FRANKENSTEIN by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

FRANKENSTEIN by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley **** - Written in 1818 and immediately hailed as a classic, Shelley tells the disturbing tale of Victor Frankenstein, the archetype ‘mad scientist’ who creates a creature in his lab. While Frankenstein attempts to escape the consequences of this scientific experiment, the creature goes through his own journey of learning and growing in a world in which he is an utter outcast.

Frankenstein is an incredibly poignant story that teaches the reader of the trials of human error, the isolation and loneliness that comes from being different, the foibles of focusing too much on success and work, and the consequences of not belonging. A story within a story within a story, the narrative style of this work is something I’ve never come across before, and something I wish to read again. I love the unorthodox use of narration and Shelley’s sly way of switching perspectives.

What I loved about this novel: Frankenstein feels like the kind of book you can peel back, layer by layer, and come out of every discussion with a different perspective on the book. At times it seemed to be a science fiction novel playing on the dangers of technology and modern medicine. At other times, a social commentary about allowing others to fit in and feel included in order to ensure a peaceful society. At other times still, it read to me like a horror story (except, told in 1818 - so not actually that scary). I loved attempting to discern what Shelley wanted the readers to take away. Was it a commentary on race? Was it a commentary on modernity and evolution? Religion must have been considered during the writing of this novel. There is no doubt that this is a classic for a reason.

What I didn’t love: This was one of the hardest books for me to commit to. I actually tried reading this around Halloween in 2020 and found it impossible to delve into fully. I didn’t even get to where the narrator meets Frankenstein. However, when Spotify released it as an audiobook read by David Dobrik I figured I’d give it another chance. I highly recommend listening to books that seem too wordy and difficult to digest. It forces you to brush past the sentences that don’t make sense 100% and you can move on to getting the gist of it. This method may not be for everybody, but if you find yourself slogging through classics - try audiobooks!