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sofiarodriguez's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
maliha_15's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
thaurisil's review against another edition
4.0
What a difference 13 years makes. I first read this in school 13 years ago, and I found it boring and hated it. On re-reading it now, I enjoy it, especially the gothic melodramatic elements.
What are appropriate boundaries for science? What are our ethical duties and what sort of ethical considerations do we sacrifice in the pursuit for progress? Frankenstein, in creating his monster, pushes scientific boundaries far beyond where science has ever gone. He creates life. But unlike God, he does not do a perfect job, and, unlike other scientific experiments, his is one with no tolerance for imperfections, and in which the consequences are irreversible and uncontrollable. It is not just that Frankenstein's monster is imperfectly created. He has also been created without companions, without a society that he can belong to, and by a creator who does not love him, who is horrified by the work of his own hands.
This is a story where there are only victims. Frankenstein is not evil, any more than his creation is. He makes a mistake, and his creation, lonely, tormented, and unable to cope with its own sensitiveness, turns his life into a living hell. Did Frankenstein, in his pursuit of knowledge, unknowingly eat of the forbidden apple in the garden? How far should we pursue knowledge, and how do we manage the unintended side effects of our pursuit?
I earlier alluded to the gothic nature of this novel. The emotions are over the top, but given the situation that Frankenstein and his monster find themselves in, they are realistic. I found their despair and agony seeding into my own life, that I had sleepless nights, tossing and turning with the gloominess of my pre-bedtime reading. A book that can do that is certainly worth its status as a classic.
What are appropriate boundaries for science? What are our ethical duties and what sort of ethical considerations do we sacrifice in the pursuit for progress? Frankenstein, in creating his monster, pushes scientific boundaries far beyond where science has ever gone. He creates life. But unlike God, he does not do a perfect job, and, unlike other scientific experiments, his is one with no tolerance for imperfections, and in which the consequences are irreversible and uncontrollable. It is not just that Frankenstein's monster is imperfectly created. He has also been created without companions, without a society that he can belong to, and by a creator who does not love him, who is horrified by the work of his own hands.
This is a story where there are only victims. Frankenstein is not evil, any more than his creation is. He makes a mistake, and his creation, lonely, tormented, and unable to cope with its own sensitiveness, turns his life into a living hell. Did Frankenstein, in his pursuit of knowledge, unknowingly eat of the forbidden apple in the garden? How far should we pursue knowledge, and how do we manage the unintended side effects of our pursuit?
I earlier alluded to the gothic nature of this novel. The emotions are over the top, but given the situation that Frankenstein and his monster find themselves in, they are realistic. I found their despair and agony seeding into my own life, that I had sleepless nights, tossing and turning with the gloominess of my pre-bedtime reading. A book that can do that is certainly worth its status as a classic.
lizco's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
hangngt_'s review against another edition
5.0
read for class but i love the writing style and it's a pretty interesting story as well
lightningmc_logyn's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Frankenstein is compelling, dark, and wrought with devastation. I don’t usually read horror/dark stories, so my review is from the perspective of someone who is crossing genres. I was curious about this, as it’s one of the most prominent stories in pop-culture of all time. After reading, it is clear why. The philosophical themes of life, debt of creation, loneliness, and misery all uphold the horrific elements. It is a story that feels familiar and realistic in an eerie way. I found myself passionately invested, and parts of the novel had me turning pages as fast as I could, eager to see what happened next.
Contrary to that, I found much of the novel to be dense, hard to navigate, and incredibly slow. I required a dictionary at my side that I used nearly every page, as the meanings and popularity of words have changed drastically in the last 200 years. This, while challenging, is not what made the novel feel slow. The novel takes its time setting everything up, which in my opinion unfortunately dragged the rating down. I understand why this set up was required for the story-especially after reading the hauntingly coincidental story of Mary Shelley’s life-but I feel the first 1/3 of the novel dictating Victors life could have been shortened. I sympathized with the monster far more than Victor Frankenstein, and perhaps that’s why I feel this way.
The version I read included some fascinating insights into how the book was received and how it became a sensation. My favorite thing about classical literature is learning the stories around it, and this book, as well as Mary Shelley, have an intriguing history.
The most compelling and heart wrenching parts of the story for me were the monsters recount of his experiences, victors moments of passionate action-for better or worse-, and the finale of the novel. I was extremely pleased with the ending. I feel it suited the melancholy and complex nuance of the novel perfectly.
All in all, I am glad to have read this. And I’ve learned to steer clear from dark horror, as it doesn’t intrigue me as a genre.
Contrary to that, I found much of the novel to be dense, hard to navigate, and incredibly slow. I required a dictionary at my side that I used nearly every page, as the meanings and popularity of words have changed drastically in the last 200 years. This, while challenging, is not what made the novel feel slow. The novel takes its time setting everything up, which in my opinion unfortunately dragged the rating down. I understand why this set up was required for the story-especially after reading the hauntingly coincidental story of Mary Shelley’s life-but I feel the first 1/3 of the novel dictating Victors life could have been shortened. I sympathized with the monster far more than Victor Frankenstein, and perhaps that’s why I feel this way.
The version I read included some fascinating insights into how the book was received and how it became a sensation. My favorite thing about classical literature is learning the stories around it, and this book, as well as Mary Shelley, have an intriguing history.
The most compelling and heart wrenching parts of the story for me were the monsters recount of his experiences, victors moments of passionate action-for better or worse-, and the finale of the novel. I was extremely pleased with the ending. I feel it suited the melancholy and complex nuance of the novel perfectly.
All in all, I am glad to have read this. And I’ve learned to steer clear from dark horror, as it doesn’t intrigue me as a genre.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment
Minor: Incest, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
The book is very dark and heavy. The characters experience a lot of grief and horrific events. The incest is minor, as it was altered by the author to be betweendking199's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book! Amazing, beautiful writing! 10s across the board!
angelbby99's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5