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Frankissstein: A Novel

Jeanette Winterson
4.2 / 5.0
Published: 2020 ISBN: 9780802149398

Description

In the rainy, atmospheric streets of Brexit-era England, a brilliant young doctor named Ry Shelley finds himself drawn into a complex romance with a charismatic professor. Ry, a transgender man navigating the intersections of his own identity and the shifting landscapes of modern science, discovers that love is as much a process of creation as it is of connection. Parallel to his story, the narrative weaves through the history of Mary Shelley, who famously birthed a monster while grappling with her own revolutionary desires. This is not a typical retelling of a gothic classic. Instead, it is a daring, genre-bending exploration of what it means to be human in an age of artificial intelligence and gender fluidity. The prose sparkles with wit and intellectual curiosity, bridging the gap between historical biography and futuristic speculation. Readers will find themselves enchanted by the seamless blend of British charm and philosophical depth. Whether you are interested in the evolution of the body or the mysteries of the heart, this novel offers a profound look at how we craft our own existence. It is a strange, beautiful, and deeply moving meditation on the courage required to reinvent oneself amidst an ever-changing world.

Customer Reviews

Top 3 from Amazon
D
David
October 27, 2024
Verified Purchase

Loved this!

What can I say? Winterson might be my favorite author now. This book is well crafted, and I'm a sucker for the British/English vibe. I've loved the Frankenstein story since I was a punk kid, and this compliments it so well.
E
EJP
October 23, 2020
Verified Purchase

An old tale- woven into a newer one

Winterson’s genius for leaving the reader never certain where she’s taking them is in full force here. I loved her imagining the Shelleys and their romantic impulses to produce pieces of literature. I was kept uneasy as a contemporary story developed, deftly sketched and amplified. Not a horror story, but an unsettling one.
T
Tammy G
January 9, 2025
Verified Purchase

Perfect Gift

Got this as a holiday gift for a colleague. Shared that: “This book is SO weird, in the best way. It's a retelling (?) of Frankenstein. Sort of. Half the book takes place from Mary Shelley's perspective as she writes Frankenstein in 1816, but we also have a POV character in 2022, a trans doctor named Ry Shelley who falls in love with Victor Stein, a scientist who is also an AI evangelist. It asks a bunch of really weird, morally complex, and thorny philosophical questions, but the one I really love, at the heart of the story, is "Am I the teller or the tale?"