2025 Reading Challenge discussion

*Featured Buddy Read*
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This thread is to discuss Frankenstein: The 1818 Text by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley.

Pages: 260 pages

Length: 1 month (November)

Participants: Valerie, Gina, groovyzee, Lina, Caterina, Mansi V

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

If you-all don't mind I would like to participate in this discussion. I have been meaning to read it for a few years now...and would love to get it done!! This should provide further motivation to force me to do that! 😁👍

Very welcome, Lynn! I’m expecting to start it around the middle of the month.

Welcome, Lynn!
I will also be starting it roughly mid-month. :)

I’m going to join in on this one, thanks very much. I read Dracula and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde earlier this month, so Frankenstein seems like a natural to pick up.

Mid-month sounds on target for me.

Welcome Beth. I read Dracula and just finished listening to Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde this month as well.

Newbie here! I would love to join as this text is on my fall TBR :)

Very welcome Althea.

I'm planning on starting this tonight. I read it a while ago but can't really remember it. I also read Dracula last month so I love how we all seemed to gravitate towards this book as well.

Also, I have a free kindle edition that I'm reading but I can't seem to find whether it is the 1818 version or the later one.

I'm starting to realise why I don't remember it much from my first reading. I'm around 40% of the way through but I'm honestly struggling with the old writing so I don't find myself reaching for it as often because I'm usually too tired or not in the right headspace after work or before bed to read it.

Started today. It’s not as immediately engaging as Dracula- I felt the preamble was too long and it’s all very wordy - but events have now taken an interesting turn and I feel the story is about to gain pace. I hope I’m right!

I finished a few days ago but haven't quite gathered my thoughts. I agree that it picks up after a while (for me this was around chapter 10 when we learn more about the monster). In general I think this might have been a book I enjoyed more if I'd studied it. I will definitely be looking at spark notes!

End of Volume 1. So the big question is (view spoiler)[ who exactly is the monster in this novel? The ugly abandoned creature or the cowardly, self centred Victor who manages to justify his actions and delude himself into thinking he is a decent person? (hide spoiler)]
I’m definitely looking forward to learning more about ‘the monster’.

End of Volume 2. I read this part in one sitting - it was quite engrossing and very thought provoking.
The monster (view spoiler)[ mixed feelings here. On the one hand he definitely deserves some sympathy because he is shunned and rejected based only on his appearance. Humans do indeed judge others on the superficial and are fearful of those who are different. On the other hand, the murder and framing of innocent bystanders is not forgivable. Interesting early exploration of the forming of a criminal mind (like Victor he justifies himself) and the idea of nature versus nurture (hide spoiler)]
Victor (view spoiler)[ he certainly has a responsibility as the creator and his family are paying the price of his thoughtless arrogance and cowardice, but what should he do? (hide spoiler)]
Looking forward to the final part of the story. Guessing from the way it started that things did not go exactly to plan!

Finished. Volume 3 meanders a bit at first but it builds up pace and the ending is extremely powerful mainly because we hear the voice of the monster again. (view spoiler)[ fallen angel or malignant devil, what is certain is that he is so much more self aware and clear about his responsibility than the whining Victor who seems to have descended into a kind of madness of self delusion by the end. How sad but true that in both cases only revenge is keeping them alive (hide spoiler)]
After a slow start, this novel turned out to be a really good read - it’s certainly one that I will need time to process my thoughts about.

I finally managed to start today and have just finished Volume 1, regarding (view spoiler)[ who is the real monster, I am leaning very heavily towards Victor right about now... So sorry for everyone else that is becoming collateral damage. (hide spoiler)]

Completed Vol 1. This is the first time I’ve read any version of Frankenstein. It’s been slow to get into, and I’m hoping that Vol 2 proves to be better paced. (view spoiler)[Justine’s situation is so tragic. I tried to think of something… anything… Victor could do to prove her innocence. No one would believe him about his creation. But to have Justine pay the cost… (hide spoiler)]

One line in particular struck me. Victor says of his childhood, “No creature could have more tender parents than mine.” I like that Shelley has the narrator use the word creature instead of child, person, etc. Víctor refers to his creation as “the creature” but so far has shown nothing but contempt and revulsion for it. Quite a contrast to Victor’s experience with his “creators.”

Completed Vol 2. Wow, the creature’s story is quite remarkable! He’s 100% right that people judge on looks first. I found myself truly empathizing with him, to the point where I was thinking, “what do you expect? No one’s giving him the benefit of the doubt or any chance to show that he is something beyond his appearance.” And then he made the same observation a page or two later. If you keep treating any creature harshly, you can’t expect anything but harshness in return.

Finished. Fascinating story; very glad I read it. I agree with Valerie that there’s a lot to contemplate, and I’ll be thinking about this for a while.

One of the most striking thing to me was how incredibly different the Karloff movie is from book. Not sure why that surprises me, but I didn’t expect it.

I realised I never shared my full thoughts after reading. I rated it 3.5 stars because 3 stars was too low but I don't think I understood it enough or was fully engaged for it to be 4 stars. I enjoyed it more when it started focussing on the monster and I liked the themes it explored but the beginning and end was a bit lost on me

I am however intrigued to know how I would have rated it had I read it at the time. Today, everyone knows of Frankenstein even if they haven't read or watched it, which makes some parts of the story a bit less shocking to a modern audience.

Mansi V wrote: "I am however intrigued to know how I would have rated it had I read it at the time. Today, everyone knows of Frankenstein even if they haven't read or watched it, which makes some parts of the stor..."
I agree with you! It was something completely original and shocking at the time - especially because it was written by a woman - our knowledge robs it of some of that impact.

Valerie wrote: "Mansi V wrote: "I am however intrigued to know how I would have rated it had I read it at the time. Today, everyone knows of Frankenstein even if they haven't read or watched it, which makes some p..."
I felt the same about Jekyll and Hyde - I knew too much to find it as shocking as it probably was at the time.

Valerie wrote: "Valerie wrote: "Mansi V wrote: "I am however intrigued to know how I would have rated it had I read it at the time. Today, everyone knows of Frankenstein even if they haven't read or watched it, wh..."

Ah I had the exact same thoughts with Jekyll and Hyde.

I wish I'd read this when I was a child or teen, because I would have probably loved it, since one of my problems was that I thought it had too much youthful immaturity (so looked her up and found out that she was only 19 when she wrote it) and I wouldn't have noticed that if I was younger than that. Also, sometimes I wanted to knock some sense into the novel, but I didn't give it only one star because she had some strong things about her writing.