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[(Frankenstein)] [Author: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley] published on
SOON TO BE A NETFLIX FILM FROM ACADEMY AWARD–WINNING VISIONARY GUILLERMO DEL TORO
Mary Shelley’s timeless gothic classic lives on in this adaptation of Frankenstein —featuring an introduction by Stephen King.
Few works by comic book artists have earned the universal acclaim and reverence that Bernie Wrightson’s illustrated version of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein was met with upon its original release in 1983, which vividly presented the timeless, terrifying tale of one man’s obsession to create life—and the monster that became his legacy. A generation later, this magnificent pairing of art and literature is still considered to be one of the greatest achievements made by any artist in the field.
This edition also contains introductions by #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King and author Mary Shelley, as well as supplemental material including a history of the novel, a chronology of Mary Shelley’s life and work, and the historical context of Frankenstein for listeners.
Mary Shelley’s timeless gothic classic lives on in this adaptation of Frankenstein —featuring an introduction by Stephen King.
Few works by comic book artists have earned the universal acclaim and reverence that Bernie Wrightson’s illustrated version of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein was met with upon its original release in 1983, which vividly presented the timeless, terrifying tale of one man’s obsession to create life—and the monster that became his legacy. A generation later, this magnificent pairing of art and literature is still considered to be one of the greatest achievements made by any artist in the field.
This edition also contains introductions by #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King and author Mary Shelley, as well as supplemental material including a history of the novel, a chronology of Mary Shelley’s life and work, and the historical context of Frankenstein for listeners.
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First published January 1, 1818
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 24, 2025
Víctor, mai em faran estimar-te
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.
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.
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».
November 19, 2025
hilariously out of touch man ruins his own life, that of his family members', plus that of the creature he brought to life through vaguely scientific methods
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.
March 30, 2026
Como que recien acercándome al final le fui agarrando mas ritmo y me fue enganchando más siendo sincera. Igualmente, en mi opinión, vale totalmente la pena y el final me rompió un poco el corazón.
(Me avisan por cucaracha que la versión de 1816 es mejor pero bueno esta versión era la que tenía a mano)
(Me avisan por cucaracha que la versión de 1816 es mejor pero bueno esta versión era la que tenía a mano)
March 18, 2026
What fun, a sprawling fever dream! I'm glad I read the source; its extremely relevant today. The early Hollywood movie has very little to do with the book, and I understand the 2025 movie takes some liberties, too.
Victor Frankenstein is the monster. The great Gothic crime underpinning the story is not that he was hubristically playing God, but that he was a crappy God who abandoned his duty to his creation.
His creation isn't called "Frankenstein's monster"; he calls him "the daemon" most often but generally doesn't commit to any name at all, instead heaping arbitrary verbal abuse on him -- "Devil", "monster", "fiend", "my odious companion" ... Perhaps he should be called the troll, because his endgame is to rage-bait Victor into a terminal game of chase.
Victor's original sin was his refusal to grant humanity to his creation. He never gets a name. Compare to the plight of Native Americans mentioned at least twice earlier in the book -- I imagine this angle gets more treatment in the "original 1818 manuscript".
When the daemon finally gets the opportunity to deliver an astonishingly eloquent speech, he's quite likeable and reasonable. He states that he has a soul, and that he's acting out (killing Victor's friends and family) because he feels Victor has neglected his duty to his own creation. But he will not kill Victor, because he is bound to Victor and needs Victor to make this right, and Victor clearly stands no chance of killing him either, because he's 8 feet tall and jacked, while Victor is a pencil-necked dork, so will he please just cut it out.
Victor Frankenstein makes an intriguing sort of self-insert for Mary Shelley. Her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, died from sepsis 11 days after she was born. In the context of modern fantasy lit, where does the younger Mary see herself in this story?
What tracks for Victor, young adult scientist:
- Chases his mortal enemy through the Arctic tundra (where we meet him).
- Embarks on multiple insanely ambitious projects only to abandon them right before the finish line.
What tracks for Mary, hypergraphic teenage prodigy:
- Spends 2 years creating an 8-foot-tall man with great hair, perfect teeth, and stunning athleticism who will love his creator as no one has loved anyone else.
- Screams and runs away from him at first sight and forgets he exists for the next year and a half.
- Ashamed and terrified to confess to the foul things she has done.
What tracks for both:
- Introspective wailing (80% of text)
- Gushing over cousin Elizabeth's beauty and kindness (10% of text)
Victor's Instagram would be incredible.
Victor Frankenstein is the monster. The great Gothic crime underpinning the story is not that he was hubristically playing God, but that he was a crappy God who abandoned his duty to his creation.
His creation isn't called "Frankenstein's monster"; he calls him "the daemon" most often but generally doesn't commit to any name at all, instead heaping arbitrary verbal abuse on him -- "Devil", "monster", "fiend", "my odious companion" ... Perhaps he should be called the troll, because his endgame is to rage-bait Victor into a terminal game of chase.
Victor's original sin was his refusal to grant humanity to his creation. He never gets a name. Compare to the plight of Native Americans mentioned at least twice earlier in the book -- I imagine this angle gets more treatment in the "original 1818 manuscript".
When the daemon finally gets the opportunity to deliver an astonishingly eloquent speech, he's quite likeable and reasonable. He states that he has a soul, and that he's acting out (killing Victor's friends and family) because he feels Victor has neglected his duty to his own creation. But he will not kill Victor, because he is bound to Victor and needs Victor to make this right, and Victor clearly stands no chance of killing him either, because he's 8 feet tall and jacked, while Victor is a pencil-necked dork, so will he please just cut it out.
Victor Frankenstein makes an intriguing sort of self-insert for Mary Shelley. Her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, died from sepsis 11 days after she was born. In the context of modern fantasy lit, where does the younger Mary see herself in this story?
What tracks for Victor, young adult scientist:
- Chases his mortal enemy through the Arctic tundra (where we meet him).
- Embarks on multiple insanely ambitious projects only to abandon them right before the finish line.
What tracks for Mary, hypergraphic teenage prodigy:
- Spends 2 years creating an 8-foot-tall man with great hair, perfect teeth, and stunning athleticism who will love his creator as no one has loved anyone else.
- Screams and runs away from him at first sight and forgets he exists for the next year and a half.
- Ashamed and terrified to confess to the foul things she has done.
What tracks for both:
- Introspective wailing (80% of text)
- Gushing over cousin Elizabeth's beauty and kindness (10% of text)
Victor's Instagram would be incredible.
January 22, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | A haunting, thoughtful, and surprisingly modern read
I read Frankenstein for the first time expecting a classic gothic horror story, but what I found was something far richer and more unsettling. This is less a tale about a monster and more a meditation on responsibility, isolation, ambition, and what it means to be human.
What struck me most was how emotionally complex the novel is. The creature is not simply frightening—he is articulate, reflective, and deeply lonely. Shelley invites you to sympathize with him even as the consequences of Victor Frankenstein’s actions spiral out of control. That moral tension is what makes the story linger long after the final page.
The language can be dense at times, but it’s also beautiful and purposeful, and the framing of the narrative adds to the sense of inevitability and tragedy. For a book written over 200 years ago, it feels remarkably relevant—especially in how it questions unchecked ambition and the ethics of creation.
I loved this far more than I expected to. A classic that fully earns its reputation, and one I’ll definitely be thinking about for a long time.
Highly recommended for readers who enjoy philosophical fiction, gothic literature, and stories that challenge easy definitions of “monster.”
I read Frankenstein for the first time expecting a classic gothic horror story, but what I found was something far richer and more unsettling. This is less a tale about a monster and more a meditation on responsibility, isolation, ambition, and what it means to be human.
What struck me most was how emotionally complex the novel is. The creature is not simply frightening—he is articulate, reflective, and deeply lonely. Shelley invites you to sympathize with him even as the consequences of Victor Frankenstein’s actions spiral out of control. That moral tension is what makes the story linger long after the final page.
The language can be dense at times, but it’s also beautiful and purposeful, and the framing of the narrative adds to the sense of inevitability and tragedy. For a book written over 200 years ago, it feels remarkably relevant—especially in how it questions unchecked ambition and the ethics of creation.
I loved this far more than I expected to. A classic that fully earns its reputation, and one I’ll definitely be thinking about for a long time.
Highly recommended for readers who enjoy philosophical fiction, gothic literature, and stories that challenge easy definitions of “monster.”
December 20, 2025
C’était vraiment décevant.
Ce qu’on a retenu du livre, son imagerie, ses scènes cultes, n’y sont pas. L’autrice ne met pas le focus sur ce qu’on en a tiré : la création de la créature, la description de ses crimes. Ces points d’orgues sont balayés rapidement, et à la place les lignes s’épanchent sur la lamentation interminable de Frankenstein, mais également de son monstre.
C’est un livre romantique, avec des personnages qui déclament des sentiments excessivement faux comme des poètes éperdus, qui contraste trop avec l’aspect horrifique et philosophique du thème. Le thème des dangers de la science et de la responsabilité du père sont peu traités.
Tout de même une belle mention au chapitre du point de vue du monstre qui vit avec la famille de paysan en les observant sans leur parler, c’est une belle histoire.
Ce qu’on a retenu du livre, son imagerie, ses scènes cultes, n’y sont pas. L’autrice ne met pas le focus sur ce qu’on en a tiré : la création de la créature, la description de ses crimes. Ces points d’orgues sont balayés rapidement, et à la place les lignes s’épanchent sur la lamentation interminable de Frankenstein, mais également de son monstre.
C’est un livre romantique, avec des personnages qui déclament des sentiments excessivement faux comme des poètes éperdus, qui contraste trop avec l’aspect horrifique et philosophique du thème. Le thème des dangers de la science et de la responsabilité du père sont peu traités.
Tout de même une belle mention au chapitre du point de vue du monstre qui vit avec la famille de paysan en les observant sans leur parler, c’est une belle histoire.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2025
I hate to say it, but the movie (James Whale original) is better than the book. I guess I am too entrenched in the iconography and mythology of the original films. The original novel is much different. The Monster is very talkative and erudite. He’s also much more like a serial killer. The original Freddy Krueger. The creation of the monster is barely mentioned and his physical appearance is very different from the iconic films. Still, she created an iconic story that will last the test of time. The Monster’s feelings of isolation and pain from being shunned by society simply for his physical appearance echoes through time.
November 26, 2025
Achei que Frankenstein fosse apenas uma história de terror e ciência,mas me mostrou algo muito mais profundo: um retrato cruel da solidão.
Victor Frankenstein, influenciado por alquimistas como Agrippa e Alberto Magno, desafia os limites da ciência e cria vida. Mas, ao rejeitar sua criatura, condena ambos à miséria. O monstro não nasceu mau—só queria ser amado. E foi essa busca desesperada por pertencimento que me destruiu.
No fim, o maior horror da história não é a criação de Frankenstein, mas a rejeição e a dor de existir sozinho.
Victor Frankenstein, influenciado por alquimistas como Agrippa e Alberto Magno, desafia os limites da ciência e cria vida. Mas, ao rejeitar sua criatura, condena ambos à miséria. O monstro não nasceu mau—só queria ser amado. E foi essa busca desesperada por pertencimento que me destruiu.
No fim, o maior horror da história não é a criação de Frankenstein, mas a rejeição e a dor de existir sozinho.
January 5, 2026
Una novela que nos enseña la responsabilidad que debe tener un creador hacia su creación, y cómo el rechazo social y la falta de amor pueden transformar a un ser inocente en un monstruo, enseñándonos que la verdadera plenitud reside en la virtud y la compasión, no en el poder desmedido y que la verdadera belleza reside dentro de la persona no en su aspecto. Un buen libro para iniciar el año aunque sea triste su final, supongo que es lo más realista acorde a la época y seguro hasta hoy en día terminaría de la misma forma.
February 1, 2026
sigo sin poder creer que esto se haya escrito hace casi 200 años. la profundidad con la que Mary Shelley retrata a la vida, al amor, a la naturaleza, a la ira, a las emociones complejas del ser humano a través de las distintas percepciones de los personajes es increíble. lo hila de una forma tal que la lectura es conmovedora, tr��gica y atrapante. una de mis lecturas favoritas y sin duda el clásico de romanticismo gótico más importante de la historia.
December 23, 2025
Una historia mucho más excitante que el Frankenstein de la Universal.
Una historia épica y fundamentalmente romántica. Eso sí como en todo el romanticismo no puedo dejar de pensar que los protagonistas necesitan madurar un poco.
Pero sobretodo si los dos protagonistas hubieran ido a terapia no habría libro
Una historia épica y fundamentalmente romántica. Eso sí como en todo el romanticismo no puedo dejar de pensar que los protagonistas necesitan madurar un poco.
Pero sobretodo si los dos protagonistas hubieran ido a terapia no habría libro
December 31, 2025
Ya no volveré a sentir la angustia que me consume, ni seré presa de sentimientos insatisfechos y, sin embargo, eternos. Quien me creó ha muerto; y cuando yo muera, el recuerdo de mí morirá para siempre. Ya no volveré a ver el sol, ni las estrellas, ni sentiré el viento en el rostro. La luz, los sentimientos, y la razón morirán. Y entonces hallaré mi felicidad.
February 9, 2026
I am so glad that I decided to re-read this as an adult. As a teen, this was mandatory reading in high school and I really didn't connect with it at the time. But man, as an adult, Frankenstein hits hard. It's a story that is just heartbreaking in every aspect. Fuck Victor, justice for the Monster.
December 20, 2025
Felt inclined to return to book reading after watching GDT Frankenstein. Of course, the book is darker. And phenomenal. A wonderful, heartbreaking read that made me want to read more of similar genres.
December 27, 2025
So different than I had imagined
Hollywood has told us this story many times over. Here you gain the inter workings of the monster, his thoughts and goodly desires. Later his sadness and drives that push him forward to evil. Greatly enjoyed this book.
Hollywood has told us this story many times over. Here you gain the inter workings of the monster, his thoughts and goodly desires. Later his sadness and drives that push him forward to evil. Greatly enjoyed this book.
November 8, 2025
WOW! Hit me very different than 9th grade
December 2, 2025
Great book nothing like the 2025 movie, that being said the movie captures the essence
December 31, 2025
Was on the fence about this monster until he said he said he will seek the most northern extremity of the globe
January 7, 2026
he didn’t want to give the female monster a uterus bc that would mean she could procreate
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2026
achei que ia achar entendiante, mas é bem bom e é bem curto
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews