I have never read Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley before, which may be surprising since I have a Masters in English, and I'm a horror author. It doesn't seem to be one of those books that one studies anymore, and I am not sure if it is because of the tone, the writing, or the story itself.
If you are unfamiliar with it the story follows a young man named Robert, who is trying to accomplish a mission by sailing from one point to another. He runs across a young man who is floating on an ice sheet. This man turns out to be a man with a surprising story, a story of murder, horror, and creativity. This man is Victor Frankenstein. The story he tells is one of committing an atrocity by creating a monster, one of murder, and one of incredible loss. Victor wants revenge for everything he has been through, but he isn't quite sure how to achieve it.
I am familiar with popular Frankenstein stories, and the plot points of the movies, but besides Frankenstein being the being to create the monster, most of the stories don't actually follow the book. First, we never know how exactly Frankenstein creates the monster, as he never wishes to divulge his secrets. He is worried that someone else with create a monster like he has, and he doesn't want to bring this horror out on the world. Second, in most versions, the monster isn't very verbal, and the monster in the book is actually quite articulate. We actually learn quite a bit about what the monster has gone through before he meets up with his creator again.
There are several other things in the story that are not quite like the movies that have been made to represent it. There are murders that don't happen in most movies that set things in motion for Victor. We learn a lot about Victor's life previous to his leaving for school and creating the monster.
The novel doesn't quite end like most of the movies do either, which did surprise me. I would have liked it better if it had ended like most of the movie versions.
There are things about this novel that I truly enjoyed. The question of who should or should not play god is a very interesting question that we still ask about today. What, as creators, do we owe our creations? Are we responsible for their reactions after we leave the to their own devices? Are we responsible for their bad behavior and should we stop them if we can?
I know this novel is recognized as a horror novel, but I think it is more of a science fiction or a mystery novel, especially since it has science fiction elements and the elements of a murder mystery. I do think this was a good book, and obvious a classic. If I were going to compare it to novels today, I would say I would have liked a different ending. I didn't quite think it was a good ending for the story, and what the audience wants. It feels as if there should be a book two.
If you are unfamiliar with it the story follows a young man named Robert, who is trying to accomplish a mission by sailing from one point to another. He runs across a young man who is floating on an ice sheet. This man turns out to be a man with a surprising story, a story of murder, horror, and creativity. This man is Victor Frankenstein. The story he tells is one of committing an atrocity by creating a monster, one of murder, and one of incredible loss. Victor wants revenge for everything he has been through, but he isn't quite sure how to achieve it.
I am familiar with popular Frankenstein stories, and the plot points of the movies, but besides Frankenstein being the being to create the monster, most of the stories don't actually follow the book. First, we never know how exactly Frankenstein creates the monster, as he never wishes to divulge his secrets. He is worried that someone else with create a monster like he has, and he doesn't want to bring this horror out on the world. Second, in most versions, the monster isn't very verbal, and the monster in the book is actually quite articulate. We actually learn quite a bit about what the monster has gone through before he meets up with his creator again.
There are several other things in the story that are not quite like the movies that have been made to represent it. There are murders that don't happen in most movies that set things in motion for Victor. We learn a lot about Victor's life previous to his leaving for school and creating the monster.
The novel doesn't quite end like most of the movies do either, which did surprise me. I would have liked it better if it had ended like most of the movie versions.
There are things about this novel that I truly enjoyed. The question of who should or should not play god is a very interesting question that we still ask about today. What, as creators, do we owe our creations? Are we responsible for their reactions after we leave the to their own devices? Are we responsible for their bad behavior and should we stop them if we can?
I know this novel is recognized as a horror novel, but I think it is more of a science fiction or a mystery novel, especially since it has science fiction elements and the elements of a murder mystery. I do think this was a good book, and obvious a classic. If I were going to compare it to novels today, I would say I would have liked a different ending. I didn't quite think it was a good ending for the story, and what the audience wants. It feels as if there should be a book two.
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