Review by jayisreading - Frankenstein: Or, the Modern Prometheus

jayisreading 's review for:

Frankenstein: Or, the Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley

4.0

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

One of my reading goals in life is to return to (some of) the books I had to read in school, since I hated the vast majority of them. When I picked up Frankenstein, I admittedly expected the same level of dread and boredom I felt over ten years ago. I ended up pretty engrossed and appreciating the book far more than I ever would have in high school.

Considering the time Frankenstein was published, I really have to hand it to Mary Shelley for writing such an innovative novel at such a young age. I’m sure no one, including her, had any idea that the Monster—of all characters—would end up becoming a cultural icon in media decades later.

Something I didn’t appreciate before but do now are the lyrical descriptions of nature. Shelley clearly revered natural life and instilled this in Victor, who never fails to describe its natural beauty, even when he’s in utter despair. As deeply Gothic as Frankenstein may be, it’s very much so deep in Romanticism (which almost seems contradictory, haha). It’s a newfound appreciation that I’ll have to be on the look out for into whatever canonical work I choose to reread next.

Content Warnings