What do you think?
Rate this book
Frankenstein: A Retelling
A thrilling gothic tale of hubris gone badly wrong. A young man’s search for the secret of the spark of life leads him to a horrific experiment in which he creates a gigantic creature from dismembered body parts. Rejected by his creator, the initially gentle creature turns monstrous when his desire to find companionship and love are thwarted. Tanya Landman revisits Mary Shelley’s classic Gothic horror story, bringing to life Dr Frankenstein and his monstrous creation in an accessible format that more readers can enjoy
104 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2023
5 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
Tanya Landman
83 books91 followersCarnegie Medal winning Tanya Landman is the author of more than thirty books for children and young adults.
Born and brought up in Kent, Tanya had no intention of becoming a writer until the idea for Waking Merlin popped into her head. "It came from nowhere. It was completely out of the blue."
Tanya now lives and works in Bideford and the nearby coastline was the inspiration for her Flotsam & Jetsam series.
Tanya's first books were "adventure stories with a sprinkling of magic and spoonful of humour." But then Tanya turned to crime, writing Mondays are Murder (winner of a Red House Book Award) - the first in a series of ten "Agatha-Christie-for-kids" featuring child sleuth Poppy Fields and her friend Graham. Her new highly illustrated books for younger children feature Sam Swann, an accident-prone boy sleuth and his faithful canine sidekick Watson.
Although she writes across a broad age range, Tanya is probably best known for her historical novels for young adults. Apache - set in 19th century America - was shortlisted for several UK awards including the Teenage Book Trust and the Carnegie Medal (where it was voted the Shadowing Groups favourite). The US edition won a Borders Original Voices prize and a Spur award from the Western Writers of America. The Goldsmith's Daughter - set in the Aztec empire during the Spanish invasion - was nominated for the Carnegie Medal and the Guardian Children's Fiction prize. Buffalo Soldier won the 2015 Carnegie Medal. Hell and High Water - a swashbuckling thriller set in 18th century Devon - was shortlisted for the 2016 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize and nominated for the Carnegie Medal. Her latest book Beyond the Wall is set in Roman Britain. Passing for White comes out later this year.
Born and brought up in Kent, Tanya had no intention of becoming a writer until the idea for Waking Merlin popped into her head. "It came from nowhere. It was completely out of the blue."
Tanya now lives and works in Bideford and the nearby coastline was the inspiration for her Flotsam & Jetsam series.
Tanya's first books were "adventure stories with a sprinkling of magic and spoonful of humour." But then Tanya turned to crime, writing Mondays are Murder (winner of a Red House Book Award) - the first in a series of ten "Agatha-Christie-for-kids" featuring child sleuth Poppy Fields and her friend Graham. Her new highly illustrated books for younger children feature Sam Swann, an accident-prone boy sleuth and his faithful canine sidekick Watson.
Although she writes across a broad age range, Tanya is probably best known for her historical novels for young adults. Apache - set in 19th century America - was shortlisted for several UK awards including the Teenage Book Trust and the Carnegie Medal (where it was voted the Shadowing Groups favourite). The US edition won a Borders Original Voices prize and a Spur award from the Western Writers of America. The Goldsmith's Daughter - set in the Aztec empire during the Spanish invasion - was nominated for the Carnegie Medal and the Guardian Children's Fiction prize. Buffalo Soldier won the 2015 Carnegie Medal. Hell and High Water - a swashbuckling thriller set in 18th century Devon - was shortlisted for the 2016 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize and nominated for the Carnegie Medal. Her latest book Beyond the Wall is set in Roman Britain. Passing for White comes out later this year.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
May 5, 2023
Who doesn't love a Frankenstein retelling?
While I enjoyed this book, it felt more like an adaptation for younger audiences instead of an actual retelling. It was a quick and engaging read that covered the main bases, but didn't really offer anything new or refreshing. The ending felt abrupt and I would have preferred the characters to be more complex. Overall, the book didn't stand out but its potential was there.
While I enjoyed this book, it felt more like an adaptation for younger audiences instead of an actual retelling. It was a quick and engaging read that covered the main bases, but didn't really offer anything new or refreshing. The ending felt abrupt and I would have preferred the characters to be more complex. Overall, the book didn't stand out but its potential was there.
January 2, 2023
Frankenstein
As a big lover of the classic Frankenstein, I was excited to read this retelling and I was not disappointed this is a perfect choice not just for younger readers but for anyone who maybe struggles with classics or would just like a quick easy read. Would definitely recommend and will be passing this to my son to read next.
Thank you to Netgalley, Barrington Stoke and Tanya Landman for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest Review
As a big lover of the classic Frankenstein, I was excited to read this retelling and I was not disappointed this is a perfect choice not just for younger readers but for anyone who maybe struggles with classics or would just like a quick easy read. Would definitely recommend and will be passing this to my son to read next.
Thank you to Netgalley, Barrington Stoke and Tanya Landman for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest Review
March 8, 2023
FRANKENSTEIN is a rare classic I've read. It's the first sci-fi novel, and it's written by a woman - as someone who loves speculative fiction, it felt like something I ought to read.
The original novel has a very strange structure, of narrators relating stories within another narrator's tale and so on like nesting dolls. That happens here too, as the point of these books is to be as close as possible to the originals while making them more accessible. However, I found this a little easier to follow. I am sure knowing what to expect helped, but so too did the fact that the narrator's name was in the chapter title any time the story switched perspective, which was really useful.
The pared back nature of the telling - cutting back the long-winded prose of the original to be plain and clear - really helps the story (particularly its length of time) come through. This is a book that happens over many years and follows a man who is overcome with cleverness then revulsion, and is always obsessed by perfection and obsessive, possessive love (this retelling makes the possessive toxicity of his love of Elizabeth clear in a way that nicely compliments how THE DARK DESCENT OF ELIZABETH FRANKENSTEIN highlights it.) The book is so clear about the wave of emotions, particularly hatred and loathing, that prompt the events.
It also highlights the sort of unfinished nature of the book. The original book just ends, and so does this, drawing a big black full stop at the evil and hatred within men. It's certainly effective.
The original novel has a very strange structure, of narrators relating stories within another narrator's tale and so on like nesting dolls. That happens here too, as the point of these books is to be as close as possible to the originals while making them more accessible. However, I found this a little easier to follow. I am sure knowing what to expect helped, but so too did the fact that the narrator's name was in the chapter title any time the story switched perspective, which was really useful.
The pared back nature of the telling - cutting back the long-winded prose of the original to be plain and clear - really helps the story (particularly its length of time) come through. This is a book that happens over many years and follows a man who is overcome with cleverness then revulsion, and is always obsessed by perfection and obsessive, possessive love (this retelling makes the possessive toxicity of his love of Elizabeth clear in a way that nicely compliments how THE DARK DESCENT OF ELIZABETH FRANKENSTEIN highlights it.) The book is so clear about the wave of emotions, particularly hatred and loathing, that prompt the events.
It also highlights the sort of unfinished nature of the book. The original book just ends, and so does this, drawing a big black full stop at the evil and hatred within men. It's certainly effective.
January 10, 2025
Eee I loved this so much. I really enjoyed Mary Shelley’s original version but I found it very hard to decipher and follow because of the language and writing used. This book made it so much more accessible and I was able to digest the story without straining my brain too much. I really liked the font and the layout that was used as well as the cover art. I really hope to read more books that have been made accessible like this!!!
October 27, 2022
An easy read, like all barrington stoke books. They are designed to be like that. Most BS books take the essence of the writer and distill it into about 100 pages. However in this book Landman has taken the essence of the book. It’s written in a similar style and is pretty faithful to the original story. An excellent retelling. Netgalley ARC
October 10, 2024
This was so far from the story I expected from Frankenstein, for some reason I always assumed it was a dark, gritty horror but it really wasn’t. I hadn’t ever read it but I’d always planned on getting to it eventually, this book being a condensed version of it made it so much easier and enjoyable to read.
The monster himself actually made me feel so sad for him, he lived a quiet life in the Hoval, with the people in his mind he thought of as friends. He helped them secretly and they taught him without realisation. It proved he could live peacefully and quietly. He just wanted some companionship. Though he had massive anger in his mind, though he did do some incredibly bad deeds none of them were directly or necessarily his fault at all.
Frankenstein on the other hand was a hideous man, his heart so darkened as was his messed up mind. Creating life out of other peoples body parts is insane enough, then creating this monster, then rejecting his own creation as though he were nothing. His actual monster only becoming once rejected, hurt and declined upon him over and over again.
You don’t go into the story initially thinking that the monster would be the creator, you’d think the literal monster would be the one you hate, but for me that wasn’t the case. There were other elements within the story I thought would be different to how they ended up. I also thought the structure of the story was fun, from the view points of three different people, an inception of story, within story, within story. So creative I really enjoyed how it was written.
This is such a well written story and I really enjoyed it so much, I like to read classics of all different sorts, I just find physical classics so large and daunting, so when books like this are available I’m so happy and excited to be able to give them a read. This one is such a clever story and really not the story I’d expected to actually come across, a very surprising wonderful read.
The monster himself actually made me feel so sad for him, he lived a quiet life in the Hoval, with the people in his mind he thought of as friends. He helped them secretly and they taught him without realisation. It proved he could live peacefully and quietly. He just wanted some companionship. Though he had massive anger in his mind, though he did do some incredibly bad deeds none of them were directly or necessarily his fault at all.
Frankenstein on the other hand was a hideous man, his heart so darkened as was his messed up mind. Creating life out of other peoples body parts is insane enough, then creating this monster, then rejecting his own creation as though he were nothing. His actual monster only becoming once rejected, hurt and declined upon him over and over again.
You don’t go into the story initially thinking that the monster would be the creator, you’d think the literal monster would be the one you hate, but for me that wasn’t the case. There were other elements within the story I thought would be different to how they ended up. I also thought the structure of the story was fun, from the view points of three different people, an inception of story, within story, within story. So creative I really enjoyed how it was written.
This is such a well written story and I really enjoyed it so much, I like to read classics of all different sorts, I just find physical classics so large and daunting, so when books like this are available I’m so happy and excited to be able to give them a read. This one is such a clever story and really not the story I’d expected to actually come across, a very surprising wonderful read.
December 9, 2022
Frankestin A retelling by Tanya Landman
Earc:NetGalley
Publisher:Barrington Stoke, Barrington Stoke Teen
Publication Date: 5 January 2023
Genre:Horror | Sci Fi & Fantasy | Teens & YA
This is a really great way to introduce the younger generation to this classic. It's a simpler read than the original and Tanya Landman so a brilliant way of this been represented.
Barrington Stoke Does brilliant in making this context easily readable for This is an excellent synopsis of Mary Shelley's classic novel Frankenstein, capturing the raw emotion and horror at the heart of this timeless cautionary tale. Young readers will be fascinated by the story of the ill-fated scientific creation of Victor Frankenstein's "monster" and his subsequent abandonment of his creation. Turns into a vengeance machine that kills Viktor's closest and dearest and destroys Viktor's life. However, this is more than just a horror story. In the reader's mind, a great pity subtly wells up in the heart of the "monster", which was innocent at first, but has become cruel due to the unfair treatment of society. It is my hope that this wonderful adaptation encourages children to read Shelley's original masterpieces when they are ready to appreciate more complex works. Romance - Shelley magically weaves it into this heartbreaking tale of humanity.
#FrankensteinARetelling #NetGalley
Earc:NetGalley
Publisher:Barrington Stoke, Barrington Stoke Teen
Publication Date: 5 January 2023
Genre:Horror | Sci Fi & Fantasy | Teens & YA
This is a really great way to introduce the younger generation to this classic. It's a simpler read than the original and Tanya Landman so a brilliant way of this been represented.
Barrington Stoke Does brilliant in making this context easily readable for This is an excellent synopsis of Mary Shelley's classic novel Frankenstein, capturing the raw emotion and horror at the heart of this timeless cautionary tale. Young readers will be fascinated by the story of the ill-fated scientific creation of Victor Frankenstein's "monster" and his subsequent abandonment of his creation. Turns into a vengeance machine that kills Viktor's closest and dearest and destroys Viktor's life. However, this is more than just a horror story. In the reader's mind, a great pity subtly wells up in the heart of the "monster", which was innocent at first, but has become cruel due to the unfair treatment of society. It is my hope that this wonderful adaptation encourages children to read Shelley's original masterpieces when they are ready to appreciate more complex works. Romance - Shelley magically weaves it into this heartbreaking tale of humanity.
#FrankensteinARetelling #NetGalley
August 8, 2023
"Frankenstein: A Retelling", By Tanya Landman is a modern take on the well known science fiction story,"Frankenstein." While this re-telling of the story has not won a major literary award, this re-telling has a focus on re-telling the story in a format accessible to a variety of readers, even those with disabilities in Reading. This version of the story is best for children between the ages of 9-12 and for those readers who may require additional support for middle grade independent reading. This re-telling follows the structure and emotion of the original story where a monster turns against his own creator due to feeling rejected by him. What was so wonderful about this book was that while sentences were kept short, concise, and straightforward, the vibes of the original story are ever present in the retelling. The story moves quickly to keep attention, while still managing to include all the emotion and messages associated with the monster and his introduction into the modern world. As an adult, this book took me no more than an hour or so to read through. It is engaging, keeps attention, and is a wonderful way to share the story behind the old convoluted verbiage in the original writing.
October 31, 2022
Very recently I had the urge to re-read Frankenstein, but the complexity and density of the original text put me off. This retelling by Tanya Landman was the perfect antidote for that.
On the surface Frankenstein is a horror story. But look beneath that and its themes are much deeper. In this retelling, Landman does justice to the original novel while making it accessible for all. Through the simple, clear writing style we still get a sense of Frankenstein’s hubris, as well as the despair and rage felt by his creation.
Whether you’re a seasoned reader looking for a quick, engaging read or a young person who wants to immerse themselves in a classic, this book is for everyone. Landsman’s retelling is simple and to the point. Throughout the twists and turns of the story it is clear to understand what is going on, as well as pick up on the nuances that make the original story so great.
Thanks so much for Barrington Stoke, the author and Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC to review. I will certainly be reading more of these retellings in the future!
On the surface Frankenstein is a horror story. But look beneath that and its themes are much deeper. In this retelling, Landman does justice to the original novel while making it accessible for all. Through the simple, clear writing style we still get a sense of Frankenstein’s hubris, as well as the despair and rage felt by his creation.
Whether you’re a seasoned reader looking for a quick, engaging read or a young person who wants to immerse themselves in a classic, this book is for everyone. Landsman’s retelling is simple and to the point. Throughout the twists and turns of the story it is clear to understand what is going on, as well as pick up on the nuances that make the original story so great.
Thanks so much for Barrington Stoke, the author and Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC to review. I will certainly be reading more of these retellings in the future!
October 23, 2022
I’m a huge fan of the original Frankenstein Book by the ever famed Mary Shelley but appreciate that the classics aren’t the most enticing or accessible for all who wish to read it. I love retellings for this reason as it gives people access to the original story but in an easier format and with perhaps more modernised writing.
This was a fantastically done retelling, keeping all of the original themes and events with the great storytelling I’ve come to know and love with this classic. It was paced perfectly and executed brilliantly.
It’s perfect for those who want to read the story of Frankenstein and his monster but perhaps without delving into the original version. It’s greatly formatted for children and adults alike; a book for everyone who wants a quick little hit of this amazingly spooky tale. I really enjoyed it!
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
This was a fantastically done retelling, keeping all of the original themes and events with the great storytelling I’ve come to know and love with this classic. It was paced perfectly and executed brilliantly.
It’s perfect for those who want to read the story of Frankenstein and his monster but perhaps without delving into the original version. It’s greatly formatted for children and adults alike; a book for everyone who wants a quick little hit of this amazingly spooky tale. I really enjoyed it!
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
January 2, 2024
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: A Retelling, Tanya Landman
This is great. Obviously the original is a timeless classic, but this retelling reinvigorates the story we know and love, and to be fair, Landman presents us with “a version without ‘all the rest.’” A great way of introducing the story to new audiences and also refreshing it for committed fans. *****
“.. I crossed the lake to Plainpalais in a little boat. During the short voyage, lightning began to strike the summit of Mont Blanc. The storm approached rapidly, and on landing I climbed a low hill to watch its progress.
The rain began to fall as I walked on. Vivid flashes of lightning dazzled my eyes like vast sheets of fire, so beautiful yet so terrifying.” (p29)
“They might at first be disgusted by my appearance but, with my gentleness and soft speech, I would win their favour and then their love.” (p51)
“The question again came to me – what was I?” (p54)
This is great. Obviously the original is a timeless classic, but this retelling reinvigorates the story we know and love, and to be fair, Landman presents us with “a version without ‘all the rest.’” A great way of introducing the story to new audiences and also refreshing it for committed fans. *****
“.. I crossed the lake to Plainpalais in a little boat. During the short voyage, lightning began to strike the summit of Mont Blanc. The storm approached rapidly, and on landing I climbed a low hill to watch its progress.
The rain began to fall as I walked on. Vivid flashes of lightning dazzled my eyes like vast sheets of fire, so beautiful yet so terrifying.” (p29)
“They might at first be disgusted by my appearance but, with my gentleness and soft speech, I would win their favour and then their love.” (p51)
“The question again came to me – what was I?” (p54)
October 21, 2024
* Victor Frankenstein creates a monster, he doesn't like what he's done though, so he decides the best thing to do is run away and leave it on its own. (FFS🙄)
* The monster wanders around, scares people, and eventually picks up some English and French.
* He accidentally kills Victor's youngest brother (William), and then tells Victor that what he needs is a wife. Someone to keep him company because human's can't bear to look at him.
* Victor messes around for a year, but can't bring himself to create the monster a wife (because she might be worse than him).
* The monster is rather pissed off (can you blame him?) so he kills Victor's best friend Henry, and then when Victor gets married, he kills his wife (Elizabeth).
* Victor decides he's going to deal with the monster, but doesn't do a very good job. He ends up dying before the monster is taken care of, and then the monster goes off to the North Pole to die himself.
* The monster wanders around, scares people, and eventually picks up some English and French.
* He accidentally kills Victor's youngest brother (William), and then tells Victor that what he needs is a wife. Someone to keep him company because human's can't bear to look at him.
* Victor messes around for a year, but can't bring himself to create the monster a wife (because she might be worse than him).
* The monster is rather pissed off (can you blame him?) so he kills Victor's best friend Henry, and then when Victor gets married, he kills his wife (Elizabeth).
* Victor decides he's going to deal with the monster, but doesn't do a very good job. He ends up dying before the monster is taken care of, and then the monster goes off to the North Pole to die himself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2025
This is the second of these Barrington Stoke retellings that I have picked up and it did not disappoint. I love Frankenstein, I think it is up there with my favourite books of all time. It was great to revisit the story without the palaver of reading the whole thing. Although the original classic is under 3oo pages, this neatly sums the story up in just over 100. Despite being so much shorter it packs the same punch as the original with the same themes and tone, and same ending that leaves you looking out the window with concern! I always forget though that making Elizabeth into a monster is not in the original book. It is a twist that Branagh introduces in his 1994 version of the movie, a twist that I love so much I always assume it was part of the original.
April 26, 2023
This was probably the most heart-wrenching book I’ve read in a long time. I’m generally a very stony person, but this book really made me think.
Yes it’s a retelling, but that does not mean that it isn’t worded in a very good way. It’s not a child’s book but it’s also at the level at which all ages can enjoy.
The reason most people, I think, would be drawn to this book, was because the original text is incredibly hard going, even if, like me, classics are your first choice. So this book made me enjoy all the meaning that was originally meant to be portrayed from the text, but in an entirely different context.
Yes it’s a retelling, but that does not mean that it isn’t worded in a very good way. It’s not a child’s book but it’s also at the level at which all ages can enjoy.
The reason most people, I think, would be drawn to this book, was because the original text is incredibly hard going, even if, like me, classics are your first choice. So this book made me enjoy all the meaning that was originally meant to be portrayed from the text, but in an entirely different context.
November 29, 2025
A retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein by Tanya Landman was recommended to me because I’ve never actually read the original novel and wanted to understand the true story—beyond the dramatic movie versions we all know.
This was a great, quick read that gave me a clear sense of the themes and characters from the classic without feeling overwhelming. It’s accessible, engaging, and a perfect introduction for anyone curious about Frankenstein but not quite ready to dive into the full original text.
This was a great, quick read that gave me a clear sense of the themes and characters from the classic without feeling overwhelming. It’s accessible, engaging, and a perfect introduction for anyone curious about Frankenstein but not quite ready to dive into the full original text.
October 30, 2022
This retelling is beautifully done, harnessing the emotive power of Dr Frankenstein’s horror and guilt along with the desperation and misery of the monster. Having studied the original Frankenstein by Shelley, and having taught Pullman’s playscript version to Year 8, I was somewhat doubtful about what Landman could add -- but this Barrington Stoke book is not only accessible but well-crafted; indeed the simplicity of the language makes the story even more devastating. Highly recommended.
May 30, 2023
yeah i’m no fond of classics, so this was an easy way to kinda read one.
June 10, 2023
A quick read, which lost some of its original atmosphere.
September 21, 2023
Have always want to read this story but with my dyslexia never thought I would. So gald for books like this one. Really enjoyed discovering the story.
November 11, 2025
Beyond Expectations.
November 30, 2025
There's a reason this book is a timeless classic. Absolutely brilliant.
November 23, 2022
Nice quick easy read. I enjoyed the multiple povs, I liked the fact that it made me feel empathy towards the creation as well as a better understanding of everything that transpired. I’ve not read the classic as I couldn’t get into it but this was a nice short, simplified read that I enjoyed.
January 5, 2023
Simplified adaptation for younger readers, brought back memories.
I read Frankenstein in Sixth Form, nearly 25 years ago. Only reading it once, I was surprised how much of the language and scenes came back to me when reading this version.
The story is still here: the curious young man whose interest in science grows to become the passion that leads to him experimenting with creating new life. The creature coming to life. The creator rejects him. The implications of not taking responsibility, of ignoring moral duty and the revenge that results.
It felt like the key scenes, speech and messages were all present, bar the glossed-over explanation for how Frankenstein pieces together the body and finds a suitable (or otherwise) brain for it. Curious teens will surely question where the 'parts' came from.
I enjoyed the two strands, that of the creator and the creature both telling their sides of the story. As before, I remain unconvinced with Frankenstein's version, reasoning and rightness - he freely admits to us that he is horrified by his creation and rejects it outright and instantly, abdicating all responsibilities and almost resigning himself to its wrath and vengeance.
Quite a task to condense a great classic to 100 pages, keeping the heart of it intact and giving the reader a feeling they've read the book in its entirety. It still feels like Shelley. You could read this and discuss it with a decent understanding of most of the original.
Suitable for KS3 onwards, a great way to access one of the most famous and interesting books ever written.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing an advance reading copy.
I read Frankenstein in Sixth Form, nearly 25 years ago. Only reading it once, I was surprised how much of the language and scenes came back to me when reading this version.
The story is still here: the curious young man whose interest in science grows to become the passion that leads to him experimenting with creating new life. The creature coming to life. The creator rejects him. The implications of not taking responsibility, of ignoring moral duty and the revenge that results.
It felt like the key scenes, speech and messages were all present, bar the glossed-over explanation for how Frankenstein pieces together the body and finds a suitable (or otherwise) brain for it. Curious teens will surely question where the 'parts' came from.
I enjoyed the two strands, that of the creator and the creature both telling their sides of the story. As before, I remain unconvinced with Frankenstein's version, reasoning and rightness - he freely admits to us that he is horrified by his creation and rejects it outright and instantly, abdicating all responsibilities and almost resigning himself to its wrath and vengeance.
Quite a task to condense a great classic to 100 pages, keeping the heart of it intact and giving the reader a feeling they've read the book in its entirety. It still feels like Shelley. You could read this and discuss it with a decent understanding of most of the original.
Suitable for KS3 onwards, a great way to access one of the most famous and interesting books ever written.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing an advance reading copy.
January 5, 2023
This is an excellent retelling of Frankenstein, keeping all of the key themes and style of the original intact, but presenting it in a clear, concise and very readable version.
Barrington Stoke are industry experts at creating books to suit reluctant readers and people with reading difficulties. They're also excellent reads for more experienced and capable readers who are looking for something short and straightforward to read. This is the third of their classic retellings I've read, after Pride and Prejudice and Little Women (both retold by Laura Wood) and is also the first one where I'm familiar with the original text.
It's all in here. Frankenstein's ego and pride, and then his despondency and despair as his creation doesn't match up to his original dreams, worsening as the people he loves are slowly and cruelly taken from him; his creation's journey of self-discovery and learning as he is turned by the world around him into a monster capable of feeling nothing but cruelty and hate. The great tragedy of the novel comes across really clearly here, that the monster is incapable of truly understanding the world he suddenly finds himself in and everyone he meets refuses to accept him as anything other than a monstrous brute to be feared and chased off.
The pace is fantastic, thrillingly racing the reader along to the frantic conclusion, getting all of the moral and philosophical elements across without dwelling overlong on any of it. I read through the whole thing in about an hour and felt like I'd read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It even captures the rather cruel and thoughtless treatment of Elizabeth, the orphan who is presented to a young Victor Frankenstein as "a gift" with the assumption that they'll one day marry, and then cruelly used for unfeeling revenge.
Mary Shelley is a fascinating author. She's one of the originators of the horror novel genre, wife to a famous poet, daughter of a leading feminist and a leading anarchist thinker, but with a deserved fame that eclipses them all. I think Tanya Landman and Barrington Stoke have done her proud here, and I'm sure this will help a lot of young readers embrace her work.
Oh, and don't forget: Frankenstein is the name of the monster!
Barrington Stoke are industry experts at creating books to suit reluctant readers and people with reading difficulties. They're also excellent reads for more experienced and capable readers who are looking for something short and straightforward to read. This is the third of their classic retellings I've read, after Pride and Prejudice and Little Women (both retold by Laura Wood) and is also the first one where I'm familiar with the original text.
It's all in here. Frankenstein's ego and pride, and then his despondency and despair as his creation doesn't match up to his original dreams, worsening as the people he loves are slowly and cruelly taken from him; his creation's journey of self-discovery and learning as he is turned by the world around him into a monster capable of feeling nothing but cruelty and hate. The great tragedy of the novel comes across really clearly here, that the monster is incapable of truly understanding the world he suddenly finds himself in and everyone he meets refuses to accept him as anything other than a monstrous brute to be feared and chased off.
The pace is fantastic, thrillingly racing the reader along to the frantic conclusion, getting all of the moral and philosophical elements across without dwelling overlong on any of it. I read through the whole thing in about an hour and felt like I'd read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It even captures the rather cruel and thoughtless treatment of Elizabeth, the orphan who is presented to a young Victor Frankenstein as "a gift" with the assumption that they'll one day marry, and then cruelly used for unfeeling revenge.
Mary Shelley is a fascinating author. She's one of the originators of the horror novel genre, wife to a famous poet, daughter of a leading feminist and a leading anarchist thinker, but with a deserved fame that eclipses them all. I think Tanya Landman and Barrington Stoke have done her proud here, and I'm sure this will help a lot of young readers embrace her work.
Oh, and don't forget: Frankenstein is the name of the monster!
May 1, 2024
👻Scary stories are not just for Halloween, this is a great little retelling that can be read any time of year!👻📚
I really enjoyed this retelling of Dr Frankenstein and his monstrous creation. I feel that this modernised version allowed it to be a more accessible read especially to the young adult readerswho may be put off or intimidated by the classics. I myself found the writing style easier to follow, though I may have been helped with my background knowledge of the Mary Shelley original. At just over 100 pages long is a relatively quick and easy read that can be devoured in one sitting.
The cover design is also beautiful and would look great centre staged on any bookshelf.
Thank you to NetGalley and Barrington Stoke Publishers for allowing me to receive an advanced reading copy in exchange for a honest review.
I really enjoyed this retelling of Dr Frankenstein and his monstrous creation. I feel that this modernised version allowed it to be a more accessible read especially to the young adult readerswho may be put off or intimidated by the classics. I myself found the writing style easier to follow, though I may have been helped with my background knowledge of the Mary Shelley original. At just over 100 pages long is a relatively quick and easy read that can be devoured in one sitting.
The cover design is also beautiful and would look great centre staged on any bookshelf.
Thank you to NetGalley and Barrington Stoke Publishers for allowing me to receive an advanced reading copy in exchange for a honest review.
December 27, 2023
This book was great, I liked the fact that it had a little science mixed in it.
August 30, 2023
3 stars. I haven’t read the actual Frankenstein story but I quite enjoyed this.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews