Frankenstein

Short Review: This has absolutely nothing to do with the common cultural understanding of Frankenstein. (Yes this is my first read of it.) I am mixed. On the one hand I can appreciate the classic. I find the discussion of ethics (scientific and medical) interesting. On the other hand parts of it are just odd. Frankenstein (the doctor) is not a great person. He is selfish, and does nothing to really justify the love that his adopted sister/cousin/wife show him (yes he marries his adopted sister at the dying request of his mother, variously she is called his cousin publicly and she raised his younger brothers after his mother died.) Clearly the monster is supposed to have more humanity than Dr Frankenstein and is well spoken, gentle and feels misunderstood. But the monster also is out of control and keeps killing people.

The race to the north pole at the end doesn't make any sense to me. I just don't understand the purpose.

I have a longer review on my blog and a discussion of why classics never seem to live up to their ‘classic-ness' at http://bookwi.se/frankenstein/