Will I love Frankenstein?

I read this during a confusing time—when I was seeking treatment for depression, from age 16 through 24.

Here was the third-most adapted book in history, and yet with each adaptation, the story grew further from the author’s true voice, which was that of an 18-year-old girl. How odd that this could happen, given that Frankenstein revolves around the creature finding his identity.

He only wants to do good, but when he learns how to read, he also learns how to label himself—as separate from God, and separate from man. He believes he must be bad because he’s different. The… show more.

I really wanted to read this classic after seeing so many adaptations through film and television. To think that Shelly was so young when she wrote this is extremely impressive.
Although I did find the pacing somewhat slow at various points, I still found this to be a really enjoyable read and one to tick off my list.

Truly a book for the ages, how could I not recommend this? It is THE iconic book about a constructed being and his consequent travails.

Made by Victor Frankenstein from all sorts of collected detritus, when the monster opens his “yellow, watery eyes,” the scientist flees from him and never looks back. The monster is left to negotiate the world on his own, but much like a newborn baby, he is ignorant and unequipped to do so.

I love how, unlike the popular concept of the monster, he is, in fact, a vegetarian, and at the start, very vulnerable and… show more.

We tend to conceptualize the Frankenstein monster as the creature portrayed by Boris Karloff in the old Universal films. But Mary Shelley’s version of the monster is far more subtle and nuanced. He is intelligent and articulate, and therefore, even more painfully aware of his being viewed by humans as a misfit and a pariah.

Karloff was masterful at evoking sympathy for the monster in the films, but I think Mary Shelley’s monster does so even more powerfully in the novel.

You know the movies, but maybe not Mary Shelley’s novel. Published in 1818 and revised in 1821, it’s a disquieting story of things going very wrong between a negligent parent (Victor von Frankenstein) and his sensitive child (the monster he created).

I identify with both sides of the equation. I also take Shelley's Frankenstein as a rich historical document of Romantic fascination with anatomy and the illicit grave robbery that supplied bodies to the dissecting tables. And “galvanism,” which Giovanni Aldini publicly demonstrated in 1803 by placing electrodes on the corpse of an executed criminal, causing his legs and arms… show more.

I love that this book was the result of a dare! In 1816, eighteen-year-old Mary Shelley and three friends held a contest to see who could write the scariest story. Mary’s story—like her monster—has since taken on a life of its own and today permeates all forms of storytelling.

I find it amusing that my favorite version of the monster is the one Mel Brooks gave us in Young Frankenstein. I wonder what Mary Shelley would think if she knew how much her acceptance of a dare would change storytelling forever.

I like to revisit the original story from time… show more.

The first time I read Mary Shelly's Frankenstein was decades ago, and when I finished reading it, I felt like I'd just read one of the greatest loves stories ever told, and now after reading it a third time I feel exactly the same. Her heart felt writing of a misunderstood creature who is only seeking love and companionship, but is looked upon as a monster because of his physical appearance, shows us that no matter what era we live in, human nature does not change.

"Frankenstein" captivated me with its haunting exploration of ambition, isolation, and the quest for identity with gay themes between the lines. I was moved by the Creature’s yearning for acceptance, making him a tragic, sympathetic figure rather than a simple monster. The story is a powerful reminder of responsibility, empathy, and the human need for connection—even in the face of fear and rejection.

We have all heard of this book. We all know something about the plot either by watching the film or hearing something about it at school. If you haven’t yet read the book, you must put it on your reading list. We can only give Mary Shelley’s work full justice by reading it from beginning to end; not until then will you be able to feel Victor’s internal struggles. In his attempt to achieve immortality, he created a monster.

I never get tired of reading chapter five where Shelley describes Victor’s utter disappointment upon watching his creation coming to life.… show more.

Frankenstein digs deep into a parent’s responsibility to their child and the beginning roots of violence. Mary Shelley asks if rejection, isolation, and suffering through neglect is sufficiently potent to make a monster. This one isn’t obscure, but I was surprised and touched by the poignant and relatable themes.

It got me thinking about my childhood and my parent’s even rougher upbringings. They tried to overcome the traumas passed on to them and stumbled quite a bit. I’ve done the same with my children and wonder at what point those increments of positive change reach a tipping point. Frankenstein asserts… show more.