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Mary Shelley - Frankenstein


Kell

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Hmm, I haven't even had a TBR that long. Tragically my Auntie passed away a few months; she had loads and loads of books and I aquired some, hence the TBR pile. So your answer? A few months. However, haven't read many from it because the last few months have been my most busy (with exams and whatnot) - Now they're finished I'm free to read and make a TBR dint.

 

Thank you for the recommendation Chryslis, I'll certainly push it up. :lol:

Edited by Ben
Wording error.
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  • 3 weeks later...

I loved this book. What stood out for me was the poingnant parent and child relationship. Frankenstein did not see himself as being responsible for his new child/creation even though he had not turned out as Frankenstein had wished. He did eventually take responsibility but the price of this was high.

Edited by Kreader
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I remember writing a very passionate essay about this a few years ago, the theme was aspiration so I contrasted Victor's yearning to be God vs. the Creature's yearning to be human, I got so involved I recall crying in the library as I typed...

 

Definitely time for a reread methinks, although this is a book I'll be shopping around for; it's one of my favourites ever and thus warrants a pretty edition.

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  • 2 years later...

Frankenstein is unbelievely tragic yet beautiful. I still find it baffling that Mary Shelley was so young when she wrote it (19 years old I think)! I bought the version under Barnes & Noble Classics and I found it interesting that it relates the book to modern science in the cloning/rebuilding of human tissues etc. I wasn't 100% sure how they meant to relate this notion other than the fact that Frankenstein's monster was made of dead human tissue... but in a way I suppose you argue that our pursuit of regenration of tissue could make us monsters in a certain light... going against the will of nature and all that noise. But I love science and support it so long as it is used responsibly (unlike Frankenstein)... but I digress.

 

The monster is so lonely, I felt so heartbroken for him. And kudos to Frankenstein for finding a very good brain for his monster... I don't think any creature created by science could ever learn so quickly and be able to articulate his thoughts so eloquently. I love how each of us could relate to the monster so well, a monster with human emotions and needs. Horrifying and tragic, the novel is beautiful. How frightening it is to be alone, or how frightening it is to lose control. I love both the monster and Frankenstein.

 

I wish this had been a book taught in one of my high school classes.

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  • 5 months later...

There's a rather lovely SF Masterworks edition of the novel coming out on 11th October. Might have to replace my existing copy. Shame it's not one of their hardback editions, though :smile:

 

http://www.amazon.co...&pf_rd_i=468294

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 years later...

This wasn't a book I was planning to read, given its popularity through the infamous Hollywood adaptions - I assumed it was just a generic horror story and therefore never even thought about it. But a friend of mine encouraged me to read it, saying it was so much more.

 

Man, what a story. I don't even know where to begin. I have to echo the thoughts of a previous comment - I cannot believe how young Shelley was when she wrote this masterpiece. Although it takes a while to get going, I found the writing so exquisite that it felt like a gift picking up the novel and reading just a few sentences.

 

The chapter where the creature describes his plight, as he tried to integrate with humanity really struck me. After finishing that chapter I had to put the book down and just breathe.

 

On the other hand, as a scientist I found the story to contain a lot of heavy meaning and warning that are still relevant today. In particular, this idea of having an almost obsession with the life sciences, believing that they will bring us the answer to all of our problems can be a very dangerous path to tread. I believe this novel conveys a strong life lesson that no matter how far our quest for knowledge may take us, we must always take into account the responsibility of our findings. I find it interesting that the subtitle of this novel is 'The Modern Prometheus' - Prometheus being the Greek God who brought knowledge to humanity and was subsequently punished through eternal torment. In the same way, Frankensteins' quest to learn more and more about the human body, and to ultimately create a human, leads to his eventual downfall.

 

I have always believed that stories can be a sort of seat belt for the sciences, reminding it of its morals and its servitude to society, and not just for the mere obsessions of the mad scientist and his greed. I would like to hope that this novel still sends out those ripples in this modern age of technology.

Edited by Angury
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We were given this book to read for A Level umpteen years ago, and then a few weeks into the new term it was cruelly whipped away from us and we were given Jane Austen instead, slight difference....at last I thought something different to read, but no, it wasn't to be.  Probably one of the reasons I've never really warmed to Austen!  However, I did read Frankenstein a few years later and thoroughly enjoyed it, it's very different to the Hollywood image that is so familiar and is worth reading, and is still very topical today.  I also find it hard to believe that Mary was so young when she wrote it.

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  • 7 months later...

Frankenstein Mary Shelley was a sad, tragic tale of horror and revenge; it was quite depressing to read to be honest. Tragic as it was, the tale was beautifully written and the prose flowed smoothly. I could not put it down. Mary Shelley was indeed a talented nineteen years old.

Edited by Athena
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Yes it's amazing that someone that young could have written so well, a shame she didn't write more novels.  I agree it's actually a sad story, I felt very sorry for the creature and admire the way he became a sympathetic figure, well to me anyway. 

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