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Frankenstein
by Mary Shelley
A great read! highly recommended!
Stephen King in his Danse Macabre novel mentions this as one of three essential horror classics, he says they are ' The Vampire (Dracula), the Werewolf (Jekyl and Hyde) and the thing with no name (Frankenstein).'
The book is so much better than what the movie has tried to communicate. Dr. Victor Frankenstein, who is a brilliant scientist with an obsession tries to play God, by creating a living human being all by himself. But all does not go to plan when the creation turns out to be not quite what he wanted. Frankenstein is terrified and rejects his creation, here's where the Gothic tale becomes a true literary work of art. What follows is the tragedy of a creature created by the arrogance and ambition of one man, an ugly yet fully human being. The monster is not good nor bad he's just plain human. What he needs is affection, love and understanding. His ugliness and clumsiness presents a problem as none is willing to approach him, he scares the hell out of everybody.
First, he is sad, then, he is enraged. Here's where the real monster is created by the hatred and frivolity of other humans.
A true Gothic masterpiece, this novel is unforgettable for its message, its depth, and especially for its environment and mood. It is all dark, all cold, all terrifying and all moving. The true monsters are the others, not Frankenstein's creature. His wanderings around the world is a wonderful work of horror literature. Don't miss this great book written in one night by Mary Wollstonecraft, the young wife of poet Percy Shelley.
Also @ webpage here
An Image of the Author.
by Mary Shelley
A great read! highly recommended!
Stephen King in his Danse Macabre novel mentions this as one of three essential horror classics, he says they are ' The Vampire (Dracula), the Werewolf (Jekyl and Hyde) and the thing with no name (Frankenstein).'
The book is so much better than what the movie has tried to communicate. Dr. Victor Frankenstein, who is a brilliant scientist with an obsession tries to play God, by creating a living human being all by himself. But all does not go to plan when the creation turns out to be not quite what he wanted. Frankenstein is terrified and rejects his creation, here's where the Gothic tale becomes a true literary work of art. What follows is the tragedy of a creature created by the arrogance and ambition of one man, an ugly yet fully human being. The monster is not good nor bad he's just plain human. What he needs is affection, love and understanding. His ugliness and clumsiness presents a problem as none is willing to approach him, he scares the hell out of everybody.
First, he is sad, then, he is enraged. Here's where the real monster is created by the hatred and frivolity of other humans.
A true Gothic masterpiece, this novel is unforgettable for its message, its depth, and especially for its environment and mood. It is all dark, all cold, all terrifying and all moving. The true monsters are the others, not Frankenstein's creature. His wanderings around the world is a wonderful work of horror literature. Don't miss this great book written in one night by Mary Wollstonecraft, the young wife of poet Percy Shelley.
Also @ webpage here
An Image of the Author.
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rated it 5 stars
May 22, 2011 08:10pm
This has been one of my favorite books of all time for that last couple of years. It's amazing. I try to get people to read it all the time.
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Yes before reading this I had a whole different view what it would be like. The movies paint more horrifying images, books are always better same with The Shining by King the novel was some much better.
I want to read this for so long, but have you ever thought that a female author can read such creepy book and adopted into hundreds of movies?
Lou wrote: "Yes before reading this I had a whole different view what it would be like. The movies paint more horrifying images, books are always better same with The Shining by King the novel was some much be..."I completely agree, "The Shining" is a superior book, and Kubrick's film, for all of its strengths, does not do it justice.
I have been meaning to pick this up for years. Before I do, though, I think I am going to read "The Last Man," a post-apocalyptic book that Shelley wrote after "Frankenstein."
It does look impressive. I'm also attracted (I'll admit) to the fact that it appears to be one of those lesser known works by a respected author. Who knows what awesomeness lies therein?One minus though: the edition I have has tiny, tiny print.
That's were ebooks win as there is poor publications of classic's and the ones that get a make over are high priced.
True, ebooks can sidestep those issues without putting the cost on the reader. I'm still partial to print, though.
its a great piece of work. I love how intellgent and poetic she makes frankensteins creation. its not the monster that the movies make it out to be its just a creature that doesn't know what its purpose is why was be brought into this world to only be turned away by its creator. its the same questions we ask ourselves. I had to read this for a class in college and we spoke about whether or not the creature had a soul and if it did how did it come by it. I believe its one of the greatest novels even written and everyone should read it at least once. but here's a question for u guys, whose the real monster in the story the creature who killed bc it had no sense of right and wrong or control over its emotions or the man that created it then abandoned it to fend for itself?
In the story I get the sense the whole root of the problem was Frankenstein himself in the way he created him using parts of already violent individuals.
There's a very beautiful edition of the Frankenstein novel illustrated by Bernie Wrightson. It's not a comic/graphic novel, but the original text with drawings by Wrightson. Was published in 1983 by Marvel Comics and later reprinted by Dark Horse. Check it here:http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/96...
Alberto wrote: "There's a very beautiful edition of the Frankenstein novel illustrated by Bernie Wrightson. It's not a comic/graphic novel, but the original text with drawings by Wrightson. Was published in 1983 b..."Thanks
I didn't know this before hand and my father helped influence this, but I'm taking the Stephen king danse macabre challenge! Your review gives me hope that part 1 will go smoothly.
@LouI don't mean to be "that girl" but Stephen Kings "Danse Macabre" isn't a novel, it's a work of nonfiction.
Mike wrote: "Lou, excellent review. It's been too many years since I read this. Time to pull it off the shelf."Thanks, I hope to join the southern read of Faulkner soon :)
Although I totally agree with you on several points, such as the depth this novel can reach (real deep for a gothic tale as it was proposed in its origins), I still feel a little uneasy for considering it an amazing book. What happens is that Victor really got into my nerves being that melodramatic and self-pitying. On most of the reading we have to deal with his exaggerated speech, while the part narrated by the monster was, for me, the true joy of reading Frankenstein.
