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calarco 's review for:
Frankenstein: The 1818 Text
by Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley’s [b:Frankenstein|35031085|Frankenstein|Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1498841231l/35031085._SY75_.jpg|4836639] is an exciting horror told in beautiful prose, and I honestly could not be more surprised. Frankenstein’s monster is so iconic that he is structurally embedded in the zeitgeist, or at least a green, dumbed-down iteration certainly is. Given the pervasive prominence of this caricature, I had never figured him to be a sophisticated gothic monster in the vein of Dracula or Mr. Hyde. However, after reading about the actual Creature in the source material, I now have a refreshing new perspective on this tortured soul.
“Hateful day when I received life … Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust? God, in pity, made man beautiful and alluring, after His own image; but my form is a filthy type of yours, more horrid from the very resemblance.”
Dr. Frankenstein is so singularly driven to uncover scientific wonder to advance both the field and his own career, that he does not really stop to consider the ethical consequences of his experimentations. In the end, he creates a being he is unable to care for in any significant capacity. Feeling spurned by his creator, the creature goes on a murderous rampage, ultimately becoming the monster that others treat and view him as—fulfilling societal expectations. Devolving into a twisted game of cat and mouse, this narrative shifts between the perspectives of Victor Frankenstein, the creature, and an objective third party who each rev up even more suspense with new revelations.
While written in 1818, I could see this story as an allegory for so many modern-day issues including the implications of animal cloning, certain forms of artificial intelligence, but most notably climate change. While I believe most scientists and researchers are well-intentioned, in the current rigorous academic system it is pretty easy to get sucked into the rat race of your career at the expense of ethical overview. Perhaps more accurate is the desire of CEOs to meet short-term bottom lines at the expense of long-term public health, but I digress.
Ultimately, this was a really fun, moving read. I definitely recommend it, and look forward to reading more of Mary Shelley’s work.
Rating: 4.5 stars
“Hateful day when I received life … Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust? God, in pity, made man beautiful and alluring, after His own image; but my form is a filthy type of yours, more horrid from the very resemblance.”
Dr. Frankenstein is so singularly driven to uncover scientific wonder to advance both the field and his own career, that he does not really stop to consider the ethical consequences of his experimentations. In the end, he creates a being he is unable to care for in any significant capacity. Feeling spurned by his creator, the creature goes on a murderous rampage, ultimately becoming the monster that others treat and view him as—fulfilling societal expectations. Devolving into a twisted game of cat and mouse, this narrative shifts between the perspectives of Victor Frankenstein, the creature, and an objective third party who each rev up even more suspense with new revelations.
While written in 1818, I could see this story as an allegory for so many modern-day issues including the implications of animal cloning, certain forms of artificial intelligence, but most notably climate change. While I believe most scientists and researchers are well-intentioned, in the current rigorous academic system it is pretty easy to get sucked into the rat race of your career at the expense of ethical overview. Perhaps more accurate is the desire of CEOs to meet short-term bottom lines at the expense of long-term public health, but I digress.
Ultimately, this was a really fun, moving read. I definitely recommend it, and look forward to reading more of Mary Shelley’s work.
Rating: 4.5 stars