Frankenstein

By: Mary Shelley

Narrated by: Jamie Bell

In trying to create life, the young student Victor Frankenstein unleashes forces beyond his control, setting into motion a long and tragic chain of events that brings Victor to the very brink of madness. How he tries to destroy his creation, as it destroys everything Victor loves, is a powerful story of love, friendship, scientific hubris and horror.

Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot, Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool) delivers a haunting performance of Mary Shelley's timeless gothic novel.

If you’re in the mood for more gothic classics, check out Dracula performed by Himesh Patel, Patricia Alilson, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Theo James and Jason Watkins and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde performed by Paapa Essiedu.

Public Domain (P)2012 Audible, Ltd

Classic in a slightly overzealous rendition

I loved the book. Since childhood, I mistakenly associated the name "Frankenstein" with a generic monster-vampire entertainment story, and I was glad to discover that the story is much more nuanced than I expected.

The narration is a bit too dramatic at times, for my taste, but overall it's a great performance.

Back to the book itself. It is a classic for a reason, it is beautifully written and is highly engaging. The story is of great historical significance too, as, essentially, the first book in the science fiction genre.

I have found a few story elements a bit contrived, however. Some of the protagonist's decisions, unfortunately, felt like stemming the need to move the plot forward, rather than being a natural consequence of the character himself.

Examples of that (with mild spoilers) below.

One such example is when the protagonist does not reveal his discovery to anyone out of fear of being ridiculed as a madman, even when such reveal could have saved a person. He could have clearly demonstrated the truthfulness of his words by replicating his result on small, harmless scale (the book states that he's done so many times in the past).

Secondly, the fact that the protagonist could not see through the meaning behind the monster's main threat is incomprehensible.


**Slightly stronger spoiler below**


Lastly, the line of reasoning for refusing the monster's demand is flawed on many levels. Most obviously, he could have easily prevented the danger of monsters overtaking the earth by making them infertile.

Overall, the story is a work of great imagination, but there are a few rough spots in the plot & in maintaining the tension, at times.

Misery Contest between Creator & Monster

This is the definition of a tragedy narrated excellently by Jamie Bell. Much sadder than I anticipated but still a story I understand why it’s been adapted and retold many times over the generations.

Classic with Great Narration

This story presents a lot to think about. Frankenstein plays God, then can't control his creation. So many lives are affected by the tragic events in this tale. So many questions to consider. The performance by Jamie Bell was excellent.

Powerful

I am not a horror movie fan so was a little reluctant to listen. I am so glad I did this is a story that is so much more than horror yet full of horrors and torment. I could not stop listening until the end.

Heartbreaking

So much more than a story about monsters. This is a classic in every sense. Beautiful, heartbreaking, and full of wisdom.

Outstanding narration

Frankenstein is the third book I have read in 2022. I had put off reading it because I thought it would take a lot of focus to ascertain the meaning. I have read about the book. Many have stated that they feel sorry for the monster. Many have called Frankenstein a gothic novel. This story is so much more. It has relevance to our world, our prejudices, our human frailties even today. The story is at once beautiful in setting and prose while demonstrating the ugliness in the worst of society. To me, Frankenstein is not only a gothic story, but is also a science fiction thriller and a tragic love story. The love in Victor's heart for his Elizabeth is only a part of this story. His friends, his brother, the governess and his father are all benefactors of deep love and respect from Victor. Science fiction thriller? Yes! The protagonist creates life in a laboratory then is agonized by what he has unleashed on the world. I could have read this book on my own but chose the recorded version. Since listening to audiobooks for years, this is the absolute best narration I have yet heard. He is quite the storyteller. He relays the deepest feeling of the characters and persuades the reader that he is actually that person. I love that he changes the tone of his voice throughout, giving even more in depth study of each character. I was stunned by the deeply moving performance, as much as I am in awe of this piece of classic literature. Everyone should hear this work. It is truly outstanding. Thank you Jamie Bell and thank you, Audible.

Not what I expected, it was beyond a beautiful story.

After many years of being a horror fan reading so many of sci fi and horror tales this went beyond my expectations of what a beautiful story could be written. Jamie Bell was amazing. As many times as I’ve seen every movie of Frankenstein, not one has come close to capturing the true essence of what Mary Shelly tried to convey. I’m very glad to have had the chance to have the real story.

 really good

 I feel like the actor did a really good job reading this tale and also like in the story, I feel like it shows I feel like a real life scenario, and the way a story that is a lesson to teach the others.

Who was the real villain?

What an incredible story. I feel on many levels the anguish and torment that Victor and the monster endured was so well captivated and rendered into words. The narration was impeccable with the different use of accents and tones.

To be an ungodly and unseen creature without a name or home or even a single companion is living hell. The fact that the monster’s sole purpose in life was to ensure Victor understood the way he felt was completely horrid; however, it almost feels justified. The creator couldn’t even stand to look at him when he first opened his eyes and neither could anybody else. That could drive anyone to do what the monster did. In the end, both Victor and the monster were victims of their own villainy. 11/10

A great performance of a great book, for free!

I read Frankenstein in college and loved it. This year I am teaching it to my AP Literature class and the depth of meaning in this book has gotten me so excited to teach it. This book is great for teaching literary theories such as feminist, psychoanalytical, and archetypal criticisms. I found this free version and I am very happy with the performance of this novel. If there were a free audiobook of the 1816 edition, I’d be even happier. If you’re a student or anyone looking for a good, free, version of Frankenstein, then this is the one.