Frankenstein

By: Mary Shelley

Narrated by: Jamie Bell

Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

When playing God backfires...

A beautifully written tragedy about the consequences of one's actions, Mary Shelley's masterpiece should be on everyone's shelf. Jamie Bell does a wonderful job conveying the overall tone. highly recommended.

Definitely a must read!

I finally decided to listen to Frankenstein this morning (never read the book). I listened to it all the way through! It's a very gripping tale. The narration is sublime! Jamie Bell makes the characters' pain feel so real and raw. I will definitely listen to it again and will recommend this version to my friends!

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.

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.

Incredible

Jamie Bell’s narration is nothing short of outstanding, bringing Shelley’s timeless classic to a new level. I wish that everyone would read or listen to this novel and think about its implications for modern society.

what a pleasant surprise.

why did I not ever read this before. this is a touching love story. extremely well written, keeping my attention even through all the details. don't hesitate any longer if you have not read this masterpiece.

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.

Classic for a reason

The narration was great and I thoroughly enjoyed my first read through of this classic piece of literature

The sorrow of Frankenstein monster

love it good book to listen if u have work to do and want to kill time