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ingread27's review against another edition
5.0
I haven’t read this book since high school. I listened to the version narrated by Dan Stevens. It truly was such an immense pleasure. Mary Shelley has an incredible way of forming the most delectable sentences. Just sheer joy to listen to her choice of words. I’d also forgotten about all of the emotional context of the book. It’s a classic for a reason. Loved it.
peppersdr's review against another edition
Very slow to actually start getting somewhere, and the writing just didn’t really click with me.
paradicsomleves's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Violence
orangebread's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
biolexicon's review
4.0
This book is a quick read, in both length and pace. It seems to pick up as it goes on, at the beginning I was thinking it's a three-star book but as I reached the end I felt it was solidly a 4-star book. The plot itself was good and at its core posed intriguing questions. Sometimes the writing in this book seemed filled with unnecessary diversions, though. I think it could have been strengthened by reducing some of that length. Possibly even making it a short story.
I really liked how both Frankenstein and the monster were sympathetic characters. I also really liked the structure of the novel itself, I doubted a little at the beginning, I couldn't see where it was going, but I ended up really liking the set up.
I really liked how both Frankenstein and the monster were sympathetic characters. I also really liked the structure of the novel itself, I doubted a little at the beginning, I couldn't see where it was going, but I ended up really liking the set up.
glossyjul's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
morgansbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
erinwilham's review
4.0
Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein as a warning against pushing the limits of nature in pursuit of scientific discovery and knowledge. Through the actions of the protagonist, Victor Frankenstein, she shows how ambition can lead one to suffering and insanity. Victor’s ambitious quest for achievement leads him to create new life in an unnatural way, producing a deformed, eight-foot tall monstrous being. Disgusted with the being he has created, he leaves it to live on its own, deprived of any human contact. In consequence, the monster begins to resent his creator and he seeks revenge by destroying all those that he loves.
Frankenstein explores the theme of alienation from mankind. This is seen in both Frankenstein’s monster and Victor Frankenstein. The monster is rejected from society as a result of his frightful appearance, and as a consequence, he begins to resent mankind and to enact his quest for vengeance. The way that society treats him forces him to act like the monster that they think he is. The failure of his initial attempt to make friends with the peasant family in the woods clarifies to him that he is not fit for human companionship. He becomes miserable in his isolation and loneliness, so he turns to a violent quest to make Victor’s life as miserable as his own. Victor’s alienation is different from the monster’s as it is more self-directed. His monstrosity results from his drive for knowledge and his alienation is aided by secrecy and emotional turmoil. He becomes a monster through pushing past the boundaries of science and playing god to his creation.
The novel Frankenstein is pieced together by several different voices, including Victor Frankenstein, the monster, and Robert Walton. The format is a frame narrative, with Walton telling Frankenstein’s story through several letters to his sister while he is on a journey overseas to the North Pole. The overall effect of the different voices being stitched together into one story is that the reader gets several different perspectives, which is very important because both Victor’s and the monster’s opinions are prejudiced against each other, and they both come to think of each other as villainous.
Reading Frankenstein was fast-paced and enjoyable. I liked that the author created imagery to imitate the emotions of the characters and used suspense throughout the novel to keep the reader’s interest. The use of letters and different perspectives also kept the book interesting and made me think about the prejudices that the monster was facing.
Frankenstein explores the theme of alienation from mankind. This is seen in both Frankenstein’s monster and Victor Frankenstein. The monster is rejected from society as a result of his frightful appearance, and as a consequence, he begins to resent mankind and to enact his quest for vengeance. The way that society treats him forces him to act like the monster that they think he is. The failure of his initial attempt to make friends with the peasant family in the woods clarifies to him that he is not fit for human companionship. He becomes miserable in his isolation and loneliness, so he turns to a violent quest to make Victor’s life as miserable as his own. Victor’s alienation is different from the monster’s as it is more self-directed. His monstrosity results from his drive for knowledge and his alienation is aided by secrecy and emotional turmoil. He becomes a monster through pushing past the boundaries of science and playing god to his creation.
The novel Frankenstein is pieced together by several different voices, including Victor Frankenstein, the monster, and Robert Walton. The format is a frame narrative, with Walton telling Frankenstein’s story through several letters to his sister while he is on a journey overseas to the North Pole. The overall effect of the different voices being stitched together into one story is that the reader gets several different perspectives, which is very important because both Victor’s and the monster’s opinions are prejudiced against each other, and they both come to think of each other as villainous.
Reading Frankenstein was fast-paced and enjoyable. I liked that the author created imagery to imitate the emotions of the characters and used suspense throughout the novel to keep the reader’s interest. The use of letters and different perspectives also kept the book interesting and made me think about the prejudices that the monster was facing.
marie_1's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5