‘Frankenstein’ by Mary Shelley (and in particular the original 1818 version) is my TOP favorite book. I got really into reading near the end of 2015, and I had always wanted to read ‘Frankenstein’, so I did. I had no idea at the time there is more than one version so I ended up picking up the 1831, more conservative (because pressure apparently) version. Read it, enjoyed it. Later I heard about the different versions and I looked it up, realized I hadn’t read her original version, so I fixed that, and I fell in love!
Possible spoilers for the book down below.
I feel so much for the creature. As someone who has deformities (though not always obvious, because I have a hemangioma which is big and ugly but it’s on the back of my right leg, from my knee to my privates, yes on my right labia. I also have 9 fingers because of a hypoplastic left thumb at birth but had pollicization surgery at age 2 but even though that’s always visible, unlike the hemangioma because pants, people rarely notice that and I don’t even want to count the hand thing because it’s so minor but I guess technically it is? My left thumb now was my index finger originally and still looks exactly like my right index finger, it’s just in the thumb spot. I would get stares and questions, pity and disgust, when I wore shorts or skirts to school because of the hemangioma but I was never going to sweat to death because of it) and is disabled I felt like I related a lot to the creature.
People run from him because of how he looks. His own father abandoned him, because of how he looks. No matter how hard the creature tries, people can not get past how he looks. I understand his eventual anger and frustration, he was treated horribly and all he wanted was a friend. He deserved a friend, but people are so shallow. Am I excusing his eventual actions? Hell no! But none of it had to happen and I can understand his pain (to some degree at least). There’s a bit more to my story that i’m not currently sharing but suffice it to say I want to give the creature a hug and befriend him. My love for the book is why i’m scared to watch any movie “adaptation” because i’ve heard how they get the creature all wrong and everything. If anyone that also likes the book knows of a good adaptation (tv, movie, even another book/story) please let me know because I want to experience it all! I’ll even get around to the other movies at some point, just so I know.
I’ve read ‘Frankenstein’ 5 times, in different editions. I have multiple copies of ‘Frankenstein’. First read was the 1831 version before I knew it wasn’t the original. Then i’ve read a few different editions of the 1818 version where they had different essays/annotations etc. (and one had annotated all the differences between the 1818 and 1831 versions).
I hope to at some point re-read my different editions (and maybe more) taking notes on so many different things!! I’m positive this will be far from my last post about ‘Frankenstein’! Though don’t worry if you don’t care about ‘Frankenstein’, i’ll have plenty other things to post about as well and won’t post all the ‘Frankenstein’ stuff all at once! It’ll take awhile. 🙂 I also got obsessed with learning more about Mary Shelley and highly recommend the book ‘Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft & Mary Shelley’ by Charlotte Gordon if you want to know more about her and her mother, both amazing women!
Am I obsessed? Maybe. But it gives me such joy to think about!
I also feel a bit weird though that my favorite is a classic as I don’t want to seem snobby. I can certainly enjoy other classics too but I also read nearly everything under the sun. Horror, Contemporary, Romance, YA, Middle Grade, Children’s and more. ‘Frankenstein’ just happened to become my favorite, because of reasons. And no, I don’t think people who love classics are snobs, but I used to.
Honestly I started this post thinking it’d be a “My All Time Favorite Books (so far)” post but it seems better to leave it here. ‘Frankenstein’ is my number one. I’ll make other posts with more. And of course all this is just my personal thoughts and opinions.
Thank you for reading. Leave any thoughts down below!
The particular book above was bought at https://www.oldstyletales.com/ (I think that particular cover is gone now though)
Literary Stoner 