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Frankenstein
- Narrated by: Derek Jacobi
- Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
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Frankenstein
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Summary
The tale of Dr. Frankenstein and the horrendous monster he unleashes on the world when he tinkers with the laws of nature had almost as strange a birth as the monster itself. It was the product of one of the most famous ghost story telling sessions in history. Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley and several others were stranded on the shores of Lake Geneva during a particularly sodden summer. They challenged each other to come up with the most ghastly and soul-rending story their sizable literary talents could muster, and the hands-down winner came from Shelley's wife - Mary Shelley.
The novel that emerged several years later has been recognised as one of the most chilling and gruesome horror stories ever written, and it is certainly one of the most famous. It's a moving account of a battle for independence, it's a warning against man's pride in his ability to change the world with his blind pursuit of science, it's a story of revolt and revenge and, most intriguingly, it was one of the first novels to be written where the narrator is not necessarily a reliable witness, and we are left to carve the truth of the matter out for ourselves.
This is an alarming book - in several very enjoyable ways.
Author Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (1797-1851) was a novelist, dramatist, essayist, biographer and travel writer. She is, however, best known for her Gothic horror novel Frankenstein: or, the Modern Prometheus, published 1818. She also edited and promoted the works of her husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley.
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What listeners say about Frankenstein
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mary Kate Saunders
- 09-04-18
Top Notch
Incredible narration! This book blew me away. It has to be the best title I've listened to thus far on Audible.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Annie
- 12-03-17
Now I know the REAL story
Great to hear this book as Frankenstein on TV or film does not reflect the true story. Realised I felt sorry for the creation and he was no real monster. Read wonderfully by Mr Jacobi, as anticipated. Great listen.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Powerful Pierre
- 27-02-20
Absolute classic
Possibly the most amazing piece of literature I have had the pleasure to have read with the added pleasure of Mr Jacobbis recital.
Thankyou Sir
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Mrs
- 07-02-19
A Gothic Masterpiece
Frankenstein is one of the classics of Gothic literature, and has since spawned an industry, not only in horror but in science fiction. It is one of the greatest novels ever written, though it’ has its faults. However, it remains a very stark and frightening lesson in playing God. And the responsibility of creating life. The Creature, nameless, unloved, uncared for, seeking the knowledge of who he is and what he is doing here, his story is poignant and terrifying. The story is enough to keep one awake at night and keep you thinking. I still marvel at the fact that an 18-year-old was able to think this up, a story which has since become a staple in Gothic literature. I sympathise heavily with the Creature, and wanted to grab Victor by the shoulders and shake him and tell him to get a grip. He made new life, he has a responsibility for it.
I love this book, and it’s masterfully told by Derek Jacobi, one of my favourite narrators. He did amazingly reading the M. R. James Ghost Stories volumes, and was such fun listening to him read Tolkien’s Tales from the Perilous Realm. This performance was, for me, flawless. Absolutely loved it. He captured the atmosphere, he relishes the language with which it is written, and he embodies characters and their emotions. Masterful.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kate Townsend
- 14-12-21
Wonderful accents
Mr Jacobi reads this with tender insight into the complexity of the characters he portrays. I have thoroughly enjoyed it.
Can't help wanting to side with the Creature and give Frankenstein a boot up the backside for his sheer stupidity and moral feebleness.. I wonder if this was a Mary Shelly anti-God polemic. There's so much philosophical to consider in this relativly short book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Glyn Evans
- 24-03-19
A haunting and thrilling novel
A fantastic plot which is enhanced by the wonderful performance of Derek Jacobi, whose flexible and incredible voice masters the voices of each character, making it easier to remember who is talking! Perfection
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Catriona
- 07-03-18
of its time
Derek Jacobi's performance is very good and keeps the narrative flowing.
In relation to the story -it's difficult to comment on this. As any one does I had the general idea of a man who created another creature, but I didn't know the detail. As modern reader I am coming to this with my knowledge of how Mary Shelley's ideas and themes have been used many times since then, so can't perceive it with the freshness that her original readers would have had.
I found it difficult not to become intensely annoyed by Frankenstein. He represents himself as being highly clever, and indeed the narrator who starts and finishes the book is hugely impressed by him (I think he describes him as god-like). My view was that he completely lacked common sense and forethought, did not learn by his own mistakes had no empathy whatsoever for the creature he had created and seemed to be subject to breakdown rather than coping with the consequences of his actions.
The whole story is told in first person, so it is difficult to know what Shelley's own view of Frankenstein's character might be. I had assumed she was in sympathy with him, but whenever she gave the creature voice I came to doubt that.
She herself clearly brought in her own travel experience with the descriptions that characters give of their travels. (although she might have benefited from an atlas to check the distance between Orkney and Ireland).
It's not a book I would listen to again, but I found it interesting and worth hearing.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ch3nz
- 21-04-20
really well natrated
most know the story, as I do. brilliantly narrated. absolutely loved it, really feel the story as it unfolds.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- S Berry
- 17-09-22
Excellent voice narration
Classic story well told. The voice narration by Jacobi really enhances the listen. A horror more of drama and heartache.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lukasz Nowak
- 29-06-16
Epic performance!! Masterpiece!
Derek Jacobi narration has no equal. His passionate, heartfelt interpretation dint fail single time to send shivers down my spine! I wish there were more title narrated by this excellent actor.
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4 people found this helpful