The Annotated FrankensteinThe Annotated Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was really excited to get this book from my wife’s parents this past Christmas. I’d read a review of it in the Washington Post and I was looking forward to getting a look at both the 1818 and 1831 editions of Frankenstein. I’d only read the latter, back in college. For those who haven’t read the book and only have seen movies, this book will not be what you expected. It’s more a morality play and a philosophical piece that mirrors many parts of Milton’s Paradise Lost, hence the quote from Paradise Lost on the title page of the 1818 editions. Do yourself a favor and read Shelley’s story. Either version will do, but I think the 1818 edition was more clean and concise.

In the story, the creature is a much more sympathetic and eloquent character than Frankenstein. Hollywood destroyed this story just as they twisted Dracula. In Shelley’s story, the Creature teaches himself to speak, to read and studies history. He is more human than his creator. His vengeance almost feels acceptable, but even he sees the murders he committed were wrong. Frankenstein, on the other hand, never sees beyond his own ego and privilege.

This annotated edition was a little difficult to read, though mostly through my own need to constantly look to the annotations that ran down the side of the text. Some of the annotations were great, especially those that talked about books Mary Shelley was reading at the time she composed Frankenstein. I thought a few of the annotations were reaching, like a high school kid trying to add meaning that just isn’t in the text. But in the long run, this is a great reference to have.