Victor Frankenstein is obsessed with the secret of resurrecting the dead. But when he makes a new 'man' out of plundered corpses, his hideous creation fills him disgust. Rejected by all humanity, the creature sets out to destroy Frankenstein and everyone he loves. And as the monster gets ever closer to his maker, hunter becomes prey in a lethal chase that carries them to the very end of the earth.
Victor Frankenstein is obsessed with the secret of resurrecting the dead. But when he makes a new 'man' out of plundered corpses, his hideous creation fills him disgust. Rejected by all humanity, the creature sets out to destroy Frankenstein and everyone he loves. And as the monster gets ever closer to his maker, hunter becomes prey in a lethal chase that carries them to the very end of the earth.
The childhood of Mary Shelley (1797 - 1851), sounds rather like a
dark fairy-tale. Her mother died giving birth to her and she was
brought up by a remote father and a step-mother who hated her. Her
step-sister was a depressive and later committed suicide and Mary
had little in common with her step-brother or her half-brother. As
a young girl, she escaped into books and would often read by the
side of her mother's tomb.
In 1813 Mary met Percy Bysshe Shelley. He was only twenty-one but
was already unhappily married. He was destined to be one of the
geniuses of English poetry. The two fell in love and eloped,
despite Mary's age. Her father, William Godwin, disowned her, but
still she and Shelley were married in 1816. They settled in Italy
but tragedy seemed to follow them. Only one of their four children
lived very long and then, in 1822, when he was just thirty, Shelley
was drowned. Mary lived for another thirty years but she lost the
promise that she had shown in the company of her brilliant husband
and his friends, such as the poet Lord Byron. The single book that
we remember her for belonged to her happy time in Italy.
It was Byron who suggested in 1817, that they each write a horror
story. The result in Mary's case, was Frankenstein. As well as
being creepier than most other books in the genre, Frankenstein has
a far better story-line and is in the end, both moving and tragic.
Amazingly, a young girl of twenty gave us the book whose name has
become synonymous with horror.
Starred Review. Gr 7 Up-While remaining true to the spirit of Shelley's famous work, this adaptation allows readers to have it their way, savoring this horror classic with either the "Original Text," or the "Quick Text," a simplified abridgement. More than a straightforward retelling, this edition invites readers to explore important social issues such as alienation, the consequences and ethics of scientific studies, as well as the nature of creation and destruction. Rich and lustrous artwork remains the same in both versions. Bucolic mountainsides and charming villages are rendered in a classical European painting style. In stark contrast, horrific elements are depicted with grotesque angular figures in monochromatic tones. Excellent lettering enhances the narrative without distracting from the images. An especially nice feature is the use of boldface to highlight key words and phrases. A table of contents, based on the original three-volume edition, helps readers follow the story's progression. Back matter includes a biography of Shelley, a description of the novel's origin and history, and a clear description of comic-page creation for this remarkable edition. Reluctant readers who start with the "Quick Text" will probably be enticed to try the "Original Text" and continue to explore this exquisite rendition of a gothic classic.-Barbara M. Moon, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information
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