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Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus
- Letto da: Simon Vance
- Durata: 8 ore e 21 min
- Categorie: Letteratura e Narrativa, Classici
Sintesi dell'editore
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Mary Shelley began writing Frankenstein when she was only 18. At once a Gothic thriller, a passionate romance, and a cautionary tale about the dangers of science, Frankenstein tells the story of committed science student Victor Frankenstein.
Obsessed with discovering "the cause of generation and life" and "bestowing animation upon lifeless matter", Frankenstein assembles a human being from stolen body parts. However, upon bringing it to life, he recoils in horror at the creature's hideousness.
Tormented by isolation and loneliness, the once-innocent creature turns to evil and unleashes a campaign of murderous revenge against his creator, Frankenstein.Frankenstein, an instant best seller and an important ancestor of both the horror and science-fiction genres, not only tells a terrifying story but also raises profound, disturbing questions about the very nature of life and the place of humankind within the cosmos: What does it mean to be human? What responsibilities do we have to each other? And how far can we go in tampering with Nature?
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Autore
Cosa pensano gli ascoltatori di Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus
Recensioni - seleziona qui sotto per cambiare la provenienza delle recensioni.
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Generale5 out of 5 stars
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Lettura5 out of 5 stars
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Storia4 out of 5 stars
- alessandro.vescovi@unimi.it
- 20/09/2018
A well read classic
The novel is too famous for a review. Great reading, with pathos and different voices for the main narrating voices. The concluding pages are really moving.
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Generale5 out of 5 stars
- Tad Davis
- 03/09/2008
Great reading
This is yet another excellent reading of "Frankenstein." There are actually several really good performances of this book on Audible. Simon Vance tends to emphasize the lyrical Romanticism of the prose. Others have other strengths: George Guidall emphasizes the brooding tragedy; the three-reader version from Blackstone highlights the unusual structure of the narrative; and Flo Gibson gives what I think is the only available recording of the shorter 1818 version of the text. (Most use the 1831 revision.) I seem to be collecting versions of this book without realizing it. Vance's reading is lively and clearly differentiates the three major voices in the book (Walton, Frankenstein, and the Creature).
78 people found this helpful
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Generale5 out of 5 stars
- Joy
- 10/03/2011
Frankenstein
The book is so much more than the movies or the stage productions. Isn't that true 99% of the time? Simon Vance brings Dr. Frankenstein and his monster to life. Great reading of a great book.
15 people found this helpful
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Generale5 out of 5 stars
- NK
- 20/06/2011
Frankenstein
Wow. Wished I would have read this much earlier in my life. Excellent over all in the writing and the narrator. No complaints and really enjoyed it.
9 people found this helpful
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Generale5 out of 5 stars
- Henry
- 18/01/2011
Great read of a great book:
This being the first time I have read/listen to this book I was amazed. This is not the modern day Frankenstein I was brought up with. This was a lot more then I expected. It was simply great! What added to the wonder of my experiences was the awesome narration of Simon Vance. I have listened to Mr. Vance’s narration in past and have found him to be very enjoyable but, this narration takes the prize. You won’t be disappointed with this book or the narrator.
8 people found this helpful
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Generale5 out of 5 stars
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Lettura4 out of 5 stars
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Storia5 out of 5 stars
- The Kindler
- 27/02/2016
He did the Monster Mash!!!
Where does Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
This is one of the best. The story is compelling and depending on how deep you decided to go into, it could get very complicated.
What other book might you compare Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus to and why?
Dracula.
What about Simon Vance’s performance did you like?
Another brilliant performance by Simon Vance.
3 people found this helpful
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Generale5 out of 5 stars
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Lettura5 out of 5 stars
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Storia5 out of 5 stars
- K-SA
- 20/09/2012
I know why it's a classic!
What was one of the most memorable moments of Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus?
I found myself conflicted. I strongly disliked the monster because of his cruel nature. But I felt bad for him as well. I enjoyed the story from his point of view. A memorable moment was how his beloved "protectors" reacted to him.
What about Simon Vance’s performance did you like?
All around great! Did a good job of sounding different when portraying Dr. Frankenstein vs. the monster. Sounded very gruff as the monster. Which fit perfectly.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
When the a falsely accused girl is put to death. It signified how Dr. Frankenstein's world was spiraling out of control for me.
Any additional comments?
I was hesitant to listen to this book. I thought I'd be bored. I like zombie and vampire stories to pass my time. However, this story is truly interesting! I enjoyed it to the point of being a little disappointed it had to end. This was nice change from my typical genre of books. I will be reading many more classics now!
6 people found this helpful
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Generale5 out of 5 stars
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Lettura5 out of 5 stars
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Storia5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 03/11/2016
Exceptional writing and fantastic narration.
Classic, superb, and brimming with themes. A must read for High School aged young adults as well as adults. Chilling and agonizing in its narrative.
1 person found this helpful
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Generale5 out of 5 stars
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Lettura5 out of 5 stars
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Storia5 out of 5 stars
- robert
- 28/03/2015
MASTERPEICE!!!!!! My God!
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
This book is a masterpiece of literature! One of the most amazing books I have ever experienced! Simon Vance is awesome as usual. The writing is exquisite and conveys emotions I did not think possible in the written word! Sit back and be amazed!!!!!! Worth listening to for a second time just to hear human emotion and life described by this author!
What did you like best about this story?
Everything! Simon Vance, the story, the writing is superb!!!! You must experience this book!
Which character – as performed by Simon Vance – was your favorite?
Frankenstein! and his monster is second.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Yes, this book brought tears and terror to me! This book is a look into the human condition itself.
Any additional comments?
I will have to listen again, it is so wonderfully written. I did not know such beauty existed in a book!
1 person found this helpful
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Generale4 out of 5 stars
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Lettura4 out of 5 stars
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Storia4 out of 5 stars
- Sam Motes
- 28/04/2013
So much more to the beast than a B Movie has been
It is hard to believe Shelley wrote this cornerstone of the horror and sci fi genres at the age of 19. The beast she creates is Far more intriguing than the B movie fodder the Frankenstein monster evolved into. Prometheus retold for sure but a tale of utter loneliness and regret as well.
3 people found this helpful
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Generale5 out of 5 stars
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Lettura5 out of 5 stars
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Storia5 out of 5 stars
- caroline
- 01/11/2012
Great listen!
This book is a classic and one of my all time favorites. Simon Vance adds so much more to the story with his rich, scary voice.
1 person found this helpful
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Generale5 out of 5 stars
- MFF
- 27/10/2009
An essential and exciting classic, expertly read.
The classic science fiction novel, a gothic tale of science run amok. The book tells the tale of the life of Victor Frankenstein, and how he discovers the secrets of life. Filled with scientific fervour, he works to create life in his laboratory, and only pauses to contemplate the ramifications of his creation after it is loose. Terrible events follow.
This is so much more than a cautionary tale of what happens when science is untempered by morality. Rather, we gain an insight into the minds of all involved, including the scientist in his thirst of knowledge and respect, and his creature in its lonesome intelligence. Shelley contemplates what makes a human - and it is not just body parts.
The language of the book, while somewhat floral by today's standards, is easy to understand and very pleasurable.
The book is expertly read by Simon Vance. ?Subtle variations in pitch and intonation differentiate the characters without being irritating, giving the title a slight feeling of dramatisation. The reading is suitably expressive.
6 people found this helpful
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Generale5 out of 5 stars
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Lettura5 out of 5 stars
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Storia5 out of 5 stars
- Angelicano
- 02/05/2015
Wow. It's a classic alright
Fantastic performance by Simon Vance of a deserved classic. The is the Godfather of them all - written by a 18-20 year old young woman. (Took her two years). Stunning and poetic and still disturbing and socially politically astute. What took me so long?
1 person found this helpful
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Generale4 out of 5 stars
- Utente anonimo
- 23/12/2012
Accessible
Well narrated. Good to have the record set straight on this book. Nice to hear the way language was written and spoken. Not impenetrable like Shakespeare, much closer to the current version of the language we use today.
2 people found this helpful
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Generale3 out of 5 stars
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Lettura3 out of 5 stars
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Storia3 out of 5 stars
- MR LEWIS-GEORGE NASH
- 09/06/2020
Surprisingly different from the films.
I have read most of the 'movie' classic horror stories but I had never gotten around to this one. Glad I did as it was quite different from what I expected. Not my favourite of these stories but worth a listen.
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Generale4 out of 5 stars
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Lettura4 out of 5 stars
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Storia4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 17/04/2015
Not what I was expecting
Like most people I thought I knew the story of Frankenstein and his monster. This book had a lot more than I expected, It is beautifully written and well read and is different enough from all the films/movie tropes to keep me entertained.
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Generale4 out of 5 stars
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Lettura4 out of 5 stars
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Storia3 out of 5 stars
- Vicbo
- 21/12/2015
Tedious
I don't want to struggle on any longer. The style of writing is so long -winded, and over-dramatic.
Really not entertaining enough for me.
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Generale2 out of 5 stars
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Lettura4 out of 5 stars
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Storia2 out of 5 stars
- Ant
- 03/01/2014
Hasn't aged well
While the concepts that the book discusses are very valid today and interesting, I'm afraid I found the style of writing too decorative without adding anything to the tale. This made the story a chore to wade through. I found myself using the dead time in the novel (during overly flowery descriptions of a persons many good qualities) to pick holes in the plot: "yea, I get it, your sister is the most saintly of people, whom you love to distraction... but not enough to write her a letter to stop her worrying about your health".
I also failed to find any of the characters particularly likeable - I'm sure taking to your bed for 2 months after a shock was all the rage back then, but it served to lower my enjoyment even further.
The narration was fine, but I'm not sure the Genevois accent sounds so similar to the Transylvanian one I remember from old horror films.
All in all, I would have preferred to have read a synopsis and left it at that.
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Generale3 out of 5 stars
- Peter
- 15/07/2010
Frustrating
A cautionary tale of an incredibly irresponsible and infuriatingly self-indulgent and mawkish scientist who creates the 'Monster' and then spends the rest of the book running away from it feeling sorry for himself. Maybe in 1818 when the book was first published, peoples sensitivities would bring them down on the side of the 'tortured' scientist, but listening to in today, I just felt sorry for the monster and cheered him on all the way.
I found myself not giving two hoots for Frankenstein or his fast-diminishing family and felt the scientist at least got everything he deserved. An interesting book that I enjoyed listening to as a 'classic', but in it's own right it was quite frustrating, with it's deeper historical context being sidelined somewhat by my desire to throttle the scientist and insist he grow a back-bone and deal with his creation.