Frankenstein

The Modern Prometheus

This is a dramatically different story than the one prevalent and accepted as "Frankenstein" in popular culture. Here is a nuanced and profound examination of a creation's relationship with his creator. Suffering, described through both the creation and the creator, is explored extensively. Abandonment, desire, hope, rage, and tragedy are all present in abundance. One could easily replace the Monster with humanity and Frankenstein with God. And, in fact, it would be severely questionable if someone asserted that was not Shelley's intent.

Of course, this is also an exploration of humanity's obsession with the advancement of science and the potential fallout from such leaps. In this regard, I fully agree with many who view this as one of the earliest (if not the first) forays into science fiction.

Stevens does an amazing job with the narration and every word sprang out drenched with emotion. It was read almost as poetry, with perfect delivery and nuance.

All in all a brilliant listen and absolute required reading.

52 su 54 utenti hanno ritenuto utile questa recensione

Amazing!

I've never liked to read and am new to audio books, so I don't have much of a basis for comparison, but this was incredible. The voices and feeling of the reader brought to the story a life that I would have never experienced had I tried to read it myself. I understand why this is a classic. It's an exquisite, deep tale of love, pain, and regret. Everyone should hear it.

34 su 36 utenti hanno ritenuto utile questa recensione

a very good reading of a classic tale

I always knew it was a book that influenced other works, but I now see that Frankenstein is one of the most complete and best stories of its kind (specifically, horror stories and stories about men toying with God's powers).

Also, narration was fantastic. Dan Stevens reads perfectly and his different voices are incredibly good and consistent. At one point, I went to look up whether the narrator was actually German because I heard these perfect little hints of accent during the chapters that are narrated by Victor Frankenstein. Yet during the chapters narrated by the monster, he does another voice that makes it immediately clear not only who is speaking, but that conveys really well the monster's unique mix of seductiveness and horror, sophistication and ignorance, misery and malice. Likewise for all other speakers in the book.

8 su 8 utenti hanno ritenuto utile questa recensione

Not what I expected

I purchased this book expecting a great story about a giant monster and the struggle to kill it. What I found was one of the greatest, and most emotionally complex stories I've ever read. By the end, I came to the inescapable conclusion that the villain/monster of the story is Frankenstein, not his creature. The creature is the victim. The victim of a creator so consumed with selfishness he abandoned his creation because of how the creation made him feel. Taken in proper context, the actions of the creature are understandable, but not excusable. There is always personal responsibility. But there is a modicum of understanding for the creature, abandoned to his fate by a cruel and selfish creator, who seeks vengeance on his creator for denying to the creature what he enjoys.

53 su 59 utenti hanno ritenuto utile questa recensione

Great story. Great performance.

I had to read this book for my AP literature class, and it is by far the best book I have read for an English class so far. Mary Shelley was far ahead of her time, on terms of her insights into human nature. The narration was very good as well. Dan Stevens does a good job of creating a unique voice for each character.

5 su 5 utenti hanno ritenuto utile questa recensione

A great listen

What made the experience of listening to Frankenstein the most enjoyable?

I think Dan Stevens is one of the best audiobook performers I have ever heard. He brought this story to life. It was so easy to just get into the story and actually have sympathy for both Frankenstein and the monster he created. I did not expect that as I have always thought of this book as a horror story.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The monster. I felt sorry for him and was surprised by that. When he told his story, the reader could understand how alone he felt . He enjoyed the beauty of the earth was eager to learn about the world and the people he encountered. He just wanted to be loved like everyone else, but that would never happen so he did indeed become a monster.

Which scene was your favorite?

The ending.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, I enjoyed listening to it a bit each night or in my car on the way to work.

Any additional comments?

You will come away with a new appreciation for this beautifully written work.

29 su 35 utenti hanno ritenuto utile questa recensione

SUPERB IN EVERY WAY

I never had the opportunity to read Mary Shelley's classic horror story but listening to the incredible narration by Dan Stevens was a fantastic way to experience this masterful piece of writing. The book is at turns exciting, action-packed, sad and dramatic. Dan Stevens' nuanced performance captures every mood from every character. Three months after listening to this book and I'm still thinking about it. This could be my favorite Audible book of all time.

22 su 27 utenti hanno ritenuto utile questa recensione

Genius

Victor Frankenstein is overly ambitious student with a god complex who manages to create a “hideous creature,” with an innocent and pure soul, and completely abandons the creature to experience the cruelty of the world. This work is still striking and genius almost two hundred years after its publication. Mary Shelley was a teenager when she wrote this. Good God! Performance was absolutely stunning.

6 su 7 utenti hanno ritenuto utile questa recensione

Perfect Reading

It's impossible to imagine a better rendering of Mary Shelley's classic novel. Dan Stevens imbues Shelley's ornate prose with intelligence and sentiment. The quality of the recording is first rate. In short, a peerless performance.

9 su 11 utenti hanno ritenuto utile questa recensione

Dan Stevens: You Are Amazing

What does Dan Stevens bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I remember reading the book in high school and feeling sympathetic to both Victor and the "wretch" he created. Poor Victor and how his life was being ruined but feeling for the "wretch" because all he wanted was love, another being just like him. However, Dan's characterization of Victor made me annoyed with Victor. I found myself rolling my eyes and thinking "Victor is such a wuss!".

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No - I saw the 8 hours and thought "This is perfect for my upcoming vacation!". Dan Stevens' voice helped passed time during my flights to & from the DR. And he helped me chill out while getting some sun at the pool.

Any additional comments?

This is my first audiobook I chose with my Audible account. I mostly chose it because of Dan Stevens in the sample. I fell in love with him in Beauty and the Beast followed by his Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey (binge watched it after watching BATB). Hearing him make each character so different, I now can hear how it was him singing "in his beast voice" in "Evermore". He is truly a great narrator.

2 su 2 utenti hanno ritenuto utile questa recensione