Kell Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 Frankenstein Author: Mary Shelley ISBN # 0192834878 Publisher: Oxford University Press First Published: 1818 239 pages Rating: 7/10 The Blurb: Obsessed by creating life itself, Victor Frankenstein plunders graveyards for the material to fashion a new being, which he shocks into life by electricity. But his botched creature, rejected by Frankenstein and denied human companionship, sets out to destroy his maker and all that he holds dear. Mary Shelley's chilling gothic tale was conceived when she was only eighteen, living with her lover Percy Shelley near Byron's villa on Lake Geneva. It would become the world's most famous work of horror fiction, and remains a devastating exploration of the limits of human creativity. The Review: I once read an abridged version of this classic novel as a child (I think I was about eight years old) and I remember being absolutely absorbed by the story of a man so caught up in his own quest for knowledge that he crosses a line and descends into a life of pure horror. Picking up the full, unabridged version more than twenty years later for a reading circle was a little daunting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tiresias Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Frankenstein is a superb novel. I was most taken aback by the difference between Shelley's fascinating creature and the hammy one that Hollywood has given us: an innocent, flat-headed man with bolts in his neck who speaks like a lobotomy patient. Shelley's creature, by contrast, is intelligent and morally enigmatic, pursuing his creator with obscure motives and an almost supernatural inexorability. I didn't find the language flowery. It was florid, but that seemed appropriate to the period and the character of Dr Frankenstein. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lukeozade100 Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 Well i've just read this and thought i might as well add my review/comments here. A few mates of mine told me to read this when I was saying that I was buying Lord of The Flies because i'd never read it at school, and Frankenstein is regularly used at A Level and they'd all enjoyed it, so whilst needing to break into a tenner i thought how better to than to pick this up, and i'm rather happy I did. I'll admit to having a bit of trouble reading recently, Lord of the Flies flew by, then I couldn't bring myself to pick back up Freud or Herodotus, Freud repeats himself far to often and could make his point much less labouriously, and Herodotus is just not what i've felt like reading of late. Then on Saturday The Prince by Macchiavelli arrived thanks to my friendly neighberhood postman, and although I quickly finished it, if it wasn't for its tiny size and it being pretty easy to read for just a minute or two at a time was the only reason. Frankenstein has though reinvigorated me. It isn't even the best novel i've ever read, it's not even frankly up there, but it reads so well! I knew that it didn't follow the path of crazy mad scientist creates a monster with bolts in its neck who eventually gets chased by pitchfork wielding villagers, but it is far flung enough from what I expected from popular culture to be truly fresh unlike some classics which are already known to us through are collective cultural psyche (say The Picture of Dorian Gray, Austen novels, A Christmas Carol etc.) I actually couldn't tell which way it would go at points, how I was meant to feel about the monster and this is perfect for the novel. I think that this is a novel that has improved with age, 150 years ago Frankensteins creation must have been just a monster, something to terrify, but now I feel that the casual reader will be more likely to consider the monsters feelings, and even to maybe read it as a study of humans when confronted with something that is alien. Overall 8/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Terrific book, and I would also recommend The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein, by Peter Ackroyd, which tells the story with Frankenstein himself as a narrator. This thread has made me want to read Frankenstein again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.H Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 An all time classic that everyone should read at least once! What a fascinating story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 An excellent read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kreader Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 This was a sad story for me. The link between Frankenstein and the monster reminded me a bit about the role of parent and that of a child. Things went badly wrong just because of Frankenstein's curiosity and maybe envy that women carry children. He could have just as easily seen the wonder of life by fathering a child the normal way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busy91 Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 I finally read this last fall. I devoured it, it was excellent. I'm glad I got the chance. People always say read XYZ Classic Book, and I think the hype is usually more than is warrented, but this lived up to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissi Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 I actually read it a few month ago as well. Was actually a quite good read. Which version did you guys read? I had to read the 1818 version for my studying and it said in my Uni books that Mary Shelley edited the book later and took out stuff like the blood-relation of Frankenstein and what's-her-name (yes, my brain works like a sieve ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 One of my favourite books of all time. Almost mis-titled, in my opinion - the way I see it this is not a story about a scientist who plays God (Frankenstein), it's the story of how hate crime can turn a Creature who just wanted to be accepted and loved into the monster they have already decided he is. The Creature's plight knotted my insides with the indignation I reserve for the deepest injustice; few books have achieved quite that many knots. What Kenneth Branagh did to this book was inexcusable - the film was all about him (Frankenstein); Robert de Niro was a massively underused Creature all of whose profound reflections on humanity are cut, thus reducing one of the most moving beings in literature to the murderous wretch that in reality he is only made to become. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rawr Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Frankenstein is a superb novel. I was most taken aback by the difference between Shelley's fascinating creature and the hammy one that Hollywood has given us: an innocent, flat-headed man with bolts in his neck who speaks like a lobotomy patient. Shelley's creature, by contrast, is intelligent and morally enigmatic, pursuing his creator with obscure motives and an almost supernatural inexorability. I didn't find the language flowery. It was florid, but that seemed appropriate to the period and the character of Dr Frankenstein. Brilliant description I remember being moved greatly by this novel, i must read it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 I had to study this book last year in college, and I was really surprised by it; it was totally not what I was expecting at all, and Hollywood IS entirely to blame for that. I expected a classic horror story - it's nothing of the sort! It's a highly emotional and moving story! One of the best classics I've read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busy91 Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Chrissi, I think I just read the mainstream version of the book. I don't remember the blood relation thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissi Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Well in the 1818 version Frankenstein and what's-her-name (was it Elizabeth?) were cousins, so if they weren't in your book you read the edited version There were some other changes, but I can't remember what they were. That's how well my studying goes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 I have this on my wishlist, looking forward to getting a copy now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 This is one I certainly want to read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 I read it last year and enjoyed it, it was a interesting read, a lot of emotion in it, especially from the creation (I know that is not the correct term for him). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rawr Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 I love how it starts and links to the ending. It's such a haunting tale and i feel such powerful sadness for him Writing at it's most moving for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 It also impresses me that the idea for this story was hatched for a "competition" - Mary Shelley & friends had a bit of a bet on to see who could come up with the most frightening tale, and she chose to explore the abysses human ambition can plunge us... I think she did rather well, don't you? I just think it's fascinating and a bit scary to think that if it hadn't been for that spot of friendly rivalry, we might not have this stupendously moving, harrowing tale now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rawr Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Oh yeah, i remember reading about that! Very interesting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busy91 Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Well in the 1818 version Frankenstein and what's-her-name (was it Elizabeth?) were cousins, so if they weren't in your book you read the edited version There were some other changes, but I can't remember what they were. That's how well my studying goes They were cousins in the book. So maybe it was original. I know the version I read used the long title Frankenstein Or The Modern Prometheus and the publication date was in the 60s, so maybe it was not edited. I dunno. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrysalis_stage Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 I originally wanted to read the 1818 version but since I saw the 1831 version in the charity shop the other day and desperately wanted it I have started that version. I plan on reading the 1818 one at some point though just out of curiosity although I have read there are not that many differences between the both but to read the original would be best imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rawr Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 I think i have read the 1818 version Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LipGloss Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 I've never read any books about Frankenstein, only seen the Hollywood version of the story. I'm looking forward to reading the original classic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanna Addison Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 I love this story, it is evocative and wonderful - scary and enlightening. Sorry BJ, but I loved the Kenneth Branagh film (it was way better than Gary Oldman's pathetic Dracula any rate!) But then the world would be boring if we were all the same. I was in tears when I read how the so-called 'monster' spied on this beautiful family and helped them with hunting for them and leaving gifts for them - only for them to turn him away when they discovered him ... I've got a lump in my throat thinking about it! I read this in one day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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