Frankenstein in Reading the Classics

Feb 07, 2023 Jurgen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: literatuur-literair, las-23, lievelings, klassiekers, gothic

Deze klassieker – die ik enkel 'kende' van de titel en de klassieke filmscène – was dus helemaal niet wat ik verwachtte, als ik al wat verwachtte. Ik bedoel: die filmscène waarin Dr. Frankenstein zijn 'monster' (in de roman 'mijn demon') tot leven wekt in een bliksemende nacht is in de originele roman maar een bijzin. Veel meer gaat het om het drama erná. Het is gewoon een gothic novel, dus sterke psychologie en wat duisternis – en zeker geen horror. Maar wat een fantastische roman dit dus! ...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Jim rated it really liked it

Frankenstein is beautiful is it's language. The motivations of Victor Frankenstein are opaque at times, and this detracts.

It's best parts are from the perspective of the brooding, disturbed monster. Shelley's portrayal is of the near demi-God; a creature of great intelligence and strength that is yet so hideous that he cannot stand that sight of himself. He speaks with tremendous power, and cunning manipulation but his wants are simple. His great driving need is for some form of acceptance, or i Frankenstein is beautiful is it's language. The motivations of Victor Frankenstein are opaque at times, and this detracts.

It's best parts are from the perspective of the brooding, disturbed monster. Shelley's portrayal is of the near demi-God; a creature of great intelligence and strength that is yet so hideous that he cannot stand that sight of himself. He speaks with tremendous power, and cunning manipulation but his wants are simple. His great driving need is for some form of acceptance, or if he cannot get it then revenge on those who have given him this pathetic life he did not ask for. If the portrayal of the protagonist, Victor, was equally superb, then it would be more deserving of praise. But Victor's given an inconsistent characterization, which is combined, as I said at first, with motivations that are less clear then they really should be.

So I suppose this is a work that is utterly satisfying but not completely excellent in every way. Still, a more then worthy effort, especially for someone at that young at the time.

Addendum: Initially, my first reaction was to mark this book down as deserving of five stars. However, as I reflected back on the this seemed to me somewhat undeserving. Usually it is the case that the adaption to film does not do justice. To some extent, this is indeed the case with James Whale's version for it is barely similar. But compared to the film the book is oddly superficial somehow. The film creature does not have nearly the type of intellect as the novel yet is drawn still stunning sophistication and depth (to this we must thank the performance of Karloff) but in terms of Victor Frankenstein and the new ancillary characters (whose stories are basically invented) we are given something more believable. This should not be overly regarded to discredit Mrs. Shelley's grim tale to whom the original credit must belong. The magnificence of the language, as I said before, is no insignificant thing, and her own unique and mighty vision of Prometheus was so was magnificent that event as great a visionary as James Whale could not hope to replicate it. Four stars then, but a strong four it is. ...more

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Jun 09, 2011 Thomas rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: classic, sci-fi-fanasty-dystopian

Frankenstein was sadly not at all what I expected it to be. I thought it was going to be a gothic horror book with the monster destroying towns and what not. But no it turned out that the monster just wanted to be excepted by mankind and have a partner to live with. The book started out slow and never really got to intense. It did however have me on the edge of my seat most of the time because I wanted something to happen. Overall an average classic novel.

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