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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…
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Body horror, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Abandonment
Graphic: Grief, Abandonment
Moderate: Child death, Murder
Minor: Animal death, Confinement, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Colonisation, Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Murder
Moderate: Bullying, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Abandonment
Minor: Body horror, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
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!
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Stalking, Gaslighting, Abandonment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia
Minor: Child death, Confinement, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Stalking, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Injury/Injury detail