Bookish people are often asked about our favorite authors, our top five books of all time, or what volumes currently await us on our nightstands. It’s generally with pleasure that we get to respond to such inquiries. It has been much to my dismay, however, how many times I have told someone that one of my favorite books is Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, only to be met with a raised eyebrow, “Oh, really?"
There is any number of reasons Frankenstein might not be as appreciated today as it ought to be: some of us were made to read abridged versions in school and thus found no joy in the book; the plethora of film adaptations have made us feel that we already know Dr. Frankenstein and The Creature, despite how far said films may be from Shelley’s original tale; or, we may simply pause at the 1818 publication date and think, this isn’t the book for me.
I am making a case for Frankenstein by way of the list below, a collection of texts and films that can serve as ways into Shelley’s unparalleled work. Media librarians can use this list to develop their Frankenstein collections or for library programming on Mary Shelley's August 30 birthday or Science Fiction Day on January 2.
Mary Shelley
One of the most compelling things about Frankenstein is its writer, Mary Shelley. This 2017 biopic stars Elle Fanning, who brilliantly conveys Shelley’s persevering literary vision and talent despite her tumultuous life: the death of her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, just days after having given birth; her relationship with poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, and society’s harsh criticisms of their nontraditional views on love and sex. The film also explores her struggle as not only a woman, but a teenager, to publish and receive credit for her masterpiece. Shelley is heralded “the mother of science fiction,” and this biopic will give reluctant Frankenstein readers a view into the novel’s fascinating progenitor.
Get your copy of the Mary Shelley Blu-ray DVD by clicking here.
Mary’s Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein
Lita Judge’s gorgeous book is a genre- and mind-bending journey through Shelley’s life. Part biography, part poetry, and part graphic novel, Judge brings Shelley to life for contemporary readers both in piercing prose and haunting illustrations. Geared toward a YA audience, Mary’s Monster is a perfect first foray into Frankenstein for younger readers, but the book’s sophistication and artistry will be appreciated by all.
On her website, Judge notes that a catalyst to writing and illustrating Mary’s Monster was learning that Shelley was just nineteen when she published Frankenstein: "I asked myself, how could someone so young write such a powerful book? And what obstacles must she have faced becoming an author, since she lived in a time when women weren’t allowed to attend university?” It’s Judge’s insightful exploration of these questions through both her words and her illustrations that make Mary’s Monster an incomparable work.
Order your copy of Lita Judge's novel Mary's Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein here.
Frankenstein
There are dozens of films and shows based on or inspired by Shelley’s novel, but the 1931 film starring Boris Karloff as The Monster is essential viewing. It is worth pointing out that, like most film versions of novels, plenty of the plot has been changed from Shelley’s original story. That being said, Karloff expertly captured The Monster’s anguish in his isolation and persecution, bringing the novel’s central themes to life on screen. Even as it closes in on 100 years since its release, Frankenstein remains quintessential to any horror fan’s collection, and a valuable rendition of Shelley’s original work.
Get your copy of the Frankenstein (1931) Blu-ray DVD by clicking here.
Frankenstein, the Norton Critical Edition
For those beginning the novel for the first time, why go it alone? Critical editions of classic texts are endlessly helpful to readers because these editions provide explanatory notes throughout the text as well as accompanying essays from scholars in the field. Now in its third edition, the Norton Critical Edition of Frankenstein, edited by J. Paul Hunter, includes Hunter’s annotations, eleven critical essays, maps, illustrations, and more contextual and source materials. Though critical editions will cost a bit more than editions that contain only the novel’s text, the depth of insight gained into the text itself and the context surrounding it is absolutely invaluable.
Get your copy of the Frankenstein, The Norton Critical Edition here.