Reader Reviews for Frankenstein:
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Customer Rating:  
Summary: Not brand new, when they said it was new.
Comment: The book (that was purchased) wasn't in the condition stated by the seller. I could have bought a better book with the price I paid for this book.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Sad Story Indeed
Comment: The language can be hard to comprehend at times, sometimes because it is truly incoherent or stilted. Even so, there are far more passages that read so well it is like smelling a fragrant flower, the descriptions so clear and detailed yet eloquently stated. Perhaps one day we will be able to use DNA material to recreate a Neanderthal, creating a true to life Frankenstenian monster.
My edition was close to the original, if not the original text, the cover differing from that depicted here.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A Gothic Masterpiece.
Comment: This haunting masterpiece still reaches new readers every day. I won't go into the details of Shelly's masterpiece in this review, but deal in what I think makes this a timeless classic that hangs on to readers today.
The character of Victor Frankenstein, a man obsessed with making a difference in the studies of life and death. His blind devotion to this difference over life and death, that leads to tragedy for his family and friends later in the story. Shelly takes us on a journey that shows us the frailty of our lives and the motives that drive us to achieve no matter the cost. Victor, even though he is a character, is within everyone. He is the blind ambition that throws away love for the sake of fame and immortality, and the utter lack of responsibility for his actions once the deed is done. This character is versatile, because it lingers in people, perhaps even someone you know.
Just as haunting is Victor's creation, the Monster. Racked with questions about his identity and guilt for a life unwanted, the Monster is just as much a part of our lives as Victor. Forget about the rheumatoid Karloff of the Universal Classics, this Monster is so much more. Memories implanted by the mind or the parts of the whole, surprise Victor's creation and lead him on his journey for answers. A Monster that can speak and play music, a humbling yet violent creation asking for justification from his creator, an answer to the question: Why?
This is a human tale.
Yes there is drama and horror, but the human message is one that should be remembered and savored because it is a cautionary tale that tells how expendable life really is when one embarks on the path of making a difference and the frailty of the human soul when confronted by the deeds they have committed. To lose one's soul chasing after an obsession and then to seek redemption all too late.
I know this does not cover the wealth that is Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, or Modern Prometheus, but as I have stated this review is what I think makes it a timeless classic that should be embraced by readers of all ages today.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Wrong item sent (but did receive credit.)
Comment: I did not receive the exact book I ordered. They sent an "illustrated version" which is not what I ordered. I did receive credit, however the company still sent me an email stating that I received what I ordered (which I did not.) Instead of saying they were sorry that I did not receive what I ordered they had to make that little comment which really annoyed me. I will not order from "thevillagebookstore" again.
Sometimes a bargin is good and sometimes it is not, this time it was not. Make sure you get what you ordered!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Antiquated Writing Style Distracts from Great Story
Comment: The story of Frankenstein is a true classic and deserves maximum praise. Unfortunately, the writing style is so overwrought, meandering, long-winded, and antiquated, the incredible story is buried underneath mediocre writing.
Story receives five stars, actual writing rates one star, which averages to just three stars.
I find the idea behind Frankenstein a very compelling tale - the creation of a flawed creature who turns on his creator (allusions to Lucifer, formerly an "angel of light" who betrays God). The moral of the story appears to be that the only reason Frankenstein's monster acted like a monster in the first place was that his creator abandoned him, showing no love, mercy, or compassion for his own creation. Because Frankenstein's monster was not accepted by humans, he decided to reject them completely, killing and harming innocents.
If you can get past the meandering prose, I do recommend the story, but it is unfortunately a very badly written novel.
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