Review – Frankenstein
First thing I want to say about Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is that the actual book is very different than what’s in the pop culture ethos. Yes, there are the little things like, Frankenstein isn’t the monster, he is the guy who created the monster and no, he wasn’t a doctor. But the differences are actually a lot more interesting and make the book a worthy read. Despite all of the adaptations in pop culture of this book, the original story is often lost.
The story is written from the perspective of a character that is nowhere to be found in pop culture – R. Walton. Another difference is that it’s written as a series of letters to his sister, while Walton himself embarks on a great voyage to push the boundaries of discovery. This framing is important for the story. Besides setting the tone, the themes, and the mood, it gives the fantastical parts a little leeway as you might assume that when someone tells a story of a story, they maybe embellishing a little.
I would recommend that you read it! Even if you think that what you know about the story isn’t very interesting, I encourage you to read it; if for nothing else, than to compare it to the modern iterations of the tale.
