A review by boe_zown
Frankissstein by Jeanette Winterson

4.0

 This is one of the most interesting fan fiction novels I have ever read. The storylines of Mary Shelley and Dr. Ry Shelley draw parallels between the creation of Frankenstein and technological advancement today. While Mary crafts Victor Frankenstein’s story, present-day Dr. Victor Stein attempts to reinvigorate a cryopreserved human brain. While Mary wishes that her children weren’t bound to their bodies so their minds could have survived their bodies’ deaths, Stein wishes for a future in which we can upload our minds into any body we choose, or no body at all, making us immortal, each our own AI. 
 
Winterson draws these parallels to warn of the dangers of technologies like AI, albeit in a heavy-handed way. Frankenstein is one of my favorite books, and I really enjoyed reading a multi-level fan fiction about it that was so relevant to issues today. 
 
I also loved the insertions of bits of Percy Shelley’s poetry and Mary’s reflections on her mother. As I am not trans, I won’t speak on whether or not Winterson’s portrayal of a trans main character was well-done or beneficial, but I do find the idea of Ry’s “created self” interesting in the context of the novel. The breadth of issues covered in this book is impressive, and while it feels like more of an argumentative essay at times, the characters and plot were quite engaging to me. Overall I really liked this book! It was my second read by Winterson, and I am excited to read more of her work. 
 
Please please check content warnings for this one because there was one really upsetting scene that I wasn’t expecting and I felt added nothing to the story! That’s a big reason I didn’t give this one five stars. 
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