3 Novels That the Monster Reads in Frankenstein
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although, i suppose that for this particular text, frankenstein, which is about the overstepping of i's man limitations and trying to play god, this is entirely appropriate. simply we all know what happened to victor frankenstein when he meddled out of his depths.
so it is an interesting premise:
frankenstein told from the perspective of the "monster." not the newly-created being, but the brain-role of the creation, friedrich hoffmann, who was drugged, accused of murder, and executed by being broken on the cycle. when he is revived, he is in the body of an 8-foot alpine monster, while retaining his memory and his humanity.
the thing that makes frankenstein so interesting is its moral ambiguity. victor frankenstein uses science to create life, but then doesn't take responsibility for what he has created. and similar many neglected children of indifferent parents, his monster goes wild, seeks love and credence from other families,and when they are appalled by his advent, eventually he goes "bad" and lashes out. but he doesn't start out "evil," and frankenstein himself is non an entirely innocent character. the interesting thing about frankenstein is the dynamic between the creator and the created, and the revulsion and responsibleness inherent in their relationship.
it was never a story of skilful vs. evil.
and this is where zeltzerman's story goes off the runway a little, for me. in his retelling, victor frankenstein is purely evil.and friedrich-monster is a good "human" in an extreme state of affairs. which, fine, if we are but going to accept the movie-version of frankenstein: scientist proficient, monster bad, which steamrolls all the complexities out, and reverse it, this is what nosotros would get. but then... vampire-werewolves? satanists?? orgies orchestrated by the marquis de sade? murals that come to life and depict decadent sexual monstrosities? naked girls every bit tables? it is like dorian gray at the playboy mansion. and - of form , where would a story like this be without monster erect? you know what they say about 8-foot-tall patchwork reanimated corpses. the ladies cannot get enough...
this would have been more effective if it had been a stricter retelling. frankenstein and his monster do non hang out together in the original. non equally friends, not every bit creator and captive, at that place is just no period where they are together for an extended menses of time.i could deal with friedrich-monster encountering the satanists and the vampires because there is that gap where he is off going wild in the woods and who knows what he is doing?? he could well have been living it up as the rex of the satanists - who tin say? similar heathcliff's missing three years, i could have accustomed this filling in of the narrative gap. simply i have problems with the residual of information technology. this is more similar frankenstein fanfic - like "frankenstein is good, but what if there were more than orgies in information technology??"
okay, and then that might be a little snarky. because there are parts that i liked - the overall tone is fine, as an adaptation; it'southward not as good as shelley, but information technology feels similar enough. including real-people similar samuel hahnemann and the marquis de sade and shelley herself is also a cute trivial flourish that i appreciate. i suppose i just have issues with retellings that deviate from the original. which is a personal peeve. oh, and also, the ending. peeve city.
this isn't terrible by any stretch, it was simply non as tight of a retelling as it could accept been.
my month of meh-horror continues...
come up to my web log!
In Monster, Zeltserman grabs the reader with the get-go line: "Beginning my feet were broken. Then my ankles." The opening chapter is a gruesome clarification of decease by torture in the early 19th century. Young Fredrich Hoffman, an apprentice chemist in Leipzig has been wrongfully accused of murdering his fiance. The estimate sentences Hoffman to be executed by "The Wheel" a method for which "cruel and unusual" was intended.
Hoffman regains consciousness to find himself the prisoner of Victor Frankenstein. The mad doctor in this version has restored the animal by utilise of sorcery and science. Although he can barely motion, Hoffman befriends a sentient head in a bowl named Josephine. They are barely able to communicate past lip-reading, simply Hoffman is able to larn what Frankenstein has done to the both of them. Before long Frankenstein is entertaining an enthusiastic invitee: The Marquise De Sade.
When Hoffman is finally able to get a look at himself, he's shocked. Frankenstein has turned him into a huge and twisted creature near vii feet alpine. Simply he has superior strength in his new trunk, which he puts to good use.
Hoffman is finally able to escape, but finds Frankenstein has moved on. Wondering through the countryside he undergoes a number of strange adventures on his manner to make Frankenstein pay for his crimes. At one point he encounters a group of vampires. In another episode he finds a band of Satanists who mistake him for the real devil. Somewhen, he locates Frankenstein in a ruined castle.
Trapped past one of the necromancer's evil spells, Hoffman is unable to carry out his revenge against his creator. He's forced to spotter as the mad doc and perverse count prepare for a gala ball of torture and sadism. Unable to finish his adversary, the monster known equally Hoffman seethes and waits for an opportunity. To reveal more would spoil the conclusion to the novel.
Monster is a dissimilar, but no less interesting, direction for Zeltserman. I wait forrad to what else he does in this genre.
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This plot feels completely redundant; if you want to read a book from the perspective of Monster Frankenstein y'all read Franken
Friedrich Hoffman (as well known as the monster) recounts the imitation accusations of killing his fiancée and the other gruesome 'crimes' he has been accused of committing. He awoke hideously deformed on the table of Victor Frankenstein, without any existent thought of what is going on. He now embarks on a unmarried minded quest for revenge on Frankenstein for all the damage he has done.This plot feels completely redundant; if you want to read a book from the perspective of Monster Frankenstein you lot read Frankenstein; this is null new, not interesting, and just cashing in on the same story. Sure this novel is different but there is nix interesting about it, it is full of the typical horror tropes and doesn't really offer an interesting perceptive. I cannot help but think of this equally something like fanfic and I struggle to work out why I read this one; I seem to option upwardly all novels that endeavor to practice something with the Frankenstein story.
I volition admit there were parts of the novel that really fit the Frankenstein plot, tiny lilliputian points to evidence that the author had indeed read and been heavily influenced by this masterpiece. I am but not sure why this would be published; a re-imagining, change in perspective (assuming it wasn't covered in the original book), prequel/sequel or modernisation I tin can sympathise just this was the exact aforementioned story with small differences. This feels like the author loved Frankenstein so much that he rewrote the volume in his own words, similar a writing practice that is never meant to be published. He has a good style even if he follows a very formulaic horror or gothic theme but the novel did indicate his talent. In an original novel he might have better luck but for me this was just ripping off a archetype slice of literature.
When it comes to using archetype literature as the ground of your own novel, I am usually a tough estimate; you better do something unique and interesting or I volition hate the novel. If y'all are trying to retell Frankenstein and then I volition be strict, this is my all-fourth dimension favourite; I accept read this multiple times and volition be reading it many more, and I am more than probable to notice every flaw. Monster and This Night Try have probably been the 2 novels that I've judged the harshest, since starting this blog and yous can encounter the similarities.
When you wait at something like The Motorcar which isn't really a Frankenstein reimagining but rather you can see the influence. Some themes and messages are the same and I loved this volume, it is in my pinnacle five for the year. I guess you are meliorate off reading a book like Machine; I really wish I knew why I go along going for Frankenstein remakes. I call back people should read Frankenstein and not bother with this volume, simply I am curious then see how Dave Zeltserman is as a novelist in something original; I hear Minor Crimes is good.
This review originally appeared on my blog; http://literary-exploration.com/2013/...
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I've been a long time fan of Zeltserman'due south criminal offense fiction, and profoundly enjoyed 'The Caretaker of Lorne Field, his get-go foray into the Horror genre. His newest novel, 'Monster', takes his fiction to a whole new level. While remaining faithful to the original in some ways, we're given a deeper, more than focused monster whose motivations lead the reader through great leaps of imagination. A must read for fans of whatever genre.
I've been a long time fan of Zeltserman's crime fiction, and profoundly enjoyed 'The Caretaker of Lorne Field, his commencement foray into the Horror genre. His newest novel, 'Monster', takes his fiction to a whole new level. While remaining faithful to the original in some means, we're given a deeper, more focused monster whose motivations lead the reader through great leaps of imagination. A must read for fans of whatever genre.
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"As I write this, I can just pray that Frankenstein'due south twisted soul is rotting abroad in whatever crevice within Hell it has surely sunk into."
So begins Dave Zeltserman'due south electrifying novel presenting the classic story of Frankenstein's monster, from the viewpoint of the "monster." The monster in this instance is a man past the proper name of Friedrich Hoffmann, who, on the eve of his wedding ceremony to his beloved Johanna is drugged and when
You may too read my review here: http://world wide web.mybookishways.com/2012/08/..."Equally I write this, I can only pray that Frankenstein's twisted soul is rotting abroad in whatever scissure within Hell it has surely sunk into."
So begins Dave Zeltserman'due south electrifying novel presenting the classic story of Frankenstein'south monster, from the viewpoint of the "monster." The monster in this instance is a human being by the name of Friedrich Hoffmann, who, on the eve of his wedding ceremony to his honey Johanna is drugged and when he comes to, in an alleyway, he is covered in blood and has Johanna's locket in his coat. He presently understands that she is expressionless, murdered in a most heinous style, and he has been blamed for the crime. Broken, tortured, and set to die on the executioner's wheel, Friedrich can only hope that he volition be joining his true love presently. Little does he know that a fate worse than expiry awaits him.
Monster is told from Friedrich's point of view, and every bit he takes you from the wheel, into death, and dorsum to a sort of unlife as the creation of the wicked, diabolical Dr. Frankenstein, you lot won't be able to wait abroad, although you may desire to. I found myself pausing to comprehend my optics for a moment every now so, not only as I processed the horror that Friedrich is experiencing, but as well at the moments of beauty that he manages to find in the midst of this nearly inconceivable ordeal. And at that place is beauty, in the about unexpected of places. When Friedrich offset "awakens" and finds that he cannot move, cannot speak, and can barely proceed his eyes open, he is soon introduced to Charlotte, who is just a head, in a basin of milky liquid. At outset, Charlotte repels him, but soon he realizes that she as well, is a victim of Dr. Frankenstein'due south depraved experiments and it is her stories (he lip reads, because she cannot speak), and assurances that he is still a gently and kind soul, in spite of what is surely hideous appearance, that make his days bearable. When Charlotte is taken from him, at the bidding of the Marquis de Sade, and he is inexplicably abandoned, he realizes that he must be free, and find the man that made him into this monster.
Eloquently written (like a sure archetype that comes to heed), Monster will take yous on a journeying of death, rebirth, and vengeance, and is about a homo trying desperately not to sink to the depths of his tormenter. I fell in dearest with Hoffman, and his grief, not only at losing Johanna, only at his own status, is palpable on every page. Still, rays of light do shine through the darkness, and kindness comes from some of the virtually unexpected places. During his journeying, he will encounter vampyres, satanic cults, and more, and information technology volition take him to a aging castle, where all volition exist revealed. Or volition information technology? Brace yourself when Friedrich reaches that castle. Frankenstein is a villain that will brand your peel crawl, and is the ultimate embodiment of evil. He even outdoes the Marquis, and that says quite a lot. Monster weighs in at just over 200 pages, but manages to pack a huge punch. If yous're a fan of Frankenstein and the mythos that surrounds information technology, and love literary horror, this one'south for you. Highly recommended!
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It's a curt story and it is filled with intense anguish that only Frankenstein's Monster can radiate, so it's got that going for information technology.
On the other hand, meh, Frankenstein.
It'southward told from the Monster's perspective and how it all went downwardly according to him and I really enjoyed parts of it, there was even some cannibalism, yay!
I guess if you really are in love with Frankenstein's creation story then you will LOVE this volume. If, nevertheless, lik
I'yard torn betwixt 3 and 4 stars, so-so book and good book.It's a brusk story and it is filled with intense anguish that only Frankenstein'south Monster can radiate, so it's got that going for it.
On the other hand, meh, Frankenstein.
It's told from the Monster's perspective and how it all went downwardly according to him and I actually enjoyed parts of it, at that place was even some cannibalism, yay!
I guess if you really are in honey with Frankenstein'south creation story then you lot will LOVE this book. If, even so, like me, you intendance for it just in passing and you ever envision this spectacular newborn of science as the father off a hit niche 60's testify, then odds are you lot'll be meh about this volume as well.
-1 Star considering vampires. Mother. Fooping. Vampires. Every nut licking identify I go.
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A fairly soulless reimagining of Shelley's Frankenstein.
Rather than answering any of the ethical/social/moral questions presented in the original novel (or posing a few of its own), Monster takes a more than fantastical bend to the story, turning Victor into a cartoonish villain and adding unnecessary additional violence against women.
And I have no idea what the vampyres/vampires added to the plot. That's not even a spoiler, vampires just testify up for
A fairly soulless reimagining of Shelley'southward Frankenstein.
Rather than answering any of the ethical/social/moral questions presented in the original novel (or posing a few of its ain), Monster takes a more fantastical curve to the story, turning Victor into a cartoonish villain and calculation unnecessary additional violence against women.
And I accept no thought what the vampyres/vampires added to the plot. That'south not even a spoiler, vampires just bear witness up for no reason.
This novel is more than an accompanying piece to the original, rather than one that occurs in parallel to the original plot, themes, etc.
An unreliable narrator is killed, forced to become something he does non— even in his worst nightmares—wish to become. In fact he takes an excessive corporeality of fourth dimension trying to convince the reader that he retains some values, morals, and virtues of his erstwhile self, and in doing so does not effectively convince the reader of his morality, but to some extent convinces h
This novel is more an accompanying piece to the original, rather than one that occurs in parallel to the original plot, themes, etc.
An unreliable narrator is killed, forced to go something he does not— even in his worst nightmares—wish to get. In fact he takes an excessive amount of fourth dimension trying to convince the reader that he retains some values, morals, and virtues of his former cocky, and in doing so does not effectively convince the reader of his morality, just to some extent convinces himself.
The story continues for folio after page with our main grapheme, succumbing to delusions of grandeur and a false sense of self, tearing through country after country, often literally, on a vengeful tirade.
Oh and the people he meets.
Satanists, of unlimited numbers; a common thread throughout the novel.
People—who are conceived more than like animals than people—having orgies.
wolves that tin can transform into vampires, oh wait I'thousand sorry, Vampyres
And more than orgies that are correct out of the Optics Wide Shut script
Interwoven amid these wonderful themes are the lovely, wait I hateful contrived, interactions between monster and the general public that effortlessly recalled Belle'southward first meeting with the beast.
How did these interactions go from Drew Barrymore in scream...
to'lets have wine and rejoice'?
It's one of the biggest literary questions of the decades, but can be explained simply with a joke I found online while googling this book...
Q: How did Frankenstein's monster eat his tiffin?
Notation: not a truthful spoiler. I but couldn't requite yous the answer that quickly; where's the fun in that?
(view spoiler)[
A: Nuts and bolts!... well in the example of the novel, apparently nuts and berries
And boom... shift from fear to trust is solidified
Personally, I merely think the monster slipped those innocent women a valium, but who am I really...
This over-flowing bucket of themes, every bit well every bit an uneven plot, ruptured off the pages of Monster. The fashion of writing, ranging from a prose recalling an earlier time to a more gimmicky manner, was confusing, if not all together distracting. The languages, particularly the use of slang such as 'cock' seemed to choke up the convoluted storyline. The entire feel was exhausting and tedious.
In the end you lot have to wonder, after all these sexual escapades, illusions of humanity, sparsely crafted grapheme interactions, rough narratives, and poorly executed character development, did the editor succumb to a very different sort of monster? The ever misreckoning, disorienting mail-it plot lath.... monster
This story is told by Friedrich Hoffmann, a young chemist who was in love and engaged to his beloved Johanna and they were before long to be married. But he woke upwards in a alley, with blood on his dress and Johanna's locket and was convicted of her murder. He was tortured on the bicycle until he finally died. Only he woke up on a table with a man continuing over him. The man's proper noun was Victor Frankenstein and Friedrich learned that his torso was no longer the body he remembered, simply an 8-foot monstrosity of various parts. He met Charlotte, a woman who was a head in a jar, kept live by satanic rituals and a strange liquid. Months went by and one day Victor left him for a menses of time. Friedrich escaped.
Friedrich set off to pay his respects to Johanna. He met a doctor in the woods who put together a remedy for him, but Friedrich put it in his pocket and forgot about it. He visited Johanna then went into the woods. He found a community of monks and spent months with them. They accepted him and he was happy to piece of work with them. Only he was compelled to go out and spent months looking in villages, every bit if he was in a haze. He kept hearing how girls were disappearing and he was being blamed. Merely one day he came beyond a grouping of villagers accusing a immature woman of being a witch and he saved her. Her name was Henriette and Friedrich decided to take her to Venice and then she could start a new life. They became close on their journeying, equally brother and sister, and he stole clothes, nutrient, and riches so she could easily get-go a new life. Merely one mean solar day they were set upon past vampires and Friedrich could non salvage her in time.
And so he came across a group of devil worshipers who were nigh to cede a young girl in the woods. He fabricated them render the girl and allow them worship him. They brought him nutrient and drink and he made them practice horrible things to each other. Only when he learned they had already sacrificed a few children, he told them to expect for him at a identify in the woods where they should build him a temple. It was where the nest of vampires was.
Friedrich was compelled south, but he resisted and around Lake Geneva finally found Frankenstein'due south family. He learned he was engaged, or soon to be engaged, to a woman named Elizabeth. But he left and continued Southward where he found a ruined castle in the mountains. Inside was Frankenstein and others, forth with about 100 stolen girls (and some boys). They were turning this castle into a place of debauchery and depravity. There was a going to be a big dark, in one case the castle was finished, and the victims would be defiled, raped, and killed. But Frankenstein discovered, to his horror, that he must obey Frankenstein. He could not resist his order, nor could he harm him.
Friedrich was reunited with Charlotte and was allowed to kill her (her wishes). He was also given the choice to have Johanna brought dorsum to life. He had to pick the daughter whose trunk Johanna would be in. Then he and Victor set off for London/Scotland where they would perform this transition. The night earlier the transition, Friedrich remembered the remedy and made the tincture. Nearly immediately he was in control of himself once more. Friedrich frees the girl and gets her home safely, and frames Victor for his friend Henry Clavil's murder. But Victor gets off and returns to his family unit home. He is fix to marry Elizabeth and Friedrich warns him. The twenty-four hours of the nuptials, Friedrich tries to warn Elizabeth but she won't listen and in a rage he accidentally kills her.
Friedrich chases Victor all the way north. Victor is trapped on the ice but an water ice boat rescues him. Friedrich stays in the n, living alone. He can just hope that Victor paid for his crimes. It also appears that Friedrich does not historic period, or ages slowly, for the world had changed by the time he re-entered it.
This was a good read. I like the perspective, but it would have been fifty-fifty more interesting if I had read Shelley'south version offset.
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Hoffmann is a terrible protagonist, too. I hated him, and the whole point of the volume was to care about the injustices he suffered at Frankenstein'southward hand - simply he'south a moronic idiot and the whole time I but wanted him to die.
the writing is juvenile, besides, and is a poor imitation of Shelley. the plot as a whole feels rushed and cluttered, especially towards the end, while simultaneously dragging on. it took me so long to get through this, and it's not even that long.
if Zeltserman had published this as something entirely 'original', Non cashing in on the legacy Shelley has built, maybe it would exist better. Non practiced - I'd still requite it one star - but it would have been... passable. I just don't think it adds anything to the Frankenstein narrative, instead detracting from the story, or at least how I personally interpreted the original work. if you desire a good revisionist edit of Frankenstein, just read Kiersten White'south book. this is a consummate waste of time.
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A very interesting read sometimes slowed by sordid detail. The story line is an yarn that I suppose is inevitable getting the other perspective of the events.
Shamus Accolade winner for JULIUS KATZ. Ellery Queen's Readers Choice Award winner for ARCHIE'S
Author of the crime noir novel SMALL CRIMES named past NPR as the all-time crime and mystery novel of 2008, and by the Washington Mail every bit i of the best novels of 2008, and made into a major pic (to be released in 2017) starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Molly Parker, Gary Cole, Robert Forster, and Jacki Weaver.Shamus Award winner for JULIUS KATZ. Ellery Queen's Readers Choice Accolade winner for ARCHIE'South BEEN FRAMED and ARCHIE SOLVES THE CASE.
PARIAH named past the Washington Postal service as i of the best books of 2009. THE CARETAKER OF LORNE FIELD (2010) shortlisted by American Library Clan for best horror novel of the year and named a horror precious stone by Library Journal. MONSTER selected by Booklist Magazine for their 2013 list of top 10 horror novels and WBUR for one of the all-time novels of the year.
OUTSOURCED (2011) and THE CARETAKER OF LORNE FIELD are besides currently being adult for pic.
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