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marissasa's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This classic was surprisingly introspective and philosophical, especially since I was only expecting gothic horror and scares. I really enjoyed the narration of this book as we got to see perspectives from Dr. Frankenstein, his monster, and from an outsider recounting the whole situation, giving the whole book the intended experience of trying to keep up while a friend or family member is telling you a wild story. Although the actual process of Frankenstein creating and giving life to his monster wasn't explained scientifically, I actually liked the abstraction of the process in favor of showing more of his descent into obsessive research, isolation, and madness. It also paved way for more internal conflict about the ethics, morality, and implications of his experiment, and it was a great literary choice to have the monster himself pose many of those ethical questions to Frankenstein as his creation and have the doctor genuinely struggle with what he owes to him as his creator.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, Death, Blood, and Child death
stindex's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Death, Murder, Child death, Emotional abuse, and Violence
kierank's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Transgender awakening
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Child death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Body horror, Xenophobia, Violence, and Suicide
pjv's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Child death, and Death
ayphyx's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Abandonment
halaagmod's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Nothing I could say about this that hasn't already been said. Beautifully written, rich, and vivid.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Child death, Death, and Murder
Minor: Death of parent and Suicidal thoughts
themorsecode's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I started reading this mid-last year then just put it down for ages, not entirely sure why as it's an engaging and interesting read; despite the over-florid Victorian prose. Going in reasonably cold beyond the general cultural knowledge of the story, the book wasn't quite what I had anticipated (in a 'positive' way), although tricky to read without picturing the iconic Hollywood depictions of both Victor and the monster.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Murder, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Child death, Abandonment, Body horror, and Stalking
lesboracle's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Death, Suicide, Chronic illness, and Bullying
Minor: Death of parent, Child death, Incest, Murder, and Stalking
celisabeth's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Things don’t go as planned for Dr. Frankenstein, and his creature (aptly named The Creature) turns against him. What I will say is this: Frankenstein has been told and retold since its publication, but one thing that is certain, is that the original novel is not so much about fear or horror or monsters, but what happens when a living thing becomes lonely. After learning more about Shelley’s life, it becomes clear that The Creature’s monologues come from a very personal place. In many ways, Shelley is The Creature. She did not ask to be made. She did not ask for the pressures put on her by her parents. She didn’t ask to be born into a world where sadness, loneliness, and rejection rule. She also didn’t ask to be a woman in the 19th century, without many options. At the time, women were supposed to be wives and mothers, and (in her mind) Shelley couldn’t even do that properly.
Shelley works through her feelings of loneliness through her writing. But, she wasn’t allowed to claim her work the first time it was published due to her sex. It was published anonymously with a short introduction by her husband. Many thought that the novel was written by Percy, and he didn’t seem to mind taking credit for it. The second edition did give credit where credit was due, and Mary Shelley’s name was on the cover. Interestingly enough, when critics found out it was written by a woman, harsh reviews began to surface which criticized the novel, with a few publications refusing altogether to comment on the novel. But despite the harsh reviews, Frankenstein was an instant success and has remained largely read and studied since the 19th century.
For me, it’s important to remember that Mary Shelley was just 18 years old when she wrote her masterpiece. It speaks on the hardships and melancholy that come along with being a teenager on the cusp of adulthood. She was trying to find her place in a world that was very difficult for a young woman. She was trying to express her feelings in a way that felt right. And, I think, if we take a closer look at Frankenstein, we can all recognize that we have a Creature living inside of us.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Abandonment, and Death
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Islamophobia and Xenophobia
kaetheluise_nckl's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Violence, Child death, Confinement, Murder, Body horror, Gore, and Panic attacks/disorders