line that was remarkably close to the source material considering, and the few big changes it made were justified in the larger story.

I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend. Make me happy, and I shall again be virtuous.
The themes in this were amazing! I love complex characters and dark, ambiguous morality in my literature. To be completely honest, I sympathized with Frankenstein way more than the monster, which I hadn't thought I would going into it. I loved both characters though.

Overall, it's a great book with an awesome story, and everyone should read it.

[solitaryfossil · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Why did I wait so long to read this? An excellent novel and highly recommended. Wonderful.

[fyrefly98 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Summary: Victor Frankenstein, the son of a wealthy Geneva family, was encouraged in his pursuit of the study of the natural sciences, and from his reading gleans the idea of creating life from non-life. So he builds a creature from human body parts, and animates it, and is then struck by the horror of what he's done, during which time the monster escapes. It soon learns that it is monstrous, and by hiding in a shed near a house with a family, learns language. It vows vengeance on Frankenstein, for creating it and abandoning it, and proceeds to kill those that Frankenstein loves, and to destroy his every chance for happiness.Review: This was a really fascinating read, and made for a surprisingly intense discussion at book club. I'd grown up with the pop-culture monster image in my head, and I knew enough to know that Frankenstein was the scientist, not the monster (although does his behavior make him the one that's truly monstrous? Discuss.), but I'd never before read the actual book. I was surprised how much of it doesn't match the Hollywood version, and by how much of it's from the monster's point of view - he's very articulate, which surprised me.The prose was really pretty dense - no point in saying once what you can say three times with a bunch of adjectives, I guess - and there was a lot of wailing and (metaphorical) gnashing of teeth and rending of garments, which got a little bit (a lot, actually) tiring. But I liked that it could be read on a number of levels - as a horror story, as a story about scientific ethics, as a story about the human condition and what it really means to be human, so that was all great. I also entertained myself as I was listening by seeing how far I could carry my theory that Frankenstein himself actually was murdering all those people - several times throughout the novel he goes into fits and has a fever from which he doesn't recover for several weeks, and when he does, someone else close to him is dead. It doesn't quite hold up throughout the entire story, but I thought it made an interesting possibility. 3.5 out of 5 stars.Recommendation: I didn't love it, but it's absolutely worth reading, both to get the real scoop on the mad-scientist cliche, and to provide lots of really interesting possibilities for debate with others.

[jbarringer-2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I wanted to like this book more than I did. The story of Frankenstein is in pop-culture enough that I knew pretty well what the book was about. What I didn't expect was how pathetic Frankenstein is, whining about everything and taking almost no responsibility for his own thoughts and actions. He gets awfully dramatic about his early education, as if he could really blame one conversation in his youth for his entire adult obsession over making his monster. Similarly, the monster seems incapable of taking responsibility for his choices and actions, even after he has become the articulate, intelligent creature he is when he starts killing people. I suppose if Frankenstein is a restrained sociopath, and Frankenstein is an expression of his repressed fantasies, maybe it makes some sense, but since Frankenstein narrates most of the story (in his whining style) I found this book to be a slow and not-so enjoyable read.

[khrystibooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was excellently written and very philosophical, and way depressing. It's also very worth reading.

[soylentgreen23 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Good: The quality of this story, in terms of the ideas it contains and the philosophical musings it provokes, is far greater than that of the various movie versions.The Bad: The quality of the writing is not always equal to the quality of the story. This is very much a book written by a relatively young woman, trying to impress a literary scene with her abilities. The dialogue is very weak at times, and there are strange moments when Frankenstein collapses into a fever that last months and months, just to give his creation time to explore the world he finds himself in.The Ugly: Yes, the creature is ugly and terrible, but also very, very interesting. This thinking, moralising monster is much more worthy of our attention than the giant imbecile that haunts the cinema. Reading the story, one also wonders if the general public (or the press) has it right in describing genetically modified food as 'Frankenfoods'. The monster is only evil when he suffers the evil of society around him; he has an overwhelming capacity for love and for good.

[caterpillarqueenie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It was good:)

[elfortunawe · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is one of those classics that everyone knows about but that few ever actually read. The actual content of the book is so different from what people believe they know about it that I can't help but think someone (probably long dead by now, and safe from prosecution) has played an elaborate prank on the world, for reasons which will likely remain forever lost to the gentle perturbations of passing time.The story has a nested, tripartite, epistolary structure, being presented as a collection of letters by a young polar explorer named Robert Walton to his sister in England. Within this is nestled the story of the eponymous Dr. Frankenstein, who is found by the explorer and his crew on the pack ice. And comfortably holstered in Dr. Frankenstein's tale is the narrative of the life of Frankenstein's Monster, who relates his story to Frankenstein in the Alps, prior to Walton's discovery of Frankenstein near the North Pole.Mary Shelley was a Romantic, and, like most Romantics, was rather prolix and agitated. The novel maintains a fairly constant emotional tone, leaving the reader feeling a bit drained after only a few pages. All 3 of the narrative voices seem to be constantly on the edge of some unbearable sensation. Sometimes it's joy, but for the vast majority of the work it's despondency, so it's best taken in small doses.It might be easy to take this famous story for granted, but the reader should remember what a novel blend of ideas this was for the time. It's influence has been so thorough that it can be difficult to detect it's presence, but it can be readily perceived in the works of H.P. Lovecraft.

[bohemima · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The book is different from the movie.How often have we heard and said that? In the case of Frankenstein the differences even more difficult than usual. The classic horror movie with Karloff is, oddly, more true to the essential message of the novel than one might expect—although the plot details are way off.We start with a framing device: Frankenstein has been rescued by a ship’s captain from the frozen waters of the far north. He (Frankenstein) tells his awful (in all senses of the word) tale. Frankenstein’s unhealthy curiosity and hubris lead him to create a “man.” This well-meaning, if bizarre, experiment doesn’t go well. Horror, murder, and mayhem ensue.But this isn’t just a Gothic romance designed to thrill the heart of the innocent reader. Instead it’s a study of what happens to a creature who is feared, hated, and rejected by everyone, including his creator. The reader soon realizes that if the Creature had been afforded even a modicum of compassion and understanding none of the evil would have ensued. This idea is well-realized in the movie from the 1930’s.Frankenstein is often read as a study in hubris and pride; the doctor is seen as impious at best and Saranic at worst. None of this is supported by the text.The book retains its suspense and compulsion to keep turning the pages even on a third or fourth reading. An excellent moral tale, couched in enough melodrama to please any lover of sensational fiction. There’s nothing prurient or gross to keep it from young or sensitive readers. Highly recommended.

[engpunk77 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Quality!

At one time this was my favorite classic novel--I've read it 4 times for 4 different classes and it's amazing how many different interpretations are out there regarding the nature of the monster! One professor believed he didn't exist at all--a figment of Victor's imagination or a manifestation of his oedipus complex. The fact that the men at the end witness the existence of the monster is an example of group hysteria. That's my favorite thesis and I wish I could remember the name of my professor that suggested it to give her credit!
A chilling and complex tale that examines the relationship between man and his creator, feelings of isolation and rejection, and monstrosity. A psychological thriller as much as a horror story. Recommended to lit majors especially!
By the way, this isn't my copy but one from a library book sale. Mine is so full of notes you can barely read the text anymore...

[gypsysmom_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Who doesn't know the plot of Frankdenstein? A scientist constructs a huge man and imbues him with the life force. The construct becomes a monster and turns on his creator. At least that's what I knew of the plot. Having finally listened to this audiobook I found that there was more to the story. At times I thought the level of detail was too much but I do admit that for the time of its writing it would have been ground-breaking.One of the things that I didn't know about the story is that the tale of the monster is told aboard a ship immured in the ice of the Arctic Ocean. An Englishman has followed his dream to explore the north. His ship is hailed by a man on an ice floe and they take him aboard. The man is Frankenstein, a Swiss scientist. He tells his tale of how he came to be on the ice. Having created a man who had become a monster he was determined to do battle with his creation until death, either his or the monster's. We learn how the monster had killed Frankenstein's brother, best friend and wife in revenge for being created as a thinking but loathsome creature. According to the monster he did not start out as a violent person. Instead he wanted to love and have friends but everyone who saw him was so repulsed by his looks that he grew to hate his creator. It does make one feel sorry for the monster.Frankenstein does merit a place on the 1001 list since it was the forerunner of the horror genre. Read it in that frame of mind and you will probably appreciate it.

[ntenenbaum_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Frankenstein, Frankenstein, Frankenstein!!! Such a surprise for me! I thought I knew everything about it even before reading it. Likely because of this popular story of a monster created in a castle by night and during a heavy lightening storm. But no, I was totally wrong and the story isn’t about how to create a monster, it is about how this monster could evolve in human society. It really makes the story interesting, especially because we don’t what to think of the monster. Is he good, bad, both??? Sometimes, this monster reminds me some thoughts I had, like, “if I was born twenty years old and had to figure everything by myself”? Moreover, the monster has the bad luck to be also very repulsive. This book is a classic that everyone needs to read, not to stay on wrong ideas that many people have. Plus, the feelings I felt while reading were very unique and therefore, kind of new. I had never been torn that much about a character, and I liked it a lot. However, I don’t share this feeling about Victor (who is the actual Frankenstein, the creature don’t have a name), I totally dislike him. His first idea to play with life was irresponsible and then he didn’t even take care of what he did. Also, I think that everyone should search in which context this book has been written. It may add some suspense.

[firecrackerscribe · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book and can't believe how differently this story has been portrayed by American culture. Aside from the sheer disbelief that everyone who has not read the book has gotten the story so WRONG, I often found myself getting wrapped up in the eloquence of Shelley's words. The way she described some of the most mundane things was simply beautiful.

I loved the story within a story within a story. I felt it allowed us to not only see the characters as they saw themselves, but also as the respective narrator saw them. Though there were portions that I felt weren't necessary (Chapter 19 read like the most boring travel brochure ever) I appreciated most of it. Frankenstein's overall struggle and loss as a result of his "playing god" was heartbreaking.

[seraphinac.b4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In "Frankenstein", Victor Frankenstein, a student who attended a science university, discovers how to animate dead flesh. After many months of Victor's tedious work, his monster opens its hideous, yellow eyes. It sickens Victor, who then flees to his home town, Geneva. The creature, noticing he had been abandoned by his creator, seeks revenge by destroying everything that Frankenstein loves. The creature killed Victor's brother, William. A friend,Justine, is convicted for the murder and is executed. The creature being abhorred by everyone, needs a partner to love. He finds Victor and tells him to create another one. He agrees. After starting the gruesome work, he can no longer take it. The monster coming to this knowledge, confronts and tells him and that he will be with him on his wedding night. On the night of his marriage, in a villa by the lake, Victor hears a shill then a dreadful scream, rushing to Elizabeth, he finds her dead and a disfigured human form running on the shore. Victor followed this menace into the Arctic where it was spring and the ice was fragile. Both having a sled and dogs, tread onto the frozen ocean. The heavy monster fell through the ice which was cracked due to an earthquake, but he survived. Victor died on a boat going to England. The demon killed himself when Frankenstein died. This book was interesting and "terroriffic". I would call it historical fiction. I liked this book because I can connect to the places I've been to that were mentioned in this book. I have always wanted to read this book because people said the movie wasn't the same. I liked the way the author gave human emotions to the creature. On the other hand, it was a little bit too long and drawn out. I would recommend this to someone that likes to read suspenseful books.

[sarahlou2709 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

total classic book, one of the best books i have ever read and one of my favourite. when i read this i got goosebumps and shivers down my spine it terrified me but i could not put it down. brilliant book. must read for any horror lover.