You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.

Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

55 reviews

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I hate the author, I hate the book, I hate the fact I know how to read, I hate that I relate to the monster so much, I hate the ending, I HATE Victor Frankenstein and every other human in the book!

This book shattered me in ways I didn't think were possible. Waterfalls after waterfalls fell from my eyes. My heart squeezed with sadness and cried out in despair when I read the last sentence!
After everything the monster went through, to let the story end with that, is a sin itself.

Shame on you, Mrs. Shelley! I hope you're satisfied with the despair you caused!

Also, the story's gay as hell.

4.99 stars, since I won't forgive her for the ending…

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark reflective sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Este clásico de la literatura gótica nos presenta un dilema que ha existido desde tiempos inmemoriales y que nos cuestionamos constantemente: ¿Acaso la humanidad cuenta con una inocencia innata o está en nuestro código genético ser destructivos?

En este caso, el libro, al estar dividido en dos narradores, nos presenta dos visiones diferentes: una, la del monstruo marginado, y la otra, la de Víctor como el creador. Por un lado, la respuesta de Víctor sobre el dilema acerca de la naturaleza humana es que la criatura fue malvada desde su misma concepción. Por otro lado, la del monstruo es una mirada más triste y solitaria; la de un ser tan grande y tan pequeño a la vez que, al ser abandonado en un mundo lleno de prejuicios y maldad, sucumbe a sus oscuros deseos de venganza

Dudo que la causa de la desgraciada vida de Víctor y su mayor error haya sido crear al monstruo en busca de conocimiento y avance, sino abandonarlo a su suerte en un arranque de egoísmo, ya que, como el mismo monstruo lo dice, él estaba destinado al amor y la comprensión. 

"Mi corazón estaba hecho para el amor y la comprensión; y, cuando las desgracias me empujaron hacia la maldad y el odio, no soporté la violencia del cambio sin un sufrimiento tal que usted sería incapaz de imaginar."

Alejándonos de una mirada fantasiosa o de ciencia ficción, podríamos ver a este monstruo no como un individuo, sino como una extensión de Victor Frankenstein, la sombra que refleja sus más grandes y primitivos pensamientos, como él se percibe a sí mismo. Es aquella sombra del yo, la cuál Carl Jung nos presenta en el mapa del alma. Un ser que lo atormenta no solo al momento de completar y abandonar su creación, sino también durante toda su travesía, al huir de una maldición a la que él mismo se condenó.

El odio de un hombre siempre se concentra en aquello que le hace consciente de sus malas cualidades.
- Carl G. Jung

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

oh to become wretched at the hands of your own maker, in the absence of affection, and in the continued excommunication from anyone else

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

It's difficult for me to review this fairly, since Gothic horror is generally not to my taste. I read this for a challenge and would have dnf'd it otherwise. I recognise the role it played in the development of the horror and SF genres. However, I found the story unconvincing. It's a teenage work, and it shows. Characters make impulsive and implausible decisions, and the general atmosphere is overwrought. There are odd time jumps, and I had trouble suspending my disbelief at the creature's ability to educate himself. There are three narrators, but their voices are indistinguishable. Frankenstein's travels seem to be motivated by an authorial  desire to cram in as many picturesque landscapes as possible rather than any real contribution to the plot. The parallels between parenthood and creation are to me the most interesting aspect of the story, but are not adequately explored.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark reflective sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book was a powerful and poignant fable about the dangers of creation. Surprisingly small at a mere 200 or so pages and with stripped-down, archetypal characters, I think Frankenstein succeeds not in spite of but because of this simplicity. The focus of the book is on the philosophical terror of creating life and then having no control over it, of realizing your mistakes too late and having no easy way to fix them. I was able to both hate and sympathize with Frankenstein and his monster.

In our modern world, with DNA editing, artificial intelligence and all sorts of biological and technological developments, I think the book’s message is as relevant today as it was in 1818. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings