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Frankenstein

(Longman Cultural Editions)

By Shelley Mary, Susan J. Wolfson

(1042)

| Paperback | 9780321399533

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Book Description

From the Longman Cultural Editions series, this second edition of Frankenstein presents Mary Shelley's remarkable novel in several provocative and illuminating contexts: cultural, critical, and literary.

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24 Reviews

2 people find this helpful

This book does have its flaws. I found it clumsily structured, with at least one framing device too many. Also, after the climactic wedding night Victor Frankenstein's part in the story accelerates to a rushed and unrewarding conclusion.
There were two things central to my enjoyment of the nov ... (continue)

This book does have its flaws. I found it clumsily structured, with at least one framing device too many. Also, after the climactic wedding night Victor Frankenstein's part in the story accelerates to a rushed and unrewarding conclusion.
There were two things central to my enjoyment of the novel however. One was the sense of Gothic menace arising particularly from Victor's vacillations in the face of his moral debt to his vicious, brooding and eloquent monster. The other was its progressive message, as articulated by Frankenstein's creation in its implicit vindication of the rights of those beyond the pale, be they monster, murderer, foreigner, slave, pauper, bastard or woman.
Often claimed as the first science fiction novel on the spurious basis of its act of creation, a barely-examined plot device, it is the book's social commentary which makes it more naturally a father to modern soft sci-fi.

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calebuck said on Sep 5, 2009 about the Others edition | 1 feedback

2 people find this helpful

I read this for a modern novel English class in College. This is actually a great story - much better (and very different!) from any movie rendition I have seen. There is a whole other side to the story of the "monster" and this is pretty much an essential read of classic fiction.

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karattack said on Jan 4, 2008 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

2 people find this helpful

Last night I also finished Frankenstein which I LOVED. Unfortunately Pandora's Breeches had given me the basic story arc but it was still nice to see it played out. Having read that first it was also interesting to see the relationships between the men and their largely unseen female counterparts. T ... (continue)

Last night I also finished Frankenstein which I LOVED. Unfortunately Pandora's Breeches had given me the basic story arc but it was still nice to see it played out. Having read that first it was also interesting to see the relationships between the men and their largely unseen female counterparts. THe plot was so unlike any hollywood production, so many extra characters, so much traveling and despair.
I'm not really interested in ethics but I am really interested in psychology, what makes people people and how and why they behave. This book was just a fantastic enquiry into the nature of man. I found the writing to be beautifully articulate, I loved how eloquent everyone was, including the monster. For me it was a very visual book, I could picture the hovel cottage on the remote Scottish island, and the boat stuck in the ice. I can't believe that I waited so long to read it. I'm sure I'm going to end up reading it again several times. It was just really really good!

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Robot-mel said on Sep 1, 2007 | Add your feedback

*** This comment contains spoilers! ***

'Man,' cried I, 'how ignorant art thou in thy pride of wisdom! [...]'

In lingua originale questo libro si apprezza decisamente di più, si entra meglio tra le pagine del romanzo, si assapora di più. Si vivono il rapporto di Victor con la natura e soprattutto i suoi tormenti, il tramutarsi della sua scellerata ambizione in orrore e poi rabbia; si vivono anche i tormenti ... (continue)

In lingua originale questo libro si apprezza decisamente di più, si entra meglio tra le pagine del romanzo, si assapora di più. Si vivono il rapporto di Victor con la natura e soprattutto i suoi tormenti, il tramutarsi della sua scellerata ambizione in orrore e poi rabbia; si vivono anche i tormenti della sua creatura, abbandonata e detestata dal suo creatore, alla ricerca della felicità e della serenità che gli uomini possono avere, ma che sembrano non destinate ad essa; si vive anche l’evoluzione di Walton, il modo in cui l’incontro e il confronto con Victor gli fanno cambiare idea riguardo il suo viaggio, un’altra sfida contro la natura.
Sì, adoro Mary Shelley e adoro questo suo libro, iniziato a scrivere a 18 anni (e direi che non è poco!). È uno di quelli che, finito di leggere, fa venir subito voglia di ricominciarlo da capo, perché si troverà sempre qualcosa di nuovo e darà sempre qualcosa su cui riflettere.

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Jess* said on Feb 2, 2012 about the Others edition | Add your feedback

Perfect picture of all human feelings

Fantastic book, I found all the human feelings in a few pages: love, friendship, hate, anger, fame, etc. The description made by the monster of the "wooden" family is simply marvellous, the true heart of the book. Moreover, it is a book not so difficult to be read, even by an Italian :)

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Albi Olorin said on Oct 22, 2011 | Add your feedback