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Frankenstein: The 1818 Text (Penguin Classics)

&&LDIV&&R&&LDIV&&R&&LI&&RFrankenstein&&L/I&&R, by &&LSTRONG&&RMary Shelley&&L/B&&R, is part of the &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics&&L/I&&R&&LI&&R &&L/I&&Rseries, which offers quality editions at affordable prices to the student and the general reader, including new scholarship, thoughtful design, and pages of carefully crafted extras. Here are some of the remarkable features of &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics&&L/I&&R: &&LDIV&&R
  • New introductions commissioned from todays top writers and scholars
  • Biographies of the authors
  • Chronologies of contemporary historical, biographical, and cultural events
  • Footnotes and endnotes
  • Selective discussions of imitations, parodies, poems, books, plays, paintings, operas, statuary, and films inspired by the work
  • Comments by other famous authors
  • Study questions to challenge the readers viewpoints and expectations
  • Bibliographies for further reading
  • Indices & Glossaries, when appropriate
All editions are beautifully designed and are printed to superior specifications; some include illustrations of historical interest. &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics &&L/I&&Rpulls together a constellation of influences--biographical, historical, and literary--to enrich each readers understanding of these enduring works.&&L/DIV&&R&&L/DIV&&R&&LP style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"&&R&&L/P&&R&&LP style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"&&R&&LB&&RMary Shelley&&L/B&&R began writing &&LI&&RFrankenstein&&L/I&&R when she was only eighteen. At once a Gothic thriller, a passionate romance, and a cautionary tale about the dangers of science, &&LI&&RFrankenstein&&L/I&&R tells the story of committed science student Victor Frankenstein. Obsessed with discovering "the cause of generation and life" and "bestowing animation upon lifeless matter," Frankenstein assembles a human being from stolen body parts but; upon bringing it to life, he recoils in horror at the creature's hideousness. Tormented by isolation and loneliness, the once-innocent creature turns to evil and unleashes a campaign of murderous revenge against his creator, Frankenstein.&&LBR&&R&&LBR&&R&&LI&&RFrankenstein&&L/I&&R, an instant bestseller and an important ancestor of both the horror and science fiction genres, not only tells a terrifying story, but also raises rofound, disturbing questions about the very nature of life and the place of humankind within the cosmos: What does it mean to be human? What responsibilities do we have to each other? How far can we go in tampering with Nature? In our age, filled with news of organ donation genetic engineering, and bio-terrorism, these questions are more relevant than ever. &&LBR&&R&&LBR&&R&&L/P&&R&&LP style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"&&R&&LB&&RKaren Karbiener &&L/B&&Rreceived a Ph.D. from Columbia University and currently teaches literature at New York University.&&L/P&&R&&L/DIV&&R&&L/B&&R&&L/B&&R

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Published Jan 30, 2005

286 pages

Average rating: 7.64

909 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

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✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI

Readers say this 1818 edition of Frankenstein offers elegant prose and deep philosophical themes that remain relevant today. Many appreciate its explo...

jeabot
May 30, 2024
6/10 stars
Not the story I expected

I had no idea the tragedy that befell Frankenstein after he created his monster. Why did he marry when he had been warned? Senseless tragedy. I know it's a classic but it was not to my taste.
Ibekimbo
Oct 21, 2025
🌩️ It’s absolutely sublime!!! I fell completely in love with this book — the writing, the emotion, the ache of grief and loneliness. It’s so beautifully written that I found myself pausing just to absorb certain lines, annotating every few pages, and even googling new words because I didn’t want to miss a thing. I cried more than once, especially for the creature — he broke my heart in the most human way. The way Mary Shelley explores isolation and longing is just so haunting and poetic. This may honestly be my favorite book. It captivated me from the very first page and stayed with me long after I closed it. Now I can’t wait to dive into The Sorrows of Young Werther next — it feels like the perfect follow-up to this wave of emotion.
Jo Mama
Oct 20, 2025
8/10 stars
I listened to this as an audiobook and really enjoyed it! I thought the old world language would make it harder, but I think it was easier to understand hearing it rather than reading it.
JJM
Oct 19, 2025
8/10 stars
Host: McAfees I enjoyed this book. Much more poetic than I thought it would be and does not really align with the pop culture notion of who Frankenstien is today.
abookwanderer
Oct 09, 2025
6/10 stars
3.5 stars

I listened to the first half of this book on audiobook, but I wasn't really connecting with it, so I picked up my physical copy to finish it. I enjoyed reading it more than I did listening to it. It wasn't as creepy as I was expecting, but well-written and worth the read. It's not one I would pick up again, though.

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