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A review by ohlhauc
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I had read this in high school and remember feeling it was okay but upon a re-read many years later, I absolutely loved it! No wonder it is a classic.
What's interesting is how much the story isn't focused on the Creature (his name isn't Frankenstein; that's the name of the scientist who created him FYI) apart from the middle section where it shares its story. In that section, you definitely see the premise of how violence begets violence, and how a monster is made not just literally in this sense but because of how the world mistreats it. It really makes you think about your own prejudices against things that are different, scary, or not understood - and how your response can have a big impact on the world.
The rest of the book focuses on Victor Frankenstein and his terror at creating something he considers so horrendous, and then as tries to reckon what to do as the Creature begins to murder people who are close to him. It's very much a psychological horror and the descriptions of Frankenstein going mad were so sharp, I felt unsettled reading it as if I was watching him fall apart.
The writing was gorgeous - word choice, and especially pacing. Highly recommend.
What's interesting is how much the story isn't focused on the Creature (his name isn't Frankenstein; that's the name of the scientist who created him FYI) apart from the middle section where it shares its story. In that section, you definitely see the premise of how violence begets violence, and how a monster is made not just literally in this sense but because of how the world mistreats it. It really makes you think about your own prejudices against things that are different, scary, or not understood - and how your response can have a big impact on the world.
The rest of the book focuses on Victor Frankenstein and his terror at creating something he considers so horrendous, and then as tries to reckon what to do as the Creature begins to murder people who are close to him. It's very much a psychological horror and the descriptions of Frankenstein going mad were so sharp, I felt unsettled reading it as if I was watching him fall apart.
The writing was gorgeous - word choice, and especially pacing. Highly recommend.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder