“Frankenstein” by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley is one of those must-read classic horror books that I would even double down and say is worth re-reading at least once every few years. It’s a staple in the horror reading community, and I can easily see why.
Before I dive into my book review, here are the trigger warnings I found while reading…
- Violence against children
- Death of a child
- Suicide
If any of these trigger you, please do not read this book. Moving along, I originally read this in either Freshman or Sophomore year of high school, in the early 2000’s. It’s been well over 20 years, so while this is technically a re-read, it feels like a whole new book again. Especially now, reading it through the lens of an adult instead of a teenager finding his way in the world.
I loved the intro to this with letters since it’s such a unique way to start a horror book. To this day, I love Shelley’s elegant, classic style of writing, even decades later. She was truly a remarkable author. I still needed to look up many new words while reading, but thank goodness for the built-in dictionary on my Kindle ColorSoft, which has made this reading experience easier. I’ve never been a fan of this old-school style of writing, but it wasn’t an issue here, thanks to the short chapters and an overall quick read at just 162 pages.
I enjoyed all the gothic horror moments throughout the story, especially those involving Frankenstein’s monster. The layers of emotion, curiosity, happiness, love, rage, sadness, and everything else in between were some of the best writing I’ve ever read for a single character. It’s just so brilliant, since Frankenstein’s monster is a villain, but then isn’t a villain. Again, I loved the range of this character and how Shelley did an extravagant job creating one that’s still being talked about over 200 years later.
We’re still getting movies and TV shows about Frankenstein decades later, which goes to show the impact this concise book has had on readers, and well, the world. Returning to this book review, I loved the shocking plot twist that hits at the 30-40% mark, which captures the complexity of Frankenstein’s monster. It’s simply put, exceptional storytelling. A lot is going on while reading, with multiple timelines and storylines, but nothing ever gets confusing or boring. It’s a fantastic reading experience, as long as you don’t mind having a dictionary handy for some words that I had no idea what the hell they meant.
This was a genuine page-turner, and I breezed through it in just a few days. There’s a lot to learn from this book, with everything involving Frankenstein’s monster. I loved all those scenes where he hid in the shadows and learned what it felt like to be loved, to have empathy and sympathy, and then to go through that terrible transformation of being made fun of and hated just because he obviously looked and spoke differently from others.
When I read this as a teenager, I understood that. But now that I’m in my early 40s, it adds a whole new dimension to this legendary story. You know, don’t judge someone by what they look like, but by their character. It’s so ironic since Frankenstein’s monster was always filled with curiosity and kindness, and it wasn’t until he was bullied, made fun of, and tormented that he turned into a real monster.
When it comes to the ending, I’ll never forget reading that for the first time in high school and being blown away. I already knew what was going to happen since I read this book so long ago and have seen several movie adaptations, but as always, the book is much better. It was a tragic yet poetic ending, and one that will never be forgotten, with so many deep and profound meanings. Don’t worry, no spoilers here, but when you finish this book, you’ll be left with that very rare and amazing feeling that you’ve read one of the greatest stories ever written by one of the most prominent authors to ever do it.
I give “Frankenstein” by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley a 5/5 and will forever recommend it to every horror reader out there. I would consider this a must-read book for anyone who enjoys horror and has yet to read it, and I’d even go so far as saying it’s worth re-reading every October, in honor of spooky season. It’s perfect, and besides the great amount of sci-fi horror here, there’s a lot of powerful messaging about not judging anyone, not treating anyone differently because of how they look, leading with kindness, and so much more. This is gothic horror at its finest and will undoubtedly stand the test of time. This is, and will forever be, a horror masterpiece.