Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

22 reviews

theuncannydani's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Grief, Death, Xenophobia, Dysphoria, Incest, Murder, Abandonment, Child death, Death of parent, and Violence

Moderate: Suicide, Islamophobia, Gore, Terminal illness, and Racism

Minor: Religious bigotry

leanne_miron's review against another edition

dark reflective sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Incest and Xenophobia

leonormsousa's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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

4.5

TRIGGER WARNINGS 

 

child death, death, death of parent, murder, xenophobia, abandonment, grief, medical content, self-harm, suicide, and violence 

 

REPRESENTATION 

maybe queer MC (?)

REVIEW 

Like with most classics, I was pretty afraid of getting into Frankenstein. I knew how much this book means to Cláudia (from @hendrixsbookcorner) and that meant that I was putting extra pressure on myself to enjoy this book that is no less than one of the first science-fiction novels, written by a feminist bisexual women at the age of 18, who also happens to be the daughter of a renowned women’s rights activist (I mean, what a queen! How could I not already love her?!). So yeah… some expectation management had to be done and some courage had to be acquired but it was so freaking worth it! 

Frankenstein is one of those books that you don’t love while you’re reading it but that completely takes you once you’ve had the time to process it. It’s pretty slow paced (and a bit confusing) in the beginning (I was fearing for the worse!) but once it picks up, it gets you quite glued to the page as you uncover the story of both Frankenstein and his creation. 

It goes around the question of “who is the monster?”, playing with our empathy as we unravel the “creation”’s story. It’s a book on Man’s ambition and desire to “play god”, with no regard for the consequences of its actions nor courage to take responsibility for them. It’s also a book about loneliness and superficiality and obsession. 

There’s not really much more that I can say (or at least nothing good enough compared to the book). It’s daunting and haunting and really the absolute perfect choice if you’re looking for a recommendation for this time of the year. Not only does the monster theme perfectly fits the Halloween vibes, you also have a bit of a Dark Academia vibe that matches the fall season. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Self harm, Abandonment, Child death, Death, Murder, Violence, Death of parent, Grief, Medical content, Suicide, and Xenophobia

dannecingqueen's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Child death, Racism, Incest, Islamophobia, Abandonment, Murder, Violence, Death, and Classism

veganecurrywurst's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

5.0

I didn't think that I was going to enjoy this book, but after Frankensteins "Monster" began the story from his perspective, I just could not put the book down.

“There is something at work in my soul, which I do not understand.”

“My spirits were elevated by the enchanting appearance of nature; the past was blotted from my memory, the present was tranquil, and the future gilded by bright rays of hope and anticipations of joy.”

“Remember, that I am thy creature; I ought to be thy Adam; but I am rather a fallen angel, whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed. Everywhere I see bliss, from which I alone am irrevocably excluded. I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend. Make me happy, and I shall be virtuous.”

“The cup of life was poisoned forever, and although the sun shone upon me, as upon the happy and gay of heart, I saw around me nothing but a dense and frightful darkness, penetrated by no light but the glimmer of two eyes that glared upon me.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Medical content, Murder, Violence, Bullying, Child death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Child death, Grief, Mental illness, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Death

Minor: Racism, Religious bigotry, and Xenophobia

ran_sophia's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? N/A

2.0

After reading the book, I didn't know exactly what to think about it. There is a good style of writing and storytelling. But that's all. The characters have no development and the story is only half captivating. I didn't feel interested in the story or the characters at all. That it was supposed to be a Gothic novel, so I expected it to be scary in some way. But that was not the case at all. The story dragged on, the narration was slow, and at times it seemed to be stuck.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Body horror, Abandonment, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Confinement, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Xenophobia, Violence, Incest, Racism, Toxic friendship, Murder, and Hate crime

Minor: Gun violence, Colonisation, and Child death

jynx_reads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Mental illness, Abandonment, Islamophobia, Child death, Murder, and Death

sunny_not's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

3.0

It was an interesting read. Since it has influenced many other books and films that I love I admired it to some extent. However, the pacing felt a bit weird and also the racial stereotyping made this book a lot less enjoyable for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Child death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Islamophobia, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Xenophobia

mimina's review against another edition

adventurous 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Child death, Death of parent, and Grief

Minor: Xenophobia and Islamophobia

aconfundityofcrows's review

challenging dark informative mysterious reflective tense medium-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

3.5

The book includes the two "ghost" stories written at the same castle holiday, by Lord Byron and Dr. John  Polidori. Both are vampiric in nature, with Byron's story actually influencing Polidori's story, which is more explicitly about vampires. So a surprising spooky two for one deal here, with the original Frankenstein story and some early vampires.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Misogyny

Moderate: Abandonment, Ableism, Body shaming, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Animal death, Xenophobia, and Religious bigotry