Reviews with content warning for Islamophobia - Frankenstein

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.

Content Warnings

rabidteddybear's review

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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

3.25

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prettiestwhistles's review against another edition

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adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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alphabetmafiamember's review against another edition

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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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khamina's review against another edition

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dark

3.75

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theuncannydani's review against another edition

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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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maggiekingston's review against another edition

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adventurous dark reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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rieviolet's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I listened to the audiobook version and, even though I really liked the narrator's voice, I have to accept the fact that I do not get along with audiobooks, I struggle to focus and I end up missing a good chunk of the story. I say this because it negatively affected my fruition of the book and partially influenced my final rating.

However, I also wasn't that much blown away by the story itself. I struggled the most with the chapters narrated from Frankenstein's point of view, as the story progressed they became quite tiresome and I just did not care much for him as a character, I just wanted him to stop droning on and on.
I enjoyed a bit more the sections focused on the creature's perspective. The themes addressed are interesting but the characterization and the story development were rather unremarkable. The overall reading experience was a bit middle-of-the-road for me.

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