Frankenstein

Mary Shelley

May 2014 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

A timeless, terrifying tale of one man’s obsession to create life—and the monster that became his legacy.

Mary Shelley began writing Frankenstein when she was only eighteen. At once a Gothic thriller, a passionate romance, and a cautionary tale about the dangers of science, Frankenstein tells the story of devoted science student Victor Frankenstein. Obsessed with discovering the cause of generation and life, and bestowing animation upon lifeless matter, Frankenstein assembles a human being from stolen body parts; but upon bringing it to life, he recoils in horror at the creature’s hideousness. Tormented by isolation and loneliness, the once-innocent creature turns to evil and unleashes a campaign of murderous revenge against his creator, Dr. Frankenstein.

Frankenstein, an instant bestseller and an important ancestor of both the horror and science-fiction genres, not only tells a terrifying story, but also raises profound, disturbing questions about the very nature of life and the place of humankind within the cosmos: What does it mean to be human? What responsibilities do we have to each other? How far can we go in tampering with Nature? In our age, filled with news of organ donation, genetic engineering, and bio-terrorism, these questions are more relevant than ever.

Ratings and reviews

Undeniably an important work in paving the way for new genres, it's difficult to get through for anyone not used to classic literature. There's depth and message to be found, sure, but buried under tedious monologues and a plot told in patches and with uneven pacing. The storytelling is actually quite weak, compared to other gothic works following in its wake.

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE BOOK FOR FREE ON HERE AND ALL OVER THE INTERNET.

Hard to read at times because of the classic language in which it is written. Worth reading all the same.

About the author

Mary Shelley (1797–1851) was born to well-known parents: author and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft and philosopher William Godwin. When Mary was sixteen, she met the young poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, a devotee of her father’s teachings. In 1816, the two of them travelled to Geneva to stay with Lord Byron. One evening, while they shared ghost stories, Lord Byron proposed that they each write a ghost story of their own. Frankenstein was Mary’s contribution. Other works of hers include Mathilda, The Last Man, and The Fortunes of Perkin Warbeck.