Reviews

Frankissstein by Jeanette Winterson

smallspoonbigfork's review

As a trans man the way Victor was treating Ry, especially with their relationship, felt invalidating and borderline transphobic/invalidating of his gender. Just because he hasn't got a dick doesn't mean fucking him isn't gay man

easefcik's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

3.0

this was beautifully written in so many ways, but I’m struggling with my review for this book. I wanted to love it and there is so much I really loved, but her representation of trans people left me with a bad taste in my mouth. It seemed…confused and uninformed. I get how she wants a trans protagonist to fit into the story, but I’m concerned it’s a harmful representation and unnecessarily. I obviously can’t speak for trans people, but k was extremely uncomfortable with the depictions and treatment of the character.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Child death, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Death, and Transphobia

skyturtles's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No

3.0

 This was weird. This is my 9th Winterson book, so you'd think I'd be used to it by now. She does her usual gender-defying and genre-defying, like layering historical fiction with A.I. research, adding in a dash of gothic romance. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Transphobia, and Misogyny

Minor: Child death

marox's review

1.5

I had to read this for a class at uni and if that wasn't the case, I would never have picked this up. The only good thing about the book are the parts about Mary Shelley and the others in the past, the rest was a complete mess. Starting with no " to indicate dialogue, to Ron's incredible sexism and ending with an unnecessary rape scene, this book had little to know substance. Do not recommend.

raining_sundays's review against another edition

reflective 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

1.0

the one star is for mary shelley, her husband, and lord byron slander only.

could have done without the ableism, transphobia, bioessentialism, rape scene where the mc says it's the 'price they have to pay for being trans', the weird fetishizing of transness, racism, and that the only character of colour who's there longer than one scene is one racial and racist stereotype. the 'feminism' was very very surface level and the thoughts about AI/transhumanism feel so convoluted that i don't even know where to start. 

someone pls shut ron up about his sex bots, on page 51 there were already 15 pages of his sexist, racist, and transphobic ramblings about how sex dolls are much better than women bc they don't leave. and it didn't get better when he started talking about making a sex bot for Jesus. 

somehow, the first sex scene involving Ry was actually pretty well handled which i find interesting but it was undone immediately by Victor's fetishization of trans people. 


would have DNFd before page 100 but had to read this for uni. i will never get these hours back

riledupryepie's review

funny inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

Missing the final 0.5 only because it simply cannot do everything - Winterson really tries though! This book is the definition of layered, and any Mary Shelley fan will enjoy.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Medical content, and Transphobia

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Body horror

Minor: Sexual violence and Rape

hannauueee's review

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

2.0

batsugeemu's review against another edition

1.0

jesus fucking CHRIST what a mess. i went into this book trying to give it the benefit of the doubt despite the mixed reviews because i've liked the author's other books alright, but this was godawful.

a trans character who is literally nothing but their transness, and is also raped for no reason: it has no bearing on the character or the plot, it just happens and bears no consequence in any way. the only reason it's there is maybe to imply that transmasculine people won't be respected even in this imaginary futuristic take of the world the author has presented us.

a good cis lgbt author does not a good trans author make

brisingr's review

3.0

This book really could have done without the rape mention and rape attempt scene. But I appreciated all the social commentaries in the book, and the possible "if" of the future.

minxtte's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5