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Frankenstein

Win a free print copy of this book!

30 days and 11:54:31

10 copies available
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Rate this book
In a daring experiment, scientist Victor Frankenstein creates a living being from deadmatter, only to be horrified by the monstrous result. Abandoned and rejected by society,the creature seeks revenge on his creator, unleashing a tragic chain of events. MaryShelley's Frankenstein is a powerful exploration of ambition, creation, and theconsequences of defying nature.

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1818

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About the author

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

2,341 books9,096 followers
Mary Shelley (née Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, often known as Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley) was an English novelist, short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer, travel writer, and editor of the works of her husband, Romantic poet and philosopher Percy Bysshe Shelley. She was the daughter of the political philosopher William Godwin and the writer, philosopher, and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft.

Mary Shelley was taken seriously as a writer in her own lifetime, though reviewers often missed the political edge to her novels. After her death, however, she was chiefly remembered only as the wife of Percy Bysshe Shelley and as the author of Frankenstein. It was not until 1989, when Emily Sunstein published her prizewinning biography Mary Shelley: Romance and Reality, that a full-length scholarly biography analyzing all of Shelley's letters, journals, and works within their historical context was published.

The well-meaning attempts of Mary Shelley's son and daughter-in-law to "Victorianise" her memory through the censoring of letters and biographical material contributed to a perception of Mary Shelley as a more conventional, less reformist figure than her works suggest. Her own timid omissions from Percy Shelley's works and her quiet avoidance of public controversy in the later years of her life added to this impression.

The eclipse of Mary Shelley's reputation as a novelist and biographer meant that, until the last thirty years, most of her works remained out of print, obstructing a larger view of her achievement. She was seen as a one-novel author, if that. In recent decades, however, the republication of almost all her writings has stimulated a new recognition of its value. Her voracious reading habits and intensive study, revealed in her journals and letters and reflected in her works, is now better appreciated. Shelley's recognition of herself as an author has also been recognized; after Percy's death, she wrote about her authorial ambitions: "I think that I can maintain myself, and there is something inspiriting in the idea". Scholars now consider Mary Shelley to be a major Romantic figure, significant for her literary achievement and her political voice as a woman and a liberal.

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5 stars
1,703 (40%)
4 stars
1,674 (39%)
3 stars
640 (15%)
2 stars
139 (3%)
1 star
36 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 523 reviews
Profile Image for pilarentrelibros.
238 reviews440 followers
October 23, 2025
Volver a Frankenstein después de los años ha sido una sensación totalmente distinta. En la universidad leí la versión de 1831 y ya me fascinó, pero ahora, con más lecturas y vida a las espaldas, la experiencia ha sido aún más intensa. Esta vez he elegido la versión original de 1818, más cruda, más libre, más rebelde. Y me ha conmovido profundamente.
Mary Shelley escribió Frankenstein con apenas veinte años, pero su crítica al mundo —a nuestra necesidad de crear sin pensar en las consecuencias, a nuestra tendencia a rechazar lo que no entendemos— sigue tan viva como el primer día. En el fondo, la historia de Víctor y su criatura no es sobre ciencia, sino sobre humanidad. Sobre cómo el miedo al otro puede convertirnos en monstruos.
La relectura me ha hecho pensar en lo poco que hemos cambiado: seguimos juzgando por la apariencia, seguimos confundiendo lo diferente con lo peligroso. Shelley plantea una pregunta que aún no hemos respondido del todo: ¿la maldad nace con nosotros o se aprende en el rechazo, en la soledad, en el abandono?
Frankenstein es, más que un clásico, un espejo. Un icono de culto que ha trascendido su tiempo para convertirse en símbolo del progreso sin empatía, del creador que huye de su obra, del ser que solo busca ser amado, del peligro de no saber cargar con las consecuencias de nuestros actos. Leído hoy, entre avances tecnológicos, inteligencia artificial y redes que amplifican el juicio social, su mensaje es aún más urgente.
No hay nada antiguo en esta novela. Lo monstruoso no está en la criatura, sino en nuestra incapacidad de mirarla con compasión. Y eso —esa vigencia, esa herida— es lo que hace que Frankenstein siga latiendo, siglo tras siglo, como uno de los grandes corazones de la literatura.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)
Profile Image for Lisa.
Author 7 books65 followers
Read
December 21, 2024
you know - some books are classics for a reason. this definitely fits that bill.

frankenstein was never assigned to me in high school, or college, so when it was assigned to my kid i thought i’d read along.

since i’ve only been exposed to popular culture references man oh man was i surprised. this is such a tragic and sad book. and it is the monster that is likable and victor who is not. he came across as whiney and not a very reliable narrator [kiddo’s take and i rather agree]. but in the end i felt sorry for him as well.

so ahead of its time - the tragedy builds - and after all the death we are left to wonder if any of it was necessary if instead the monster had been embraced, nurtured, seen for what he actually was that none of it needed to happen. questions of humanity, scientific consciousness, class [especially poverty]… what actually makes someone of integrity? what do we make of those unlike ourselves? is it money, philosophy, kindness, education that makes one human/worthwhile?
Profile Image for Dana-Adriana B..
779 reviews305 followers
December 12, 2025
Varianta audiobook de la Bookster este interesanta, mi-au placut efectele audio. Nu am citit pana acum cartea doar am vizionat filmul.si intre ele sunt diferente notabile.
Tanarul Victor, copil rasfatat si egoist isi face un monstru pe post de jucarie, apoi, dandu-si seama de consecinte ii intoarce spatele sperand ca va disparea. Dar monstrul are sentimente si isi doreste mai mult de la viata asa ca ii cere lui Victor sa ii faca o consoarta. Toata situatia este complicata pemtru un moft febril al.unui tanar necalculat.
Profile Image for anayunes7.
72 reviews
November 15, 2023
4.5. Qué bello que está escrito este libro. La historia en sí es muy desgarradora pero, aparte de eso, me encantó cómo Mary Shelley describió de una manera tan tierna y profunda los sentimientos humanos, la superficialidad que conduce al mundo y la necesidad innata de afecto que envuelve a todas las personas. Me encantó.
Profile Image for Garazi.
64 reviews11 followers
January 30, 2026
28 años creyendo saber quien es Frankestein y resulta que no tenía ni puta idea. Me ha gustado mucho!
3 reviews
February 28, 2026
Se refleja como los prejuicios y el odio a lo desconocido puede convertir un ser inocente en algo que hasta el mismo desprecia. Y ese es el verdadero monstruo.
Me gusta la perspectiva desde la que esta escrita, y como se describen el aprendizaje y las emociones.
Profile Image for Joan Roure.
Author 4 books217 followers
November 11, 2025
Independentment de si millors o pitjors, penso que totes les adaptacions cinematogràfiques que s'han fet d'aquesta gran obra de la literatura universal han fet bastant mal a la novel·la de Shelley. Per això, i tenint en compte que segurament és un dels clàssics que molta gent coneix més per l'audiovisual que pel mateix text, crec que cal llegir-lo i comprovar que, en la majoria dels casos, té poc veure amb les pel·lis que se n'han fet, o com a mínim que ens trobem amb diferències força significatives. Aprofito, doncs, ara que acaba de publicar-se, per recomanar la nova traducció de na Maria Antònia Oliver per l'editorial La Magrana, que a més inclou una introducció de l'autora i també el prefaci del 1817 que va escriure el seu marit Percy B. Shelley.

Estem parlant d'una obra de gran profunditat i amb personatges molt potents i ben construïts, on Shelley explora les conseqüències de desafiar els límits naturals i les responsabilitats morals associades amb la creació. Apareixen temes com la ciència, la moralitat, la solitud i l'aïllament i l'acceptació i la venjança. També a destacar la crítica a la societat per la seua facilitat a jutjar sense comprendre o sense tenir les eines necessàries per a fer-ho.
Una novel·la que continua envellint molt bé, de tall gòtic i filosòfic més que de terror, gènere al qual moltes vegades se l'ha volgut associar per sobre d'altres.

«Si no dels meus preceptes, apreneu almenys del meu exemple com és de perillosa l'adquisició de coneixements, i com és més feliç l'home que creu que el seu poble natal és el món que no aquell que aspira a esdevenir més gran del que la naturalesa vol permetre».
7 reviews
August 30, 2024
This book is a popular one. I can definitely see why, for the strong concept and the writer being ahead of her time. But despite the good points of the story and its popularity, i honestly despise this book. We are introduced to this book as a book that follows the creation of a monster by a mad creator. Yet almost all of the book ignores the main concept, the main creation, going through Victor's boring life while we could have so many more amazing adventures with the creation and not the creator who is deeply annoying. Slow slow slow.
Profile Image for Ataly.
55 reviews4 followers
April 13, 2026
Da igual lo mal que te haya ido en la vida, a Viktor Frankenstein le ha ido peor y va a asegurarse de contártelo.
Profile Image for Ronald.
96 reviews3 followers
October 27, 2024
Frankenstein de Mary Shelley es definitivamente una obra literaria que trasciende épocas y temáticas. Aunque se cataloga como una historia de terror, hay de todo un poco en ella, desde existencialismo, psicología, conspiraciones ligadas a desventuras amorosas, geografía, turismo, entre otros temas. El foco de la novela es la trágica visión de túnel que el protagonista, Víctor Frankenstein, desarrolla al sumergirse en los estudios que tanto le apasionan. Su obsesión llega a tal extremo que decide desafiar a la misma naturaleza y crear su propio ser humano usando pedazos de cadáveres y técnicas científicas adquiridas durante la insaciable búsqueda de conocimiento que le embriagó tan pronto abandonó su hogar. El resultado le horrorizó (algo que su ceguera mental no pronosticó), huyendo de su creación y responsabilidad, algo que resultó perjudicial mucho después, tanto para él como para su familia.

Mención aparte sobre la fluidez con la que Shelley narra esta historia, me ha sorprendido su facilidad para crear antecedentes para los personajes secundarios que aparecen en los párrafos. Por ejemplo, la familia de Lacey y su relación con la misteriosa Safie se explica en unos capítulos que por instantes se sintió como una emocionante novela en su propia ley. Estoy seguro que la tragicomedia romántica que fue el encuentro inicial entre Félix y Safie, junto con los choques contra el traicionero padre de la chica habría sido un éxito en las librerías.

Disfruté bastante con los pasajes que hacían mención de lugares específicos en Europa que podrían servir como un formidable tour literario. La ruta de Frankenstein, si no se ha bautizado o llevado a cabo aún. Aunque me decepciona un poco que se describa de manera tan parca lo que Frankenstein hizo para darle vida a su monstruo (y a la potencial compañera del susodicho capítulos después), la novela me ha dejado muy satisfecho. En verdad, la obra de Mary Shelley es un clásico inmortal de la literatura mundial.
336 reviews
June 15, 2025
I haven’t read this before and I have also never felt any urge to read this book, but here I am, having just finished reading it. I suppose it’s always good to read a “classic”.

I’ve just checked and Pride and Prejudice was written in 1796-1797 and Frankenstein was written in 1816, published 1818. This seems strange to me because I find Austen’s writing pretty easy to read and I found Shelley’s writing to be convoluted and inaccessible even though it was written 20 years later.
I thought the underlying ideas being explored were interesting ideas, such as just because you find a new technology, it doesn’t mean you need to immediately use it. Drone makers and nuclear bomb inventors should perhaps have be forced to read this as a cautionary tale.
The actual bones of the story were too dramatic and gothic for my tastes. Perhaps big dramatic gothic books were the fashion at the time of publishing? The details of the story were too ridiculous for me to take it seriously so I didn’t enjoy a lot of the reading experience. I actually felt sorry for the monster a lot of the time and didn’t understand why Frankenstein made so many bad choices in his dealing with him.
Profile Image for Jessica.
522 reviews3 followers
June 15, 2025
I (very unexpectedly) loved this!

Firstly, am I the only person in the world who always thought Frankenstein was the name of the monster?? when in fact, it's the name of the guy who created the creature.

Secondly, I had thought this was going to be a gory horror story but instead it's a thoughtful take on humanity.

Not sure I fully understand the whole Prometheus parallels but I truly loved the part narrated by the creature and even though he turns out to go on a murderous revenge side plot, I found myself having more compassion for his story than the whingeing protagonist Victor who spends the majority of the story making stupid comments and event stupider life choices.
Profile Image for mara.
43 reviews1 follower
December 27, 2025
chicas le pongo 4 estrellas porque realmente disfruté mucho la historia aunque no era como me la esperaba. disfruté la tensión de no saber qué iba a pasar y de cómo sería el siguiente encuentro con la criatura. sin embargo el final no me apasionó !!!! o sea le veo todo el sentido del mundo pero para ser un clásico me esperaba más ,,,, quizá es culpa mía por esperar tanto !!!! pero en general me gusto chicas ya sabéis que una historia en la q no pasa nada y yo somos bffs <3
62 reviews
December 6, 2025
Alle dingen waar ik van hou in gotische verhalen zitten hierin. Vreemde happenings, isolatie, overdreven hoeveelheden emotie uitgedrukt in old school Engels, meanderende zijverhalen, een totaal onnodige omlijsting waarin iemand een brief schrijft.
Profile Image for bloodyblanca.
29 reviews1 follower
October 18, 2025
No hay estrellas suficientes. Se ha convertido en mi libro favorito. Obra maestra
Gracias Mary por ser creadora de esta obra de arte y de un género entero🖤
Profile Image for Mike Whittern.
96 reviews2 followers
October 26, 2025
If I could give this a 3.5 stars I would. It was, therefore, a debate between 3 and 4, but ultimately I had to choose 3, but it was close!!

It's surprisingly good! I admittedly had to listen along to get through the dozen commas and semi colons per sentence, as well as the words which I've just never come across before. But through a frankly solid narration from Dan Stevens, Frankenstein, Walton, Clerval and of course the Monster came thoroughly to life.

It is, by every metric, a misery fest. Mary Shelley out here using "Miserable", "wretch", and "hitherto" as though they're going out of fashion. And long, lengthy explanations of just how miserable these people all are. It did get slightly taxing at times.

But the philosophical standpoints that are presented are well delved and of pleasing depth, calling into question the duty of parenthood (Frankenstein to his creation, a duty of love and care), the validity of Revenge (both the monster to Victor for not meeting his needs, and vice versa for the misery wrought), the misguidance of vision and vigour (Victor creating the monster in a seeming delerium driven by blind ambition and insatiable need for glory and progression), and the rashness of supposition (not creating the second creature to be friends with the first in case they were to do evil).

None of these are necessarily presented with specific answers as far as the reader is concerned, though the characters most definitely are firm in their own convictions. Such depth from a story written by such a young (at the time) author, and with such a surprising care shown to male feelings (openly shedding tears, sharing in grief and joy) and tenderness to womens' place and feelings in life at the time (Victor rathering Elizabeth would be alone and happy than with him and miserable).

All in all, pretty solid, albeit miserable. And that's coming from someone from England.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Deborah |.
201 reviews1 follower
March 5, 2026
L'avevo sottovalutato, invece mi ha scossa, mi ha fatto riflettere e piangere. È l'esempio perfetto di quanto la società e le persone che incontriamo abbiano una parte fondamentale nel nostro sviluppo e nel nostro carattere, che per quanto possiamo tentare di badare solo a noi, ciò che ci sta intorno (e che non scegliamo) ci plasma. Sono stata dall'inizio e sempre dalla parte del Mostro, le sue riflessioni e i suoi sfoghi mi hanno straziata, e l'unica cosa che ho trovato fastidiosa sono stati i continui rifiuti e ragionamenti di Victor (sorry not sorry, per me la sua crudeltà supera infinitamente quella del Mostro).
Profile Image for Solange Ferreira.
100 reviews3 followers
May 11, 2026
No creo que pueda agregar algo nuevo a todo lo que ya se ha dicho sobre esta obra. Yo leí la versión de 1831 y todo lo que sabía de este clásico, era lo que conocía por películas y cultura pop.
Siento que Mary Shelley tiene una pluma magistral y el libro aborda temas profundos, como el ser, el origen y sentido de la vida, la ética en el quehacer científico y la fe.
¿Y si nosotros, también somos criaturas rechazadas por nuestros creador?

Un buen libro debe hacerte pensar, sentir que el mundo se ve con nuevos ojos y este lo hace con creces, obligándonos a pensar en la vida, en nuestra existencia y su sentido.

Por último, quiero decir: Víctor, eres un creador pusilánime.
Profile Image for Maria Plns.
23 reviews
February 12, 2026
Frankenstein m'ha sorprès, i molt, bàsicament, perquè les versions cinematogràfiques que havia vist, m'he reservat veure la versió de Guillermo del Toro per quan finalitzés el llibre, m'havien distorsionat la història. I quina història... m'ha fet patir, en ocasions m'ha encongit el cor, en altres m'he enfadat i en la majoria m'he discutit amb en Víctor i també amb el monstre... i en algunes he plorat. Si no l'heu llegit...feu-ho, no us en penedireu.
Profile Image for Liz McRae.
72 reviews
October 3, 2025
Read this one for book club! Honestly I was kinda dragging my feet because I didn’t really care for the “Frankenstein” story that I knew. But this original version is a story I really enjoyed and never knew! It was twisted and pleasing in all sorts of ways…It’s making me wanna pull out all the old classics. It sort of gives dark Jane Austen vibes. Read it, you will get what I’m saying!
Profile Image for Katie Harris.
24 reviews
April 22, 2025
Most beautiful book ever written . So descriptive, it evokes the characters perfectly.
Shelley is one of the best authors of our time.
Profile Image for Paloma Ribaya.
Author 3 books4 followers
February 7, 2026
Precioso y desgarrador. Me alegro de haberlo leído ahora que he podido apreciar las florituras en la escritura. Menuda señora maravilla.
Profile Image for Blondie.
50 reviews
April 9, 2026
άλλη μια φορά που έχω βάλει τα πλυντήρια στους 90 και ξεπλένω δολοφόνους στη μυθοπλασία τι α κανς ούτε η πρώτη φορά είναι ούτε η τελευταία. ΤΕΡΑΤΙΝΙ ΜΟΥ ΠΟΥΚΙ ΜΟΥ ΔΕΝ ΣΟΥ ΑΞΙΖΕ ΟΛΗ Η ΑΥΤΗ Η ΠΙΚΡΑ ΠΟΥ ΠΕΡΑΣΕΣ😭 Ήρθε στη γη χωρίς τη θέληση του και είχε τόση αγάπη μέσα του για τους ανθρώπους τα δημιουργηματα τους και τον κόσμο γύρω του και απλά έπαιρνε απόρριψη και μισος απ όλους και πρώτα απ όλα απ τον ίδιο του τον δημιουργό που τον απαρνήθηκε και μάλιστα του έβαλε την ταμπέλα του τέρατος στην οποία εν τέλει ενέδωσε κιολας. Να αγαπήσει και να αγαπηθεί ήθελε απ τους ανθρώπους και όταν δεν το κατάφερε ζήτησε τουλάχιστον απ τον δημιουργό του μια όμοια του, και πάλι έπεσε στον τοίχο της απόρριψης. ΤΙ ΝΑ ΚΑΝΕΙ ΜΕΤΑ ΣΠΑΘΙΑ ΝΑ ΚΑΤΑΠΙΕΙ;
Στο φινάλε πλανταξα ελεος!
Profile Image for Étienne Giguère.
27 reviews
August 7, 2025
Classique de la littérature anglaise, publié grâce à son mari de l'époque. Imaginez, elle a dû utiliser un pseudonyme pour publier ce roman, car les femmes n'avaient pas le droit d'être auteure. J'ai beaucoup aimé l'introspection des personnages en particulier de la créature qu'a créé Frankenstein, son rapport à la société, à la mort, à la beauté, aux classes sociales, etc. Beaucoup plus philosophique qu'on le pense ce récit. On est loin du monstre d'Halloween commercial ou des films d'action Hollywoodiens. Bref, bon récit et toujours d'actualité.
Profile Image for Siajunza Hamwala.
13 reviews23 followers
July 2, 2026
We MUST be conscious of the suffering we can inflict on others, even when our intentions seem noble.

We MUST understand the darker parts of ourselves and watch our own motives more carefully than anything else.

Victor is not destroyed by his intelligence alone, but by his selfish ambition and refusal to accept responsibility.

Our greatest danger is often not the monsters we fear, but the darkness within ourselves when it goes unexamined.

…Fuck me this was infuriating to read, Love you Mary Shelley 🫶
Profile Image for Verlin.
5 reviews
April 12, 2025
El frío
hormiguea, mancha, endurece, entumece
y como en el hielo permanecen pequeñas burbujas de aire
En la muerte permanecen aquellos sentimientos que no supimos liberar en vida
La desdicha carga inercia propulsada por fuerzas acorporeas
Por consiguiente

Es de mentes en pena buscar consuelo en algo tan penoso como la muerte.
Profile Image for Ali.
23 reviews1 follower
July 29, 2025
Amazing, not a classic because of the film adaptations, this book is more deep than any idea I already had of the history
Displaying 1 - 30 of 523 reviews