I have been spending this year giving presentations on, and writing about, Mary Shelley, and when I haven’t been doing that I’ve been giving presentations about Jane Austen. Thus I was thrilled that the book Pride and Prometheus was coming out. I didn’t even read the book description. I just looked at the cover and thought: “This will fix everything.” Frankenstein, the novel by Mary Shelley, does not end well. The estimated body count comes … Continue reading Pride and Prometheus by John Kessel →
It’s still alive! Frankenstein was first published 200 years ago in 1818 by Mary Shelley. In Frankenstein, she explores themes of responsibility and the importance of acceptance and empathy. She also explores the controls placed upon women and a justice system that is unfair to the working class. The novel lacks the staggering monster, the character of Igor, and the cry of “It’s alive!” Instead, it has a monster who teaches himself to speak and … Continue reading Happy Birthday to Mary Shelley’s Monster! →
This month marks the 200th anniversary of the publication of Frankenstein. I’m a Mary Shelley fan, so you can imagine the delight with which I discovered that Frankenstein Castle is not only a real place but one that anyone can visit. Its history is so much more bizarre than anything in the novel. The castle is located in Germany, overlooking the Rhine Valley. It was built around 1240 and is currently in ruins. The Frankenstein … Continue reading Romance Wanderlust: Castle Frankenstein →
