A Review Of: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

This is the story of a man with skeletons in the closet, with some piece of him he does not want elucidated. Frankenstein tells the story of Victor’s shame, regret, and fear embodied by the literal monster he has created. His dark history follows him wherever he goes. Much like a debt that must be repaid, Victor is never set free from this shadow.

My fresh read of this book has me wondering how much subtext is at play here. Shelley was very obviously playing in the space of making a statement about women playing second fiddle to men at this time. Victor is free to do as he wishes throughout the novel and for the majority of the text, never takes ownership for the evil he has done. A man obsessed with creating life without a woman, you can’t help but wonder if Shelley was going a step further than that and under the guise of Romantic literary trends, hinting at a closeted Victor Frankenstein. Much like he felt the need to hide the monster, he felt the need to hide his true desires. Not to be with his bride-to-be, but rather to be with his closest friend who nursed him back to health and supported him along the way.

A truly excellent story well-ahead of its time. This was a great read and I look forward to ever seeing a true film adaptation that is faithful to the source material.