Publication: January 3th 2013 by Penguin Books (first published in 1818)
Source: Purchased
Goodreads Summary: 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.
Goodreads Page
My Thoughts:
Sbooktober Challenge #4: Read a book by an iconic horror author
Sbooktober Challenge Book #4: Complete
I'm glad that I finally found the time to read this! I'd always heard so many things about this--both good and bad--and that it was mostly a good read and something every lover of books should read at least once in his lifetime. And I definitely agree!
It's told in a similar way to Wuthering Heights and Dracula in that the story is being told secondhand/through letters. The story captured my interest from the very beginning and I really liked that we were able to see who Victor Frankenstein was before his creation and what led him to his discoveries to create another human being. It definitely lent a realistic air to the book but there is also a forebodingness throughout his beginning story. The actual creation of the monster was executed perfectly--just a scant amount of details given, leaving it up to your imagination. I have to say though that after the creation of the monster I did find my enthusiasm lessening a bit as I read the rest of the book. It picked up in some parts and waned in some others.
I have to say that the book is written brilliantly. You both despise and sympathize with the main characters of the book. I kept finding myself conflicted over how I felt about Victor. At times, I definitely felt sorrow for him as his life derailed on such a terrible, depressing road with so many horrific events plaguing him. However, I felt angry at him for his treatment of the monster and frustrated at how easily his problems could've been resolved if he had but given the monster a chance. But that is all part of the brilliancy of the story. I also found myself empathizing with the monster--at his trials of figuring out how to survive on his own and his disheartening failures in connecting with human beings. And yet disappointed in him as well with his seemingly calloused destruction of Victor's life and family.
And the book ends in a perfect yet frustrating way just as the entire story is told. No true resolution. A deep disappointment in how pointless both sides were in the end. It was an amazing book and I loved it! I also think it's one of the most accessible classic books for an ordinary reader--it's told in a very easy-to-understand way in mostly common, every day language and would be a good first classic to start with. Check it out!
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