Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Frankenstein - Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley [Penguin Popular Classics] by Mary Shelley

10 reviews

mhanson101's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-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

4.0

For over 200 years old it really holds up well as a modern story. I do think that in a modern writing, Frankenstein's failings would have been explored in a different way. Not just from a scientific hubris standpoint and the lack of human perfection from a religious viewpoint, but more explicitly his lack of guidance and care for his creation placed more centrally as the cause of the misery.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Body horror, Child abuse, and Classism

kubs's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Just love your kid, jeez.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Torture

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Murder

riverofhorton's review against another edition

I decided to DNF this particular version simply because I discovered this to be the heavily edited 1831 version, and I would rather read the original 1818 version.

That said, I was enjoying it up to that discovery and as such will be purchasing and reading a copy of the 1818 text at some point in the future.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

mr_d8a's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Fascinating concept. The language of the story is very high society and somewhat to flowery for a reader some 200 years removed. If there were a translation that was more readable it might be better. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

jenna_justi2004's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-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

3.0

This book made me get back into reading. Slay Mary Shelley 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

rin_varga's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

4.5

I enjoyed reading this classic immensely! I'm so glad that I decided to start it in the heart of winter just after the holidays since I discovered so much of the mood is wrapped up in desolate, frigid landscapes & frozen tundra.

If you've only ever watched the 1930s movie like me, then the original 1818 version will feel like a completely new story to you!

I appreciated how much heart, empathy, passion & flaws we see as both Victor & his creature explore the same feelings (believing that they're completely different from one another) such as hubris, the spectrum of morality, justice, & if wickedness is due to nature or nurture. The book even begins & ends through the lens of a third party, leaving us the reader free to sympathize a bit with both Victor & his creature who are at such odds with each other.

I didn't expect to get as emotionally invested in the characters as I did--it was a pleasant surprise to find myself hoping, grieving & crying on their behalf, especially the monster who so desperately & sincerely loves people & longs to be accepted for who he is on the inside💔

The middle of the novel could drag on at times, especially as Victor traveled and couldn't shake his fears, regrets & melancholy no matter who he was with or what he was doing for long. In the begin & by the end though, events picked up again in anticipation & drama leaving me at the edge of my seat!

There may be a little good & evil in everyone, & this novel explores in depth just how much enemies can be more similar than they'd like to believe. I'd recommend it to anyone who doesn't mind a little (or a lot) of gray area & want to try a classic where emotions are a strong motivation--both for the characters & us as readers!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, and Xenophobia

Minor: Child death, Confinement, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Stalking, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

mobymaize's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Yeah, I mean it's fucking Frankenstein, like you got to read it. It is the first sci-fi novel, of course you have to read it. ALSO READ THE 1818 VERSION, IT'S A LOT BETTER.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

kelisabeth's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

_naanhanaa_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-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

5.0

I read this book for my AP Lang class because we are analyzing arguments in the literature. This book, to say the least, was more than I expected. The physiological analysis, the reason why this book was written, and Mary Shelly's life, the writing...just everything was amazing. The book isn't scary because of the supernatural "stuff." The book is scary because of the human experiences portrayed in this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Suicide

dilara2912w's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail