Frankenstein - Mary Shelley

Published by Wordsworth Editions Limitied/Classics: Hertfordshire, 1993.
First published 1818.

I don't think this needs a lot of introduction. Frankenstein is a very popular book, having been continually in print since it was first written in 1818 by a then 18-year old Mary Shelley. A young scientist, mad with power, creates a creature and brings it to life, only to be overwhelmed by what he has done and reject the creature, leading to the monster growing up alone, isolated, and resentful. 

The question "Which one of the two is the real monster?" has been asked ever since the book's publication, a fact not helped by the public association of the term 'Frankenstein' with the monster, when it is the name of the scientist - it's almost as if the question could be "Which is the real Frankenstein?" However, in the book the creature is a little more monstrous than I had anticipated: he is lonely and misunderstood, but he is also quick to violence, and even revenge. Victor Frankenstein is driven and then immediately regretful, but also makes dumb decisions that lead to inevitable outcomes. 

The story is told in a style typical of the era: there are epistolary sections such as in Dracula or even Pride and Prejudice, there is a character to whom a different character narrates the main events as a story that has already happened as in Wuthering Heights (a book whose tone Frankenstein often reminded me of) - in fact, there is even a section where one character narrates the story that another character narrated to them, leading to a Russian doll-style storytelling flashback device.

The story is also told in its 'simplest' form: we are not given any details of how Frankenstein brings his creature to life, and even the classic 'Frankenstein' tropes of body parts being sewn together and lightning flashes powering the creature's resurrection are not taken from this original text. At most, those cinematic variations on the story have been 'inspired' by references to 'gathering materials' from crypts, or of Frankenstein being inspired by the power of lightning. 

It's one of those stories that feels dated and yet well written, simple and yet with some depth... I don't think it's one I'll rush to revisit, but I can understand why some people like it.

Completed 27 February 2026.

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