Tony's Review of Frankenstein

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is one of the cornerstones of horror and science fiction. First published in 1818, it tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who seeks to push the boundaries of knowledge and ends up creating life from death. His creation, often mislabeled “Frankenstein” when in truth nameless, is both intelligent and tragic. It longs for connection, but its unnatural birth drives it into isolation, anger, and ultimately violence.

What makes the novel enduring is not just the terror of the monster, but the deeper questions it asks. Shelley explores ambition, responsibility, and the consequences of creation without foresight. It is not only a gothic tale but also a meditation on science, ethics, and the fragile line between genius and hubris. This is why Frankenstein is often considered the first true science fiction novel.

Over two centuries, the story has become one of the most important works in horror. It has been adapted countless times into film, theater, and television. The image of the flat-headed, bolt-necked monster popularized by Universal Pictures in the 1930s is burned into our cultural imagination, even though it differs greatly from Shelley’s original description. Beyond serious adaptations, Frankenstein has been parodied in works like Young Frankenstein, which plays the story for comedy, and The Munsters, where Herman Munster is a loving if bumbling version of the creature. This range of interpretations shows just how deeply the novel has taken root in popular culture.

The novel remains powerful because it is more than a monster story. It is about creation, abandonment, and the cost of playing god. Shelley, writing at only eighteen, tapped into fears and themes that are still relevant today. In a world where science continues to push boundaries, Frankenstein is as much a warning as it is a tale of horror.

In the end, Mary Shelley gave us not just a ghost story, but a work that shaped the very idea of modern horror and science fiction. It endures because it speaks to both the thrill and the danger of discovery, and because the monster at its heart is not just frightening, but heartbreakingly human.