Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus

by Mary Wollstonecraft (Godwin) Shelley

If all you know of Frankenstein and his monster is what you've seen in the movies then you don't know Frankenstein. There is more to this tale than dark laboratories and goofy electrical gadgets. And there's nary a mention of neck bolts anywhere in this book.

This is a pretty fast read and it's actually a surprisingly good story. It's not particularly scary but the subject matter is relatively deep. Written at the dawn of the industrial revolution, it questions the wisdom of man wandering too close to God's territory. Is it wise for man to understand the secrets of life? It also raises questions about good and evil. Is man born evil or is it something that he learns from his environment.

Frankenstein's monster (who never receives a name) is not the lumbering grunting hulk of the movies. He's huge and hideous but at the same time he's also superhuman and extremely intelligent. By the time we actually meet the monster, he has learned to speak flawlessly and he's learned to reason. He's also learned that man is terribly unkind to those he fears. He claims that he wanted acceptance and companionship. Frankenstein has denied this to him and so has everyone he's met since his creation. Was the monster created evil or has he merely become such? And is mankind (and Victor Frankenstein) to blame for his turning out evil?

This is certainly not the best book I've ever read but it was quite enjoyable and the questions it raises are thought provoking. It's definitely worth the short time required to read it.