2025-07-16
Sincere
A truth telling tale monumental in a granting way of seeing your audio symphonic phases. Like a dream, however everlasting of his appearance when relayed from his giant torques of living up, over, and beyond hardly won audacity.
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Description
An Apple Books Classic edition.
Mary Shelley was just 18 when she had a nightmare vision: “I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life.”
Despite her lack of writing experience, Shelley converted her dream into what is often referred to as the world’s first horror novel, a timeless tale of science gone bad. Frankenstein follows the story of Swiss scientist Victor Frankenstein, who manages to animate a hulking creature referred to as a “monster,” “wretch,” or “fiend.” Shelley’s 1818 classic has become one of the most frequently taught works of fiction, a cultural touchstone for conversations about the dark side of innovation. (Made-up words like Frankenscience andFrankenfood have become shorthand for the products of technological tampering.) More than 200 years after it was published, this novel remains a thought-provoking read that explores timely themes like creators’ responsibilities for the unintended consequences of their inventions.
Apple Books: Customer Ratings
Ratings & Reviews
4.0 of 5 (8,751 Ratings)
Apple Books: Customer Reviews
2025-07-15
Science gone wrong
Timeless read.
2025-06-10
Too Much Wretchedness
A bit of a drag in how the characters pitied themselves. I'm glad I read it but wouldn't read it again, at least for a long while.
2025-05-22
Not what I was Expecting, but better
Expecting a mere horror story. Instead a story of moral delima and unintended consequences.
2025-05-11
A Must Read !!
The book lets you feel the pain and anger of the characters. Was a fun and gripping read. Do not pass up it will not be a waste of your time!
2025-05-06
Shelley is masterful
Tragically beautiful story that’s moral will never lose relevance.
2025-04-14
Too good
5.0 A classic that just keeps bringing me back.
2025-04-02
Frankenstein
Better than I thought it would be. Nothing like the movies.
2025-01-22
Insurmountable Classic
The writers of old could eloquently tell a story far better told then than any writer of today can or would. You will enjoy this book as it transplants you to another time and world.
2024-10-02
Beautifully written
This book paints a very different picture than any of the cinematic versions. The story brings so many different feelings about Frankenstein and about his creation. Depending on the different situations described in the book I felt the joy, the beauty, the sadness, the anger and the remorse of the characters. It took great effort to put the book down and take a break. Loved it!
2024-07-26
My favorite book
I love this book! I read it in high school! It remains my favorite classic 🩷
2024-07-10
Frankenstein is the monster
Spoilers: I have no idea where the minds of hundreds of "intellectuals" got the idea that the incel who murdered a child because he was lonely, was a better person than the young man cleary distraught over every one of his family member's death, and whose only crime is graverobbing, in the name of science. He clearly sympathizes with Frankenstein, whom left his apartment, the only place he may find love, of his own will, and only destroys the Bride when he starts to think clearly for once.
The book itself though, and it starts off with Walton narrating to his sister about something we don't care about, and barely matters to the plot. I skipped past this section the first time I read this, and missed nothing. Why start the book this way? Everything Walton says is summarized at the end, except there, it's actually interesting. The next two chapters aren't that better, but at least they serve a purpose.
While I hate people who say that Frankenstein isn't the monster, he is clearly portrayed as a tragic figure here, as is his creator. In my opinion, the drama is done very well, and well sometimes cheesy, is mostly realistic. Particularly when Frankenstein stalks the DeLacey family.
Granted, every character other than Frankenstein and his creator lack the depth they do, but unlike "Dracula", "Frankenstein" never expects you to care about them. It instead expects you to care about how it affects the protagonist, which it manages well.
Overall, the book is worth your time, but is definitely more focused on emotional drama than horror.
2024-06-17
Frankenstein
Well done by Mary, and she kept her female name attached to it. She knows the ‘human’ condition of how powerful attachment is.
2024-03-22
Amazing Classic
So glad I finally read it!!
2024-03-13
Frankenstein
Many of us are familiar with the story of Frankenstein, but only through the various movies that have been made over the years,which is a great shame, since the book puts things in a very different perspective..
I would heartily recommend this book..
2023-12-14
Frankenstein
Outstandingly written!
2023-12-05
Classic story
A good read for the classic story line of a plot that has been retold many different times over the years
2023-11-06
Frankenstein
One of the greatest books ever written!
2023-10-31
Loved this Story
This was a great readable classic story.
I am so glad to have read this book. Not what I thought the story of Frankenstein was all about, much better !!!
2023-10-30
Loved It! 10/10
Ignore negative reviews about narrator; if your truly interested in the audiobook like I myself was—you’ll enjoy every word spoken.
Please Narrate more of these Apple Classics they should all have their own audiobooks
Thank You.
2023-10-22
Poor Clerval
Without spoiling, think of this: imagine you are relaxing and being yourself, and all of a sudden, your nephew kills you.
2023-10-16
Tedious
After three readings, my opinion remains unchanged. Stylistically consistent with gothic literature of the period: tedious, verbose and overwrought. Notable only in that Dr. Frankenstein and society in general are the true monsters while “the monster” is the victim of poor parenting and prejudiced society - proving little has changed over the past 200 years.
2023-09-14
Deeper than any movie
So much more than the shallow films that take the name. Reading this will make you wish for so much more from Hollywood. Frankenstein and his monster have feelings and souls.
2023-07-10
Fantastic
Great read
2023-06-21
Perfection!
You really feel for Victor and Frankenstein. This is such a wonderfully told tale of despair and tragedy. I highly recommend reading this terrific book!
2023-05-16
Not bad
Read in high school and then later as an adult.
2023-05-08
Incomplete Chapters
Obviously I would give Mary Shelley a 5/5 but note that this version contains multiple incomplete chapters; at least one of them stopped mid-sentence. The end of chapter nine was cut off after a comma or semicolon and was an important point in the plot. A real shame.
2022-11-23
Fun
A fun and entertainingly light tale of joy and sadness
2022-11-21
A Masterpiece
Mary Shelley is a genius this book was my first classic and was one of the best books I have ever read.
2022-09-18
Not what you think.
Worth the read. Much different from the lore of wicked laboratories and lightning strikes. Mostly set amongst vast rivers, lakes, mountains and glaciers. The lead character is hard to sympathize with, for his woes stem from his mistake of pursuing the creation of life never thinking of the implications of such a creation and his refusal to admit to others his mistake to guard against the monster. Our young creator spends his life in pursuit of the monster until one, or perhaps both should parish. A modern film adaptation would look much like The Revenant with similar themes of exhaustion, loss, pain and revenge.
2022-08-26
It was ok
It’s not my favorite. The story drag something and is so mind numbing it’s obscene.
They make unrealistic decisions and it gets on my nerves.
The first 200 pages are just Victor Frankensteins life story. And the rest is just ok. This book sounded better in my second grade halloween themed assignments.
2022-05-27
Amazing
I never got the chance to read this book in grade school because I went to a poor school. But now that I have had time to actually read it, I see why it’s consider one of the greatest stories told. Why it was the creator of monsters and the sci-fi genre. Mary Shelley is such a good wittier, that at sometimes rooting for one person is not easy when you see the difference of perspective.
2022-04-11
Absolutely Phenomenal!
This book is the bomb! Why do i say that? It has outstanding plot twists had me in shock. And to believe it was written in the 19th century is also something brilliant. The literature is out standing and the characters as well! I need to learn how to write..
2022-04-08
Fantastic!
When I read this book it really is a heart warming experience and this book will forever be a classic
2022-03-28
My two cents
when i come to a close with this book，a indescribable feeling overwhelm my heart.what is in the creator’s heart is in all of us,the intrinsic dislike towards a creature who is ugly in appearance but not in spirit and mind.all the misery existing both in this book and in reality is caused by human nature which is of stupidity and ignorance
2022-02-13
Prodigal Son-like
Shows the importance of being loved. The monster was abandoned by Frankenstein who was a miserable person. The monster as a result became just like its owner; a miserable and deranged being.
2021-11-28
Convoluted
You can definitely tell why the book was written.
2021-11-20
Insightful
You can delve deep and learn some lessons about life - or you can just read it without thinking! Because it is exciting!!! I learned things having to do with what actually makes a human - it makes you value the simple things of life - and more ^_^
2021-10-24
Unexpected!
Nothing like what I expected of in the story of Frankenstein and his creature. The monster is so much more interesting than portrayed in pop culture.
2021-09-05
Nail-Biting Excellence
If you like horror, come read this masterpiece and pay respects to a phenomenal female horror author. Mary Shelley winds plot into climax so well you’ll be biting your nails—even with foreshadowing.
2021-08-23
Exceptional!
A great story well written.
2021-07-30
Excellent
So much better than any movie (not surprising is it?)
I’m super happy I read it because there are things in there that I had no idea were going to happen.
2021-07-30
Chile....
I thought this was a SciFi, someone lied to me.
2021-07-28
British literature is lame
I was sooooo bored reading this book ugh
2021-07-05
it was bad
so bad
2021-06-06
Classic
This classic work is a treasure.
2021-05-14
Absolutely Obsessed
i've read this book more times than i can count and am always going back and reading individual chapters to highlight and note things. this is a brilliant book, if your english class doesn't do it justice then its a shame!
2021-03-31
Not what I expected
Maybe the popularized version of Frankenstein was too over-done; regardless, this original version is way better. There are a few long winded moments, where certain feelings and scenes are reiterated; but for the most part, great description and imagery.
2021-03-03
Frankenstein
This is not the movie version by any means. I think much better than any movie I have seen of this monster. The struggles between man and monster were riveting. This classic is very much worth the read. It will keep you wanting to purse more to find out what will happen next.
2021-02-03
Amazing classic
Had I known what a remarkable story this was I would have read it years ago! Amazing! A great literary work.
2014-09-10
A Classic, Real Page Numbers
Shelley writes in modern English, making this book very easy to read. The scenery is wonderful and dread woeful.
2014-08-04
Frankenstein
This is a boring book with a good story line. it is hard to stay interested and to follow the story line.
2014-07-12
A true classic!
Mary Shelley paints a timeless portrait of obsession, love, loss, sadness, conflict and terror! Frankenstein and the monster are perfectly flawed creations who you can despise for their passions and empathize with for their humanity.
2011-07-05
Frankenstein
Such a deep classic with rich characters! Don't be led by your memories of the movie. Remember that this 200 year old book does not depend on sci-fi visuals, but rather on the textures of imagination and emotion.
2011-04-29
Frankenstein
Wow! This was not what I was expecting! It is an extremely well written book. I recommend anyone who enjoys good literature to read it.
2011-03-19
Excellent book
This book was incredibly written. It reflects on man's judgement of other beings, and how everyone hates Frankenstein's creation at first glance, while not many people understood why his creation killed. I'm in sixth grade. Didn't find it that challenging, but it does contain difficult words that difficult words that other readers may stumble over.
2011-01-15
Review
I love this book. I first read this in high school and it was one of the few assigned books that I actually enjoyed. I would recommend this to anyone. It is a bit challenging to read at times because the wording from so long ago, but this book is so entertaining that you won't notice once you get a few pages in.
2010-12-01
MS is sublime
Wow! MS can write! Frankenstein captures the reader from the first page. Exquisitely written, great story and characters. This is a great read. Hard to belie e that Shelley is only 17 when she wrote it.
2010-11-29
Frankenstein
I am astonished to learn Mary Shelley wrote this at the age of nineteen. Her characters expressed themselves with such an eloquence and depth of feeling that one is bereaved by their inability to empathize with one another. The reader undoubtably feels this and is shocked by their vanity.
I wonder less at the characters and more toward the mind of the author. The self-interest that accompanies youth is oddly coupled with the descriptive powers of an accomplished writer. The romance and idealism that one might expect from a young female writer is dashed by the wretched and malignant character of self advancement and hedonism.
It is no surprise that subsequent tellings and adaptations of this story deprive the monster of his complexity and render its creator mad from the start. With those qualities in place, the reader is able to excuse their inhuman behavior, but alas, in the original form, the reader must struggle to reconcile destructive and heartless acts performed by sympathetic and beloved characters.
2010-11-28
Its awesome
I found it incredible how the monster lived life and felt he needed a female.
2010-11-22
My favorite book of all time.
Better even than Dracula. Everyone must read this.
2010-11-10
Conflict in Media
It bothers me to say it has taken me so long to ever read Frankenstein. Of course I have seen the films. Now having read the literary work I see how different the works to be and how wrong my preconception. While the movie is itself an iconic classic of horror I find the book at least equal. Both forms capture well the horror but the films discount the inner turmoil. Shelley does well showing the evil of the creature and also his creator, and the opposite. Neither is without sin nor salvation.
If you're not use to 19th century writing you may find it somewhat difficult. Stick with it; I thoroughly enjoyed the read and the media type (ie- iBooks). This is a major title if you wish to call yourself well read.
2010-11-09
Frankenstien is a good read but hard to comprehend
I liked this book, However this was a very. Diffecude book to read because of the writing from the romantic period. I suggest that any one who wants something challenging should read this.
2010-11-03
To Hunter
Your an idiot and obviously don't know where, when, or why this book was written.
2010-10-19
To the author
the first four pages weren't interesting enough but it's nice that you evan write books, I mean I might want to rite about animals, ps. This one review is nothing to the other things people send you
Keep on writing