Frankenstein

by Raymond Sibley (Adaptor), Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Jon Davis (Illustrator)

Obsessed with the secret of creation, Swiss scientist Dr. Victor Frankenstein cobbles together a body he’s determined to bring to life. And one fateful night, he does. When the creature opens his eyes, the doctor is repulsed: his vision of perfection is, in fact, a hideous monster. Dr. Frankenstein abandons his creation, but the monster won’t be ignored, setting in motion a chain of violence and terror that shadows Victor to his death.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, a gripping story about the ethics of creation and the consequences of trauma, is one of the most influential Gothic novels in British literature. It is as relevant today as it is haunting.

Revised edition: Previously published as Frankenstein, this edition of Frankenstein (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.

52 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1818

Reviews

[Andrew Ives · Rating 4 out of 5]

At 50 pages, almost all full of text, this is quite a lengthy read for a Ladybird book, and abridges Mary Shelley's story very well. The illustrations are perfectly decent too. However, the nature of the story, with dying, death, reanimation, a few murders by the creature, and Victor's grief, guilt, madness, are perhaps not the most appropriate of themes for what is essentially intended to be a children's book. Frankenstein is hardly a bedtime story and I can't imagine many kids going the distance and reading so much, but if teenagers read it, they would find it thought-provoking, atmospheric, faithful and well worthwhile. 4.25/5

[Complete Flop · Rating 3 out of 5]

so this dude is raised with a girl who isn't his biological sibling but is treated like it then right before his mother dies she says 'it is my wish to see you both be married' like bro that is basically incest what is wrong with you

victor frankenstein while a revolutionary scientist is also an evil freak and i hate him

[Em Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always wanted to read

I always wanted to read Frankenstein now thanks to ladybird easy reads I be able to with my dyslexia. Thank you

[Book Jester · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following on from reading Raymond Sibley's adaptation of The Mummy, my 8 year-old son chose Frankenstein as his bedtime story which we both really enjoyed. As with The Mummy, the lovely (sometimes creepy!) illustrations added to the enjoyment and the story itself was told perfectly for younger readers.
My son liked how the story started off with Victor, his siblings and friends as children as it enabled him to relate with the characters - The Mummy contained only grown-up posh characters so it was perhaps harder for him to relate to them.
I think these abridged/adapted versions of these classic tales are a really great way to introduce younger readers to books which would otherwise be outside of their reading and understanding age.