“Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful.” ― Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is a groundbreaking novel that revolutionized literature and created an entirely new genre.

Written when Shelley was just 18 years old, this 1818 masterpiece tells the tragic story of Victor Frankenstein and the nameless creature he brings to life.

Often misunderstood in popular culture, this novel explores profound themes of creation and responsibility, isolation and rejection, and the dangers of unchecked scientific ambition.

More than 200 years after its publication, Frankenstein continues to raise timeless questions about what it means to be human and our moral obligations to one another.

Plot Summary

“I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel…” ― Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

Frankenstein begins with letters from explorer Robert Walton to his sister as he embarks on an expedition to the North Pole.

While traveling, Walton rescues a man named Victor Frankenstein from the ice. Near death, Frankenstein tells Walton his remarkable story as a warning.

Victor recounts his childhood in Geneva, Switzerland, where he grew up with his adoptive sister Elizabeth and his friend Henry Clerval. As a young man, Victor becomes obsessed with natural philosophy and chemistry, particularly the secret of creating life.

At university in Ingolstadt, Victor dedicates himself to his experiments. After years of work, he successfully brings to life a being assembled from body parts. However, upon animation, Victor is horrified by his creation’s appearance and abandons it.

The creature, left alone and confused, wanders into the world. Through observing a family in a cottage, he secretly learns to speak and read. Despite his intelligence and desire for connection, he faces rejection and violence due to his frightening appearance.

Eventually, the creature tracks Victor down and confronts him. He demands that Victor create a female companion for him, promising they will live far from human society. The beast tells his own story of learning, loneliness, and the cruel treatment he received from humanity.

Victor reluctantly agrees but later destroys the female creature before completion. In revenge, the creature murders Victor’s friend Henry and his bride Elizabeth on their wedding night, causing Victor’s father to die of grief.

Consumed by rage and vengeance, Victor pursues the creature into the Arctic, where Walton’s ship finds him. After telling his story to Walton, Victor dies. The beast appears, expressing remorse over his creator’s death and his miserable existence. He tells Walton of his plan to build his funeral pyre and end his suffering.

My Thoughts and Review of Frankenstein

Reading Frankenstein today feels like discovering a work that was centuries ahead of its time—a novel that continues to speak to contemporary concerns about technology, ethics, and what it means to be human.

The Writing Style

Shelley’s prose is beautifully crafted in the Romantic tradition, rich with evocative descriptions of nature and emotion.

The novel employs a complex narrative structure—stories within stories—as we hear from Walton, Victor, and the creature himself.

This multilayered approach allows readers to experience different perspectives on the same events.

Shelley’s language may feel formal to modern readers, but it creates an atmosphere of philosophical depth that perfectly suits the novel’s themes.

The Characters and Themes

Victor Frankenstein and his creation form one of literature’s most complex and tragic relationships.

Victor embodies scientific hubris—brilliant but morally shortsighted, unable to take responsibility for his creation.

The creature, eloquent and thoughtful despite his monstrous appearance, raises profound questions about nature versus nurture and society’s treatment of the “other.”

Frankenstein explores numerous themes that remain startlingly relevant: the ethics of scientific advancement, the consequences of playing god, the need for human connection, and the destructive nature of prejudice.

The novel can be read as a cautionary tale about technology without ethical guardrails—a message that resonates strongly in our age of genetic engineering and artificial intelligence.

Pacing and Structure

The novel’s nested narrative structure gradually unfolds the story, building suspense while adding layers of meaning.

Beginning with Walton’s letters frames the entire narrative as a warning about the dangers of unchecked ambition.

The pacing varies throughout—some philosophical sections move slowly, while moments of violence and confrontation are strikingly immediate.

The novel’s structure allows Shelley to explore different facets of loneliness through three isolated characters: Walton in the Arctic, Victor in his laboratory, and the creature in his forced exile from society.

Emotional Impact

What makes Frankenstein endure is its profound emotional resonance.

The creature’s abandonment by his creator and subsequent rejection by society evokes genuine sympathy, forcing readers to question who the real “monster” is.

Victor’s deterioration from ambitious young scientist to broken, vengeance-driven man creates a powerful tragedy of hubris and its consequences.

The novel’s exploration of loneliness and the fundamental human need for connection touches something universal in the reader, creating an emotional experience that transcends its Gothic horror elements.

Adaptations of Frankenstein

Frankenstein has inspired countless adaptations across film, television, theater, and other media, though many deviate significantly from Shelley’s original work.

The most iconic adaptation remains the 1931 film starring Boris Karloff as the creature. This film established many of the visual elements now associated with Frankenstein in popular culture, though this version simplifies the creature into a mute, shambling monster rather than the articulate, complex being of the novel.

Kenneth Branagh’s 1994 film Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein attempts a more faithful adaptation, with Robert De Niro portraying the creature’s intelligence and emotional depth. More recently, Danny Boyle’s stage production for the National Theatre, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller alternating the roles of Victor and the creature, received critical acclaim for its psychological depth.

Despite numerous adaptations, many readers find that none fully capture the philosophical richness and emotional complexity of Shelley’s original novel.

Readers’ Ratings and Reviews for Frankenstein

“Life, although it may only be an accumulation of anguish, is dear to me, and I will defend it.” ― Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

Frankenstein has maintained its status as a literary classic across generations of readers.

Ratings

• Goodreads: Over 1.4 million ratings with an average of 3.8 out of 5 stars.
• Amazon: Approximately 20,000 ratings averaging 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Reviews

• A profound meditation on responsibility and human nature that remains as relevant today as it was 200 years ago.
• The eloquence of the creature’s narrative is the novel’s most surprising and moving element—nothing like the grunting monsters of films.
• Shelley’s exploration of scientific ethics feels eerily prophetic in our age of CRISPR and AI.

Criticisms

• Some modern readers find the pacing slow and the language overly formal.
• Victor’s lengthy descriptions of his emotional states can feel repetitive to contemporary tastes.

Is Frankenstein the Right Book for You?

Frankenstein is perfect for readers who appreciate philosophical depth and a Gothic atmosphere in their fiction.

This book is ideal if you enjoy classics that raise ethical questions, character-driven narratives, and stories that challenge popular misconceptions.

The novel will especially appeal to readers interested in the origins of science fiction, the Romantic literary movement, or gothic horror.

However, readers expecting a fast-paced monster story similar to film adaptations may be surprised by the novel’s philosophical nature and complex narrative structure.

Those who prefer contemporary prose might find Shelley’s 19th-century style challenging, though many consider the effort well worth the rewards.

Books Similar to Frankenstein

If you enjoyed Frankenstein, here are other books that explore similar themes:

• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

• Dracula by Bram Stoker

• The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells

• Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

• Wilder Girls by Rory Power

Conclusion

Frankenstein is one of literature’s most remarkable achievements. It is a novel written by a teenage girl in the early 19th century that continues to speak profoundly to modern concerns about science, ethics, and humanity.

Mary Shelley’s masterpiece transcends simple classification as horror or science fiction. It uses its fantastic premise to explore deeply human questions about responsibility, connection, and empathy.

The true genius of Frankenstein lies in its moral complexity—there are no simple villains, only flawed beings making mistakes with devastating consequences. Victor’s failure is not his scientific achievement but his abandonment of moral responsibility for his creation.

For contemporary readers navigating a world of rapid technological advancement, Frankenstein offers valuable perspective on the human costs of progress without ethical consideration. After two centuries, Shelley’s warning about the dangers of creation without care remains as vital and urgent as ever.

About the Author

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797-1851) was an English novelist whose work profoundly influenced Gothic literature and helped establish the science fiction genre.

Born to feminist philosopher Mary Wollstonecraft and political philosopher William Godwin, Shelley was raised in an intellectually stimulating environment. At age 16, she eloped with poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.

The idea for Frankenstein came during a famous gathering at Villa Diodati near Lake Geneva in 1816, where Lord Byron challenged his guests to write ghost stories. Mary was just 18 when she began writing what would become her masterpiece, published when she was 20.

Despite facing personal tragedies, including the deaths of three children and her husband’s drowning, Shelley continued writing throughout her life.

Other notable works:

• The Last Man (1826)
• Mathilda (written 1819-1820, published 1959)
• Valperga (1823)
• Lodore (1835)
• Falkner (1837)