Reviews

Frankenstein by Junji Ito

Only show reviews with written explanations

kdahlo's review against another edition

4.0

This book is great! The first half is a very loyal retelling of the Frankenstein story. I really appreciated that Junji Ito kept the frame story, and I loved his illustration of the monster. Really different and wonderfully grotesque. Basically hits all my favorite story beats except the one where the monster learns about cooking food.

I wasn't sure what to expect with the second half of the book, but it was more or less a short story compilation

Spoiler

, although it turns out the short stories are linked!

. Again, some excellent horror illustrations, and I thought the stories were clever. It is gruesome and full of graphic murders, more j-horror than R.L. Stine. Very cool little collection.

sampauwels's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious fast-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

3.5

The first part was great. I remember thinking Ito did such a great job taking the original story and simultaneously condensing it down while adding his own little details, with of course the awesome and horrifying art (why did he make Frankenstein kind of hot though). The endig however... is something... It felt rushed and chaotic. The original story was almost completely gone. Also that last part where the monster somehow felt??? that Frankenstein was dead???? was kind of weird???? like wot?

noragrace89's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

A good loyal adaptation

luana_andrade's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense fast-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

5.0

annayareads's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional funny tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Read this before bed, and safe to say that I'm sufficiently unnerved. I appreciated aspects of Ito's version of Frankenstein, but, as a Mary Shelley stan, I still preferred the original.