Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

120 reviews

booksillremember's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

Thematically really interesting, especially regarding bodily autonomy, othering, and the moral consequences of our actions. I also get why it’s so popular with the queer community. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy the actual reading experience. All the side characters are one-dimensional and there’s simply too much about them that feels like filler. Frankenstein himself is a narcissistic Faustian character who spends most of his time whining, having a fever and making poor practical choices. I felt sympathy for his creature but it’s also giving big incel vibes. I appreciate the novel as inspiration for many other works and I don’t regret reading it, but in itself I didn’t quite enjoy it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Emotional abuse, and Body horror

rileyyy02'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? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Mary Shelley is my ancestor! I read this book when I was younger so it felt slow at the time but it’s a good story about humanity

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Minor: Kidnapping, Medical content, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Stalking, Confinement, Death, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

willow1113's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

jenna_justi2004's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense 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: Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Grief, Murder, Mental illness, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

mitsyleigh's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Body horror, Violence, and Torture

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

everyothergrievance's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

4.25

a bit wordy but the creature will always be my fav

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment and Body horror

b00murded's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

i would have given it 5 stars but i hated the ending :/// why can't they just be happy 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Grief, Stalking, Death, Murder, Violence, Body horror, and Body shaming

Minor: Ableism, Cursing, Medical content, and Suicidal thoughts

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

sl6n_alq's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Absolutely gorgeous. I need to reread it soon but also I completely understand why this is a classic and why it’s had such a cultural impact. Gorgeous. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Grief, Death, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Body horror