Frankenstein

By: Mary Shelley

Narrated by: Derek Jacobi

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.

Public Domain (P)2008 Silksoundbooks Limited

Brilliant book

I’m teaching this book next week and really enjoyed listening to it this time. Derek Jacobi is a fine narrator, as well as a great actor. And May Shelley covers numerous themes: the amorality of science, parenting, God, Romanticism, violence, and many, many more.

the standard for a classic.

an amazing story. and the narrator does an amazing job bringing the story to life. I would recommend that everyone read this book if you haven't already.

Best Audiobook Hands Down

This is the best audiobook for Frankenstein. I love the accents and different voices. Superb recording.

Expertly narrated

As fine a performance of this classic as could be possibly hope for. Very well done, indeed. Jacoby's ability to easily switch dialects really hits hardest when reading the Monster. A riveting listen.

Not a Frankenstein fan, but…

I read “Frankenstein” years ago. I had to force myself to finish after two previously failed attempts. It’s a classic so everyone should read it right? Wrong! I do not feel my life has been improved in any way by the reading of this book. It certainly did not bring me joy.
That baking said, I do appreciate the story much more having listened to Sir Derek Jacobi’s narration. He is the only reason I downloaded this audiobook. Jacobi has been a favorite actor of mine for years so I naturally gravitate to anything with his name on it.
Jacobi’s narration is superb and brings life and passion to Shelley’s tale that I found lacking on the printed page. If you must expose yourself to “Frankenstein” then I recommend this audiobook performance rather than reading it for yourself.