Book Review: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley; review by Muhammad Raza

 Book Review: Frankenstein

Frankenstein’s Monster is arguably one of the most famous characters in all of literature; he has appeared in a large number of movies, TV shows, and children’s cartoons, and allusions to his story are littered all throughout different forms of media and art. However, many who are familiar with the character of Frankenstein’s Monster have not read the book by Mary Shelly on which it is based. As someone who has read this book, I believe that, though it undoubtedly is boring, dull, and extremely dense (which may contribute to the fact that so many have never read it), it does possess fleshed-out themes and significant depth that are necessary hallmarks of an amazing story. 

Firstly, why do I believe that the book is boring? I find this book unengaging and uncompelling because it contains detailed commentary on the emotions, thoughts, and actions of the characters that do not serve to move the plot forward. This means that, though the book significantly characterizes individuals to help the reader understand them well, this characterization does not progress the story, which makes it seem like unnecessary information. Furthermore, compared to how long the book is, the actual substance of the story is much narrower, which can put off those who are looking to read something with a lot of action and fast-paced drama. However, this book also has great redeeming qualities, which show why it was revolutionary in its time. One of the biggest pros of this book is the insights that it provides into human nature, and the effects of our actions. The actions of Victor and his Monster illustrate the unintended consequences of humans attempting to interfere with natural order and “playing God”. Another great thing that I liked about this book was how it helped the reader truly understand the feelings of the character. Through extremely descriptive language and vivid imagery, the reader can completely understand how Victor feels at various points in the book, and how his emotions lead to his seemingly irrational actions. As I mentioned before, this type of descriptive language dulls the story as it does not progress the plot forward, but sometimes it compels you to stop and take a moment to really identify with the characters. Overall, this book illustrates that a great piece of literature does not necessarily have to be jam-packed with action to gain popularity, and that sometimes books should be appreciated more for the themes and ideas they convey rather than their actual stories.