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Literary Escapism Book Club

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Frankenstein

&&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

BUY THE BOOK

Published Aug 15, 2016

144 pages

Average rating: 7.61

788 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

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.
Josie the book goblin
Aug 22, 2025
6/10 stars
So I really wanted to love Frankenstein. It was a long and hard read but I appreciate the beauty of the way Shelley portrayed that there is both good and evil in human nature and it's not always so simple to define that in a person. Inside everyone we are filled with both of these qualities. I like that the book gives you examples about good versus evil within the characters and the choices they make. There is a lot to take away from this book, Just like Frankenstein, there is plenty to take a part and put back together.

I read a review that explains him and this book just as beautifully as Shelly did "He is beyond good and evil because the peculiar conditions of his short life makes him behave in very wicked ways, yet he also shows a humane side, but that side of him is soon censored and he ends doing much more evil than good, he may have had the potential to redeem himself, but he never gets to, he is so misguided by his circumstances (being made ugly in a culture where ugly equals evil) that his behaviour is despicable, but one can feel sorry for him, he may qualify as an antivillain, or tragic hero, without the heroism. He is a tragic character and does have moral agency, but he fails to act to fully qualify as evil or good."
Ly
Jul 22, 2025
Tillie
Matt mcfarlane
Jul 18, 2025
7/10 stars
A classic. Slow to start but worth it
Pferdina
Jul 05, 2025
8/10 stars
Read long ago and re-read for book club. I had forgotten the surrounding story of the ship captain on a quest for the theorized ice-free north pole sea. I had forgotten that Victor was such a whiner! He acts as if there is nothing he can do, he is completely at the mercy of his unfortunate destiny. He doesn't try to hunt down his creature or set a trap for it. Meanwhile, the creature just wants connection and is horribly rejected by everyone he meets, even his creator (what a jerk).

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