Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Title: Frankenstein

Author: Mary Shelley

First Published: 1816

No. of Pages: 211

Synopsis (from B&N): "Mary Shelley began writing Frankenstein when she was only eighteen. At once a Gothic thriller, a passionate romance, and a cautionary tale about the dangers of science, Frankenstein tells the story of committed science student Victor Frankenstein. Obsessed with discovering 'the cause of generation and life' and 'bestowing animation upon lifeless matter,' Frankenstein assembles a human being from stolen body parts but, upon bringing it to life, he recoils in horror at the creature's hideousness. Tormented by isolation and loneliness, the once-innocent creature turns to evil and unleashes a campaign of murderous revenge against his creator, Frankenstein.

Frankenstein, an instant bestseller and an important ancestor of both the horror and science fiction genres, not only tells a terrifying story, but also raises profound, disturbing questions about the very nature of life and the place of humankind within the cosmos: What does it mean to be human? What responsibilities do we have to each other? How far can we go in tampering with Nature? In our age, filled with news of organ donation genetic engineering, and bio-terrorism, these questions are more relevant than ever."

Fiction or Nonfiction: Fiction

Comments and Critique: Like many people, I was already familiar with this story through the movies. I've seen a couple of adaptations, one of which stuck right to the book (I think it starred Kenneth Branagh). So I wasn't really reading for plot the way I normally do.

I have to say, I was underwhelmed. I understand the story's importance to the history of the genre, but as a stand-alone work, I wasn't all that impressed. I found much of the dialogue overblown and the monster completely unbelievable. He's supposed to be filled with rage at his rejection, and yet he's incredibly eloquent and self-aware when talking to Frankenstein. How is it that he can look at himself so objectively and be so well-spoken on his condition, and yet he can't control his emotions in the least? It just didn't ring true to me. I also got quite annoyed with Frankenstein on several occasions -- for such a smart man, he was incredibly dense sometimes. Plus, we aren't given enough information as to why he created the monster in the first place. I would have preferred that part of Frankenstein's character to be more fully explored.

I don't feel that I wasted my time with this one -- as a story, it held my interest, and the author's style, apart from much of the dialogue, is quite good. I know that there's been quite a bit of scholarship done on this book and maybe I'd appreciate it more if I studied some of that. But I can't classify this one as one of my favorites from the period.

Challenges: 18th and 19th Century Women Writers; 999 ("1001 Books"); Another 1% Well-Read; Classics; Guardian 1000 Novels ("Science Fiction"); TBR Lite