September 2021 book of the month club (Poll)

[Boris Diamond]

Finished it a few days ago. Phew! It did not get easier at the end.

 

[rubysmama]

I'm on the last chapter now, so should finish it today.

Looking forward to the discussion, as I've given it much more thought reading it this time, than I did the first time I rad it.

 

[verna davies]

First edition of Frankenstein sells for record breaking $1.17m | Books | The Guardian

 

[rubysmama]

 

[rubysmama]

I'll start with a couple thoughts.

This was the second time I read the book, and it was still a slow trudge to get to the end. Strangely enough, though, I couldn't remember how it ended, so that probably motivated me to keep reading.

How much of his life did Victor spend deathly ill? Months and months at a time, right, before finally he succumbed to all he put his body and mind though.

Until I read the book, I always though the monster's name was Frankenstein. Apparently it's a common mistake.

I will probably have more to add as the discussion progresses, but that's all for now.

 

[Lola3791]

Until I read the book, I always though the monster's name was Frankenstein. Apparently it's a common mistake.

I've seen a quote online that says those who have read the book understand that Frankenstein is both the doctor and the monster. I definitely saw that throughout the book. The creature's story is a moving one and you feel empathy for him. Frankenstein completely rejects him and refuses to see his humanity.
While the book was slow, I really liked the topics brought up in it. The choices Frankenstein had to make where so difficult and the book is full of raw emotion.

 

[GoldyCat]

I'll be spending 3 hours in the Houston airport between flights later today. That should give me time to finish the book. I may not have time to join the discussion until after the weekend.

 

[gilmargl]

I enjoyed reading a book slowly and making the most of the language, the emotions, the landscapes and the conflicts without, as is the case with most modern books, rushing through to find out how it ends as there's nothing much else to keep one's attention.

My contribution here will be brief as I have a lot of things to do at the moment (the straw that is breaking my back is the fact that a mothercat with 3 (14 - 21 day old) kittens will be deposited at my house tomorrow and I'm trying to make space for them and play with my cats as I won't have much time for that once the new family arrives).

I didn't get far in my attempt to read both editions - the only difference I found so far concerns Elizabeth. I hope I get this right: in the earlier book she was the daughterl of Frankenstein's father's dead sister (so she was Frankenstein's true cousin). In the later edition she was found by Frankenstein's mother and was an orphan, living with a poor family. Evidently she was the daughter of a nobleman who'd met with hard times and then died.

I live in Germany and I had a colleague, Frau Frankenstein. There were quite a few whispered comments about that! She's the only person I've met with that name.

 

[rubysmama]

I've seen a quote online that says those who have read the book understand that Frankenstein is both the doctor and the monster.

I've not seen that opinion, but I have seen memes that say that Victor is the real monster.

The creature's story is a moving one and you feel empathy for him. Frankenstein completely rejects him and refuses to see his humanity.

I know. I felt so bad for the creature throughout the entire book. All he wanted, like most humans, is to be accepted, and maybe loved. And right from the get go his "father" rejected him, running away horror struck. And even though he rejected him, the creature still felt the need to be close to him, even Victor died.

I'll be spending 3 hours in the Houston airport between flights later today. That should give me time to finish the book. I may not have time to join the discussion until after the weekend.

Hope you had a chance to get some reading done. As for the discussion, no rush.

My contribution here will be brief as I have a lot of things to do at the moment (the straw that is breaking my back is the fact that a mothercat with 3 (14 - 21 day old) kittens will be deposited at my house tomorrow and I'm trying to make space for them and play with my cats as I won't have much time for that once the new family arrives).

Awwww... thanks for taking in Mama and her kittens. Good luck with them.

I didn't get far in my attempt to read both editions - the only difference I found so far concerns Elizabeth. I hope I get this right: in the earlier book she was the daughterl of Frankenstein's father's dead sister (so she was Frankenstein's true cousin). In the later edition she was found by Frankenstein's mother and was an orphan, living with a poor family. Evidently she was the daughter of a nobleman who'd met with hard times and then died.

Hmmm... seems my $1.23 Kindle version was mistakenly labeled at the 1818 version, as Elizabeth was the orphan of the nobleman. Guess you get what you pay for.

 

[pearl99]

Hmmm... seems my $1.23 Kindle version was mistakenly labeled at the 1818 version, as Elizabeth was the orphan of the nobleman. Guess you get what you pay for.

Another Hmmm...- my 99 cent Kindle version had Elizabeth as a cousin, daughter of the dead sister. I guess I lucked out!

I finished it this evening. I found myself skimming through the long descriptions toward the end. The language wasn't as flowery as I expected, thankfully...and I had no trouble understanding it. I enjoyed the descriptions of the country and natural settings though.

I know. I felt so bad for the creature throughout the entire book. All he wanted, like most humans, is to be accepted, and maybe loved. And right from the get go his "father" rejected him, running away horror struck. And even though he rejected him, the creature still felt the need to be close to him, even Victor died.

I felt that too. That message was throughout the book over and over, rejection and disgust based on appearance, being so different, ugly, unrefined and the depth of agony and emptiness and anger/rage from that. Timeless message.
Thinking of him in the "hovel" watching and learning from the exiled family, hiding- Shelley really did some fine writing showing his feeling. What loneliness and wretched feelings to live with.
Then a switch flipped and the rage and then murdering happened, and I felt how horrid this being was, but not of his own making, how beyond sad that was. I felt Shelley wrote fantastically of both sides, captured the emotions and feelings. And she was only 19 years old when she wrote this.

I think Victor was a rotten person for creating this being and then abandoning him, and being glad to be rid of him and hardly thinking of the fact this being is roaming the country, loose, with knowledge of the danger. But he certainly had the consequences come back, and lived in misery till he died.

I've seen the old movie with Boris Karloff and I really only remember lightning, and the scene with the "monster" learning to smoke, and maybe a scene where he learns the word "friend??" Maybe have to watch it again.

And of course "Puttin' on the Ritz" in Young Frankenstein.
Glad I read the real book!

My contribution here will be brief as I have a lot of things to do at the moment (the straw that is breaking my back is the fact that a mothercat with 3 (14 - 21 day old) kittens will be deposited at my house tomorrow and I'm trying to make space for them and play with my cats as I won't have much time for that once the new family arrives).

How are the new kitties doing, and your resident cats?

 

[rubysmama]

Another Hmmm...- my 99 cent Kindle version had Elizabeth as a cousin, daughter of the dead sister. I guess I lucked out!

You did luck out.

The language wasn't as flowery as I expected, thankfully...and I had no trouble understanding it.

I also had no trouble understanding the language, however, I don't think I'm ever going to get used to "quitted" to describe leaving a place.

 

[verna davies]

I didn't find the book a page turner, in fact I found my mind drifting several times because of the phrasing and quite a few of the unfamiliar words. I found myself googling them so had to reread parts.

I must have had the 1831 version as Elizabeth was described as Victor's cousin.

A sad and in parts depressing story, William and Elizabeth being murdered and such a sad lonely life the monster was forced to lead, wanting to be loved and driven to revenge, I too felt sorry for him.

Victor was extremely selfish to create the monster to satisfy himself then cruelty rejecting him because he wasn't as he had wanted/expected.

I'm glad I read the book as I had only seen the film with Peter Cushing.

 

[gilmargl]

Sorry rubysmama and pearl99 I've managed to lead you up the garden path - please take your goodwishes back. The cats never turned up! Mama managed to move her family before they could be caught! Everybody involved is blaming him- or herself. I feel guilty because I was working on Monday (at 76 it's a luxury) when I could have been helping catch them with a woman who had managed to feed the very thin mama by hand! She and others feel guilty because they spent the evening at a social event instead of continuing the project. I spent the evening moving my desk and other paraphanalia out of the small bedroom so that there's space for a pen for the kittens, litter box etc. for mama and searching for towels, puppy pads and incontinence mattress covers to protect the bed (which is NEW and never been slept on). Overnight the cats disappeared. Food is now being left out in the area (which is well-enclosed) and people with houses backing onto the area have been asked to keep their eyes open and inform us if they see anything.

So, even if we are successful in trapping them it will not happen overnight. I have moved my desk back so that I can comfortably use my computer. The longer it takes to trap them, the more feral the kittens will be. There are over a thousand books in this room which is not an ideal space for wild cats. I hope mama is not one of those who will run up the walls in fright! I now have time to start removing pictures from the walls and all the wreaths I've stored at the top of the bookshelves - but, unless we catch them, it just won't happen!

Apologies for that - now back to the book!
I find it hard to believe that the monster is Victor Frankenstein. It's the first time I've heard about that interpretation. I can believe there are 2 monsters, one being Frankenstein himself for refusing to make a partner for the monster he created and, naturally, the second one being his creation.

I found the character of the monster very interesting - he criticized society in general. He was vegetarian, socialist, peaceful, intelligent and looking for love. The fact that he was rejected by everyone including his creator based purely on his looks is sad but unfortunately a normal occurrence. Without any hope of finding love he turned against his creator and society in general. And then we have the brilliant Frankenstein who unknowingly created something he could not be proud of and suffered for it. Unfortunately, most scientists who create nerve gases and other weapons, may express "regret" when they realise the results of their inventions - but usually continue to enjoy the good life!

What a brilliant book, written 200 years ago by such a young woman! I'm also glad I read it.

 

[pearl99]

I also looked up Mary Shelley, the author.
Fascinating. She was married to Percy Shelley the poet, her mother was a women’s rights activist- and more interesting things. Not a typical woman of her time.

 

[rubysmama]

Sorry rubysmama rubysmama and pearl99 pearl99 I've managed to lead you up the garden path - please take your goodwishes back.

No need to apologize, as there are probably lots of pretty flowers down that garden path.
But seriously, that's for uprooting your home for the mama and kittens. Hopefully they'll be trapped soon.

There are over a thousand books in this room which is not an ideal space for wild cats.

Sounds like a library. Wonder who has more books, you or Mamanyt1953 , who also loves to collect books..

What a brilliant book, written 200 years ago by such a young woman! I'm also glad I read it.

I'm so glad I read it too, as it really is brilliant, and despite being 200 years old, not really all that dated. Well except the 18th century English.

I'm glad I read the book as I had only seen the film with Peter Cushing.

I've never seen the movie. Is it anything like the book?

 

[verna davies]

Peter Cushing played Victor and Christopher Lee the monster made in 1957. It was nothing like the book, had the usual dramatic stunts that film makers considered to be a scary horror film. It didn't show the depth of despair and rage that the book did, I think words make better pictures.

 

[rubysmama]

It didn't show the depth of despair and rage that the book did, I think words make better pictures.

Don't think I'll bother searching for the movie then, as I think it might spoil the powerful images I have from the book.

 

[verna davies]

It's a typical Hammer House of Horror film. Guess what was showing on my tv last night, Frankenstein the Monster, how is that for timing. I didn't watch it.

 

[pearl99]

I think words make better pictures.

I agree. I’m not sure I’ve seen a movie where I liked the movie more than the book.

 

[rubysmama]

Time seems to be flying, because here we are at the end of another month. Thanks to everyone who read Frankenstein along with us, and participated in the discussion. As always, the thread will remain open, so additional comments can always be added at any time.

But now it's time to turn our attention to October, which is the book club's 2nd anniversary. And to mark the occasion, we are having a READ ANYTHING YOU WANT MONTH. So hope everyone will choose a book they want to read, and join in the celebration.


Here's the link with more info:
October 2021 book of the month club - 2 year anniversary celebration