marissab's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Child death, Death, Hate crime, Medical content, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Transphobia
Moderate: Mental illness, Antisemitism, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Racism, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, and Outing
Minor: Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Deadnaming, and Pedophilia
kaia's review
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Homophobia, Sexual content, Cursing, and Deadnaming
Moderate: Child death, Sexual assault, Antisemitism, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Pedophilia
morebedsidebooks's review
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
It’s somehow fitting the subtitle of “A Love Story” is in the absolute tiniest font on the cover of Frankissstein, billed as a queer sci-fi historical meta retelling of Mary Shelley’s famous monstrous work by a well-known lesbian author Jeanette Winterson. There are all kinds of love stories of course but, this is a bad romance since it reeks of exoticism though sometimes aware. Further while I was reading this book, someone saw it and seemed to think it was erotica prompting a gross question towards me too. There is enough sex and discussion about it in the book for a mature audience along with a flurry of content to be noted (sexism, transphobia, homophobia, racism, sexual assault, slurs, illegally procured body parts, religion, sexual abuse and exploitation of minors, death of children, spiders) nevertheless it’s not an adult product. But what is Frankissstein?
Dr. Ry Shelley (shortened from Mary, which I might say you can write a book with a trans protagonist and not actually have a deadname for them, but of course with this book it’s one of the conceits since it’s riffing Frankenstein) has fallen for Professor Victor Stein, an expert in artificial intelligence, and who just might be a little more mad scientist than his TED talk charisma lets on. Polly D. (Dr. Polidori) a Vanity Fair journalist (that might horrify her real-life counterparts I may add) is keen to find out too.
Alternating between the past and not quite present, the majority of the cast of characters, including the fictitious depiction though based in reality of 19th century relations, creations and acquaintances of Mary Shelley run a mash of sexism, misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, racism and religious zealotry. If they’re not just sort of ill formed or a caricature to begin with like basically all the Claires who show up. And because sex is always there at the forefront of society’s edges then in this 21st century there are also sexbots, Ron Lord (Byron, but even Lord Byron rake that he was sounds more endurable) the rising entrepreneur of such a service doesn’t think greatly outside of any binary, straight, patriarchal box either despite his mum having a whole side in the business.
Unlikeable characters doing and saying messed up things are one thing though and can serve a purpose too. This novel however begs the question WHY write THIS book and should YOU? Part of that might be easier enough to answer since Winterson has spoken about the influence Frankenstein had on her, gender being one of the themes in her work and her own thoughts on it. But I found myself basically asking if the author really exactly grasps all she’s writing or is purposely making some sport about it. I don’t know if the choices a character makes are supposed to be dissonant if you really think about it because humans are like that or, it’s just the author, or possibly some influence of her also notable partner striking out at some point because the fourth wall gets broken in the book too.
And some things here are clearly outdated, by decades. Even more current subjects though are just yet another tidbit of all the pieces thrown out there and given little examination like some news cycle or hashtag trending today, gone tomorrow. It should be clear most of the characters are always saying sh*t of one variety or the other but, some of it feels as if there are other agendas at work for its presence and again a lack of any real breath given to the issues. It’s reductive, offensive and harmful but few actually want such conversations, right?
And then I suppose I am sorry to ever somehow think again you could tell a story about a trans character and not have them brutally sexually assaulted. No, not sorry because you can do that. But here, vicious sexual assault is there in the book, the situation, implied not the first nor the last accompanied with a litany of all too familiar words and after thoughts because…? Is it current commentary? Or broader, that which is not understood leads to fear and hatred and violence, isolation? I only hope some readers gained something from the passage. But it’s exhausting for some of the rest of us.
Winterson believes “art is for everyone”, but who is Frankissstien written for? “I hope I have caused no offense to the living or to the dead” is also part of the author’s note in the back. There is too an undercurrent ambiguity in the whole story, I’m not sure I’m comfortable with. This book can very much go down different ways. It has been called satirical and very funny and riotous, but I don’t know I found bits rather childish. In between mild amusements I rather just wanted to roll my eyes and laugh more derisively at what I don’t think I’m supposed to laugh at, when I wasn’t just appalled or feeling my consciousness try for flight over fight. And it gives me a headache, while also providing many a passage I might quote because it is slightly interesting, if not treading over areas I’ve seen tread long before to boot. A puzzle too how the Booker Prize or other literary groups held this title up so that it landed on my TBR. Absurdity in an absurd world maybe.
Dr. Ry Shelley (shortened from Mary, which I might say you can write a book with a trans protagonist and not actually have a deadname for them, but of course with this book it’s one of the conceits since it’s riffing Frankenstein) has fallen for Professor Victor Stein, an expert in artificial intelligence, and who just might be a little more mad scientist than his TED talk charisma lets on. Polly D. (Dr. Polidori) a Vanity Fair journalist (that might horrify her real-life counterparts I may add) is keen to find out too.
Alternating between the past and not quite present, the majority of the cast of characters, including the fictitious depiction though based in reality of 19th century relations, creations and acquaintances of Mary Shelley run a mash of sexism, misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, racism and religious zealotry. If they’re not just sort of ill formed or a caricature to begin with like basically all the Claires who show up. And because sex is always there at the forefront of society’s edges then in this 21st century there are also sexbots, Ron Lord (Byron, but even Lord Byron rake that he was sounds more endurable) the rising entrepreneur of such a service doesn’t think greatly outside of any binary, straight, patriarchal box either despite his mum having a whole side in the business.
Unlikeable characters doing and saying messed up things are one thing though and can serve a purpose too. This novel however begs the question WHY write THIS book and should YOU? Part of that might be easier enough to answer since Winterson has spoken about the influence Frankenstein had on her, gender being one of the themes in her work and her own thoughts on it. But I found myself basically asking if the author really exactly grasps all she’s writing or is purposely making some sport about it. I don’t know if the choices a character makes are supposed to be dissonant if you really think about it because humans are like that or, it’s just the author, or possibly some influence of her also notable partner striking out at some point because the fourth wall gets broken in the book too.
And some things here are clearly outdated, by decades. Even more current subjects though are just yet another tidbit of all the pieces thrown out there and given little examination like some news cycle or hashtag trending today, gone tomorrow. It should be clear most of the characters are always saying sh*t of one variety or the other but, some of it feels as if there are other agendas at work for its presence and again a lack of any real breath given to the issues. It’s reductive, offensive and harmful but few actually want such conversations, right?
And then I suppose I am sorry to ever somehow think again you could tell a story about a trans character and not have them brutally sexually assaulted. No, not sorry because you can do that. But here, vicious sexual assault is there in the book, the situation, implied not the first nor the last accompanied with a litany of all too familiar words and after thoughts because…? Is it current commentary? Or broader, that which is not understood leads to fear and hatred and violence, isolation? I only hope some readers gained something from the passage. But it’s exhausting for some of the rest of us.
Winterson believes “art is for everyone”, but who is Frankissstien written for? “I hope I have caused no offense to the living or to the dead” is also part of the author’s note in the back. There is too an undercurrent ambiguity in the whole story, I’m not sure I’m comfortable with. This book can very much go down different ways. It has been called satirical and very funny and riotous, but I don’t know I found bits rather childish. In between mild amusements I rather just wanted to roll my eyes and laugh more derisively at what I don’t think I’m supposed to laugh at, when I wasn’t just appalled or feeling my consciousness try for flight over fight. And it gives me a headache, while also providing many a passage I might quote because it is slightly interesting, if not treading over areas I’ve seen tread long before to boot. A puzzle too how the Booker Prize or other literary groups held this title up so that it landed on my TBR. Absurdity in an absurd world maybe.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Deadnaming, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Transphobia
Moderate: Pedophilia
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