Author: Mary Shelley
Format: Paperback
Pages: 215 (mine was a different edition then that of the cover shown)
Rating: 6 out of 10
Summary (Thanks Goodreads): Mary Shelley began writing Frankenstein when she was only eighteen. At once a Gothic thriller, a passionate romance, and a cautionary tale about the dangers of science, Frankenstein tells the story of committed science student Victor Frankenstein. Obsessed with discovering the cause of generation and life and bestowing animation upon lifeless matter, Frankenstein assembles a human being from stolen body parts but; upon bringing it to life, he recoils in horror at the creature's hideousness. Tormented by isolation and loneliness, the once-innocent creature turns to evil and unleashes a campaign of murderous revenge against his creator, Frankenstein.
Frankenstein, an instant bestseller and an important ancestor of both the horror and science fiction genres, not only tells a terrifying story, but also raises profound, disturbing questions about the very nature of life and the place of humankind within the cosmos: What does it mean to be human? What responsibilities do we have to each other? How far can we go in tampering with Nature? In our age, filled with news of organ donation genetic engineering, and bio-terrorism, these questions are more relevant than ever.
My Thoughts: Poor Frankenstein. I really feel bad for the guy. Talk about one mistake ruining the rest of your life. That said, maybe he should have spent a little bit more time thinking about what he was planning to do. Did it really seem like that good of an idea? I mean, if you really sat down with it, did it? Probably not. People are stupid, I guess.
I didn't really understand the connection between the letters and the story. I think that part could have been done in many different ways but the author gets final say, she must have liked it just the way it was. It seems really important, how it begins, but it's not really. I focused too much on it at the time. It's not the real meat of the story. It's more foreshadowing what happens to Frankenstein than anything else. The beginning of this novel really didn't lend itself to a good climax though. The reader already knows whats going to happen to the poor guy. I feel that this points to a different kind of reader. Mary Shelley wrote this for the people of her time and I think between the lack of really high point and vocabulary (did I mention I love classics for the vocabulary? I love learning big words) we can learn what that reader must have liked.
Speaking of Mary Shelley, I read A Vindication for the Rights of Women by Mary Wollstonecraft which was a major bore-fest in an English class. Imagine my surprise upon finding out that these Marys were in fact the same Mary. After knowing this, I really didn't want to read Frankenstein. Thank god the two works were nothing a like.
There are many different TV versions of the same story. Of course, there is the movie and its subsequent remakes and spoofs as well as the Once Upon a Time version which is nothing like the real story. All of these confused versions made it so that I had no idea what the real story was about. I'm glad that I took the time to find out what the real story actually is. With so many versions and references about it out in the world, how could you not take a couple hours and read this novel over?
I didn't really understand the connection between the letters and the story. I think that part could have been done in many different ways but the author gets final say, she must have liked it just the way it was. It seems really important, how it begins, but it's not really. I focused too much on it at the time. It's not the real meat of the story. It's more foreshadowing what happens to Frankenstein than anything else. The beginning of this novel really didn't lend itself to a good climax though. The reader already knows whats going to happen to the poor guy. I feel that this points to a different kind of reader. Mary Shelley wrote this for the people of her time and I think between the lack of really high point and vocabulary (did I mention I love classics for the vocabulary? I love learning big words) we can learn what that reader must have liked.
Speaking of Mary Shelley, I read A Vindication for the Rights of Women by Mary Wollstonecraft which was a major bore-fest in an English class. Imagine my surprise upon finding out that these Marys were in fact the same Mary. After knowing this, I really didn't want to read Frankenstein. Thank god the two works were nothing a like.
There are many different TV versions of the same story. Of course, there is the movie and its subsequent remakes and spoofs as well as the Once Upon a Time version which is nothing like the real story. All of these confused versions made it so that I had no idea what the real story was about. I'm glad that I took the time to find out what the real story actually is. With so many versions and references about it out in the world, how could you not take a couple hours and read this novel over?
To End: Luckily, this wasn't a very long novel. You can take your time reading it and still not take too long to get through it. Classics fans will enjoy this addition to their collection. You should really check out the real story behind all the remakes and allusions.
Favourite Movie Version:
So it's not really right from this book but I really enjoy Young Frankenstein. It's a spoof of the novel but really entertaining. If you aren't looking for a carbon copy you should check out this movie. It's old and in black and white (it's not that old, it's just for fun) but it's worth a watch. Enjoy it. It's all for fun.
Favourite Movie Version:
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