Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus - Original 1818 Text by Mary Shelley

40 reviews

julells's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Ein ewiger, poetisch umschriebener Wettkampf, wer am meisten leidet und wessen Schuld es ist.
Ein absolutes Muss für alle, die Klassiker lieben, für alle anderen wahrscheinlich etwas anstrengend.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

riverofhorton's review against another edition

I decided to DNF this particular version simply because I discovered this to be the heavily edited 1831 version, and I would rather read the original 1818 version.

That said, I was enjoying it up to that discovery and as such will be purchasing and reading a copy of the 1818 text at some point in the future.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

mr_d8a's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Fascinating concept. The language of the story is very high society and somewhat to flowery for a reader some 200 years removed. If there were a translation that was more readable it might be better. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

booksillremember's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Thematically really interesting, especially regarding bodily autonomy, othering, and the moral consequences of our actions. I also get why it’s so popular with the queer community. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy the actual reading experience. All the side characters are one-dimensional and there’s simply too much about them that feels like filler. Frankenstein himself is a narcissistic Faustian character who spends most of his time whining, having a fever and making poor practical choices. I felt sympathy for his creature but it’s also giving big incel vibes. I appreciate the novel as inspiration for many other works and I don’t regret reading it, but in itself I didn’t quite enjoy it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, and Murder

rileyyy02's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Mary Shelley is my ancestor! I read this book when I was younger so it felt slow at the time but it’s a good story about humanity

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, and Abandonment

Minor: Body horror, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

jenna_justi2004's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This book made me get back into reading. Slay Mary Shelley 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

rin_varga's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I enjoyed reading this classic immensely! I'm so glad that I decided to start it in the heart of winter just after the holidays since I discovered so much of the mood is wrapped up in desolate, frigid landscapes & frozen tundra.

If you've only ever watched the 1930s movie like me, then the original 1818 version will feel like a completely new story to you!

I appreciated how much heart, empathy, passion & flaws we see as both Victor & his creature explore the same feelings (believing that they're completely different from one another) such as hubris, the spectrum of morality, justice, & if wickedness is due to nature or nurture. The book even begins & ends through the lens of a third party, leaving us the reader free to sympathize a bit with both Victor & his creature who are at such odds with each other.

I didn't expect to get as emotionally invested in the characters as I did--it was a pleasant surprise to find myself hoping, grieving & crying on their behalf, especially the monster who so desperately & sincerely loves people & longs to be accepted for who he is on the inside💔

The middle of the novel could drag on at times, especially as Victor traveled and couldn't shake his fears, regrets & melancholy no matter who he was with or what he was doing for long. In the begin & by the end though, events picked up again in anticipation & drama leaving me at the edge of my seat!

There may be a little good & evil in everyone, & this novel explores in depth just how much enemies can be more similar than they'd like to believe. I'd recommend it to anyone who doesn't mind a little (or a lot) of gray area & want to try a classic where emotions are a strong motivation--both for the characters & us as readers!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, and Xenophobia

Minor: Child death, Confinement, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Stalking, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

felofhe's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Classism

carodunn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Murder, and Abandonment

Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

mobymaize's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Yeah, I mean it's fucking Frankenstein, like you got to read it. It is the first sci-fi novel, of course you have to read it. ALSO READ THE 1818 VERSION, IT'S A LOT BETTER.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism