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rin_varga's review against another edition
- 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
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 insideđź’”
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: 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
felofhe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Body shaming, Classism, Medical content, Gaslighting, Sexism, Abortion, Drug abuse, Grief, Kidnapping, Bullying, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Violence, Ableism, Animal death, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Confinement, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, and Toxic relationship
carodunn's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Mental illness, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Murder, Violence, Medical content, Ableism, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Body horror
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Dysphoria, Gore, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Physical abuse
mobymaize's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Slavery, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Body horror, Child abuse, Body shaming, Dysphoria, Mental illness, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Stalking, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Incest, Medical content, Murder, and Racism
stindex's review
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Torture, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Death, Murder, Child death, Emotional abuse, and Violence
doblyatmos's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Murder, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Child death, Abandonment, Body horror, and Stalking
laurenkgrace's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Stalking, Murder, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, and Abandonment
Moderate: Grief, Classism, Child death, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Blood, and Violence
akane_shio's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
Graphic: Abandonment, Murder, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Grief, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child death, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Confinement, Body horror, Stalking, Gore, Blood, Incest, and Suicide
Minor: Animal death
seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Bullying, Child death, Mental illness, Murder, Death, Stalking, Torture, and Violence
katewhite77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I have been wanting to Frankenstien for a while, not because I particularly like gothic horror (I don't) but because it is part of our literary heritage and pop culture to the point of almost being folk loric.
Then, an opportunity to take part in a readalong presented itself. A readalong is like a bookclub, but you all read the book together and 'check in' at agreed intervals, so you discover the book together. It was so much fun.
Not only that, but we did it using the Audrey audiobook app. The audiobook comes with a guide written by someone with a deep understanding and appreciation for the text. It's like having the best English lit lesson, but you don't have to write an essay afterwards. For instance, the bit in guide that stood out for me was an explanation of racial attitudes of the time. I would have read the text completely differently had I not known that bit of contextual information.
Were it not for the factors outlined above I don't think I would have made it through because this is a bleak tale or fable warning against hubris, not pushing science so far that we do more harm than good, appreciating what you have not what you want (living in the moment) and what it is to be a parent.
Although this book was heartbreaking, it is a classic, and I am so glad to have read it and with such a lovely bunch of thoughtful people
Graphic: Suicide, Body horror, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Murder, and Violence