Take a photo of a barcode or cover
katherineep 's review for:
Making the Monster: The Science Behind Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
by Kathryn Harkup
I don't think I realized just how little I knew about Mary Shelley and her husband, Percy Shelley or what was going on around Mary when Frankenstein was being written. Shelley's childhood was chaotic and lacking in any kind of formal education yet she was incredibly curious and well read. What little I knew about Mary Shelley I knew even less about what was going on in scientific world at the time and was very surprised about the number and scope of experiments involving electricity.
This book was fascinating. I had never really thought about putting Frankenstein in historical context and didn't realize just how much that would add to the story. While I found it interesting from the start it took me awhile to get invested in the book. This isn't a nonfiction book that reads like a novel, however, once the book got past Mary's childhood (about 10 - 15%) the pace picked up and I found it a really compelling read.
While this was a really interesting standalone I think it would be even better as companion read to Frankenstein. The book talks quite a bit about influences in the book itself which I think would make Frankenstein a richer and more interesting read. This was a compelling read with an unusual focus and a book that will bring fresh perspective on a classic.
This book was fascinating. I had never really thought about putting Frankenstein in historical context and didn't realize just how much that would add to the story. While I found it interesting from the start it took me awhile to get invested in the book. This isn't a nonfiction book that reads like a novel, however, once the book got past Mary's childhood (about 10 - 15%) the pace picked up and I found it a really compelling read.
While this was a really interesting standalone I think it would be even better as companion read to Frankenstein. The book talks quite a bit about influences in the book itself which I think would make Frankenstein a richer and more interesting read. This was a compelling read with an unusual focus and a book that will bring fresh perspective on a classic.