Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

22 reviews

orchidlilly's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Body horror, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Islamophobia, Mental illness, Death, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racism, Religious bigotry, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Medical content, Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Classism, Chronic illness, and Fire/Fire injury

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

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

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

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

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 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Body horror, Xenophobia, Violence, and Suicide

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. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Abandonment, and Death

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Islamophobia and Xenophobia

pizzaisjesus98's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Dysphoria, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, Confinement, and Death

Moderate: Self harm, Violence, Gaslighting, Xenophobia, Terminal illness, Classism, Animal cruelty, Child death, Chronic illness, and Medical content

Minor: Suicide attempt, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Incest, and Forced institutionalization

alphabetmafiamember's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Sexism, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Death, and Abandonment

Moderate: Death of parent, Stalking, Incest, Islamophobia, Xenophobia, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Suicide

co32minus's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective 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

A deliciously complex character narrative that still holds up to contemporary questions of the integrity of humanity, with plenty of room for interpretation and no fixed morality.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Xenophobia, and Violence

visorforavisor's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad 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

4.0

Good book. Read it for school.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Xenophobia

saucywench813's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Body horror, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Incest