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Frankenstein

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Start date: May 6, 2011

Finish date: June 1, 2011

Discussion: Former Group Reads

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What Members Thought

Dec 03, 2008 Sam rated it it was amazing

Shelves: classics, proper-books, horror, gothic

This story is written with such conviction and eloquence that you quickly become fully engrossed in the 'monster's' battle for survival and Frankenstein's feeling of responsibility and love for what he has created. The story shows how first appearance affect how you are perceived and this is emphasised by the many film adaptations which show the monster as a big green bolt ridden unfeeling beast and Frankenstein as the crazed, power mad scientist when in reality the monster is made to be the way ...more

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Sep 01, 2011 Kathleen Valentine rated it really liked it

The book, written by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, the young wife of the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, is incredibly different from the movies made over a century later. The writing style is typically old-fashioned but tends to be a bit over-burdened at times which is why I give it 4-stars instead of 5, but the story is heart-breaking.

Young Victor Frankenstein is a son of privilege. He has a loving father, two charming brothers, and a beautiful cousin that the family hopes he will one day marry. Whi The book, written by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, the young wife of the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, is incredibly different from the movies made over a century later. The writing style is typically old-fashioned but tends to be a bit over-burdened at times which is why I give it 4-stars instead of 5, but the story is heart-breaking.

Young Victor Frankenstein is a son of privilege. He has a loving father, two charming brothers, and a beautiful cousin that the family hopes he will one day marry. While studying medicine, Victor becomes obsessed with the concept of creating life and he begins a series of experiments which result in his creation of a "monster" but the minute the monster comes to life Victor is horrified and repulsed by his creation and promptly rejects it. He casts his creation out in to the world with no preparation for life whatsoever and tries to distance himself as far as possible from what he has brought into being. This, of course, does not work.

Victor returns to his studies and to his life but, soon after he finishes his studies, he is called home because his younger brother has been murdered and the foster child his father raised, a lovely but fragile young woman, has been accused and is about to stand trial. Victor hurries home but to no avail. Justine is convicted of murdering the son of the family that raised her and is hanged. Victor, of course, knows she could not have done this and suspects it is the work of his own creation. He sets off into the snow-bound secrets of the Alps and there is met by his creation who tells him his tale.

His is an incredibly sad story. The monster, cast out into the world knows nothing -- he cannot speak or communicate, he does not know how to care for himself, he is utterly alone in the world with no skills at all. The only thing he knows is that he is much bigger and more powerful than other men and that his appearance terrifies them. He eventually finds himself in proximity to a family -- a blind old man and his two grandchildren who care for him. By living hidden but close to them and eavesdropping on their life, the monster learns to speak and also learns about the world. He is the most pitiful of beings, leading a lonely, hidden life. He tries to help the family he lives near by gathering firewood he leaves outside their door along with nuts and berries but he is completely alone. When ultimately he tries to contact the family he is met with hatred, fear and terror and runs away again.

The monster begs Victor to make him a companion. He cannot bear being alone in the world and promises that, if only Victor will create a partner for him, he will go as far away a possible and that they will never be seen again. Victor agrees and goes to an island in the Orkneys with the intention of creating an "Eve" for his "Adam" but is so repulsed by the process, even though he did it once before, that he gathers up his work and deposits it in a lake. The monster, who has followed him, observes this and begins a series of murders out of rage.

This is an incredibly sad story. Victor comes across as an obnoxious, spoiled, insensitive brat who is constantly falling into illness because of his own rash and imprudent behavior. And the monster is the saddest of creations -- alone with nothing in the world to support himself except his incredible strength. By the end of the story one cannot help but ask "who is the real monster here?" The answer is pretty apparent. ...more

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