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A review by readguy25
Frankenstein: The 1818 Text by Mary Shelley
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Frankenstein has left me completely in awe. True quality like this is rare in my TBR - a book that captivates from start to finish.
Despite its “ancient” age, Frankenstein feels completely contemporary. The prose is beautiful and elegant; it never truly reads like something written in the early 1800s. Compared to something like Moby Dick, it feels as though it could have been written yesterday. I’m astonished by how well it has aged—not to mention that Mary Shelley was only twenty years old when she wrote it.
While it lacks the pulpy spaceships and aliens of modern science fiction, this is undoubtedly a legendary example of the genre at its peak. Every passage is rich with meaning, every character is purposeful, and every relationship is explored to its limits. The level of intention poured into each sentence is extraordinary. I constantly found myself making connections within the text, a process more rewarding than in most books I’ve ever read.
So many lines spoke to me—whether in the monster’s vivid depictions of misery or in Shelley’s breathtaking descriptions of nature. In nearly every page, there is something that seizes the soul.
I have truly never read anything quite this beautiful. It makes me realize how much more I have to discover as a reader if this is only the tip of the iceberg in classic literature. Frankenstein is one of those rare works that can redefine an entire genre, and leaves you almost afraid to continue exploring it for fear of never finding anything quite as good again.
5/5 stars
Despite its “ancient” age, Frankenstein feels completely contemporary. The prose is beautiful and elegant; it never truly reads like something written in the early 1800s. Compared to something like Moby Dick, it feels as though it could have been written yesterday. I’m astonished by how well it has aged—not to mention that Mary Shelley was only twenty years old when she wrote it.
While it lacks the pulpy spaceships and aliens of modern science fiction, this is undoubtedly a legendary example of the genre at its peak. Every passage is rich with meaning, every character is purposeful, and every relationship is explored to its limits. The level of intention poured into each sentence is extraordinary. I constantly found myself making connections within the text, a process more rewarding than in most books I’ve ever read.
So many lines spoke to me—whether in the monster’s vivid depictions of misery or in Shelley’s breathtaking descriptions of nature. In nearly every page, there is something that seizes the soul.
I have truly never read anything quite this beautiful. It makes me realize how much more I have to discover as a reader if this is only the tip of the iceberg in classic literature. Frankenstein is one of those rare works that can redefine an entire genre, and leaves you almost afraid to continue exploring it for fear of never finding anything quite as good again.
5/5 stars