Anais' Annotations: "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley

The person we must thank for being one of pop culture’s most famous monsters, one that has gone on to inspire several film adaptations, countless Halloween costumes and nightmares, is not a major film corporation, or a well-established author at the height of their career. No, the person we must thank for “Frankenstein” (1818) is a 17-year-old girl undergoing unimaginable grief named Mary Shelley.  

With the novel’s original publication being over 200 years ago, a lot about the modern understanding of “Frankenstein” has changed, so in honor of Women’s History Month, I hope you will consider giving it a read and appreciating it as an original piece of art outside of its pop culture associations. 

Confession time: I have probably read “Frankenstein” about 10 times over the years. My favorite part of the book has always been how it encourages readers to question their perception of monstrosity. If you were unaware, the title is not actually the name of the monster; it is the name of his creator, Victor Frankenstein.  

Personally, I think it says a lot about how our culture views monstrosity that the name of the actual villain has been grafted onto the Creature in subsequent films and branding opportunities… but I will try to let each reader make their own decisions about that. 

The point I am trying to make is this novel raises complicated questions. The relationship between Victor and his Creature fulfills many dynamics at the same time, including a parent and child, a doctor and patient, and a scientist and experiment. These are not the simple good and bad storylines that often make up boiled-down plots for modern adaptations; this book is a work of art. It requires deeper reading than what is presented on the page to truly understand, and I think the best thing one can do to really get “Frankenstein” is to take it slowly and really breathe in everything presented. 

Upon cracking open the pages, you will find a nested narrative, wherein the beginning of the story is actually a frame that makes up a secondary plot line. On your first read, you may not notice these plots are linked to each other, mostly in metaphor, but significantly, nonetheless. This use of framed narrative really furthers the novel’s prevailing theme of not running amok with passion and ambition. 

If classic literature is not really your thing, you may find it helpful to listen to this story as an audiobook. While audio booking is not my favorite, it can help break into some of the denser language we no longer see in most fiction. Otherwise, to be a science fiction novel, this story manages to be truly horrific without graphic depictions of gore (although readers should be advised of multiple deaths). 

This Women’s History Month, I encourage all readers to celebrate the legacy of Shelley and her fellow women authors. “Frankenstein” found its forever place on my bookshelf a long time ago, and with every re-read since, I have only learned more from it. It is one text I can confidently say absolutely everyone should pick up at least once in their life. I rate “Frankenstein” a 10 out of 10 and encourage you to give it a chance, too.