Father of the Bride of Frankenstein

By: Daniel M Kimmel

Narrated by: Benjamin Fife

In 1818, Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein, creating the iconic concept, and incidentally creating modern science fiction.

In 1935, Elsa Lanchester married the monster.

And now, Daniel M. Kimmel updates the myth, and tells us the tale from the point of view of the most important character: the Father of the Bride of Frankenstein.

This is not Ms. Shelley's monster, but (dare we say it?) a dazzling urbanite, literate and thoughtful....and Jewish?

Science has always outrun the guidelines of ethics. It's not unthinkable that interspecies relationships will be the next big question. And with those relationships will come a father's love for his daughter, and that father's fears for his bankbook when his doting daughter plans the most outrageous of weddings.

Making your daughter happy can be a wild ride when her fiancé is being called subhuman, sued because of his very existence, and trying to keep a good Jewish home.

Film critic and award-winning author Daniel M. Kimmel is the author of the Hugo-finalist non-fiction volume Jar Jar Binks Must Die... and Other Observations about Science Fiction Movies, and the novels Shh! It's a Secret: a novel about Aliens, Hollywood, and the Bartender's Guide, and Time On My Hands: My Misadventures In Time Travel. He is the winner of the 2018 Skylark Award (formally known as the Edward E. Smith Memorial Award for Imaginative Fiction), which is given by the New England Science Fiction Association for lifetime contributions to science fiction.

©2019 Daniel M Kimmel (P)2019 Daniel M Kimmel

Understandable and entertaining for a non-Jew

Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this to review. I am also what is called a goy, aka a non-Jew. My analysis of this work may miss some of the nuances a Jewish person would pick up on.

I've been a fan of Frankenstein since high school, so when I saw this book I had to check it out. It has no relation to the book or movies, though. The plot kicks off when scientists re-animate a corpse and the media nicknames the resulting being "Frank" for Frankenstein. (It was here that I wished Herbert West was a little more well known, since he would have been an even more fitting if obsurer reference to make than Frankenstein).

Technically, we open in media res on the day of the wedding and backtrack to explain how everyone got there, including the above-mentioned backstory. And it's quite engaging. It starts off humorous, but the story develops some serious depths as it continues, even as it remains mostly light-hearted and optimistic. I loved seeing Frank grow to become part of the family and the trials everyone faced because some deemed Frank less than human.

The Jewish practice and traditions were mostly understandable to me, a non-Jew. Part of the narrative delves into Frank's choice to convert to Judaism, which allows for natural-sounding explanations when needed.

Fife continues to be an amazing narrator. I've loved his work on Jane Austen's Dragons and I love him here. Especially impressed by his pronunciation of Jewish phrases. I tried to properly pronounce challah after the narration explained how to, but couldn't quite manage it. I'm sorry.

The book ends with about 17 minutes left—the rest is an afterward, a bonus short story, and acknowledgements.

Father of the.....

Definitely better than I expected.
And definitely not what you expect!


***I received a free copy of this audiobook via Story Origin and am voluntarily leaving a review.***

Fun, funny, and more.

I don’t often listen to humorous fiction, but this book may have changed my mind. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the characters, and the humor. Underlying all that, Dan Kimmel conveys a sense that despite various crazy and bad things that happen, the world and life are essentially good. That’s a welcome perspective theses days!

Stunning

Loved this story! So hilarious, I love Frank's sense of humor even when he was facing possible death.

Father of the Bride of Frankenstein

Total chaos ensued when it was discovered that scientists created a living (!!??) person. He's named Frank. He is highly intelligent and gets his BS and eventual Master's. At the college he goes he meets a young woman named Samantha. They develop a romantic interest in each other. Then one day Sam takes him home to meet her family. After the hoopla about Frank her parents are totally flabbergasted and go beyond when she tells them they're engaged. Now Sam's dad has to try to survive her daughter's fiance being made, opening his wallet to pay for the wedding and suffering through Frank taking lessons to become a Jew. He isn't sure which is more harrowing...paying for the wedding, Jewish customs he never realized existed or Frank's heritage.
Benjamin Fife is fantastic in telling the story of a harried father.
Fantastic audio and story!!! Hollywood so needs to update the Bride of Frankenstein!!!

An amusing mishmash (appropriately for Frank)

A comedy about all the usual drama of planning a wedding. Sorting out the guest list. Sending invitations. Finding a band. Avoiding the angry mob trying to murder the groom. Okay, so it's a LITTLE different when the groom is a reanimated corpse. But it's not his fault he was reborn this way. The whole thing is told from the perspective of the loving but very confused father of the bride. There are some interesting digressions into medical ethics, obscure Jewish customs, and some of the strange legal and philosophical questions raised by Frank's very existence. He's a pretty cool guy, all things considered. The "bonus" short story is unrelated and not much of a bonus. I got a free code from the narrator, who has informed me that the chapter splicing error I noticed is being fixed, so that shouldn't be an issue anymore.

Laugh your sox off!

situational-humor, verbal-humor, angst, discrimination, reanimation

Laugh your sox off hilarious! The dad relates the story of all the weirdness related to their grad student and only child loving and wanting to marry a nearly normal looking man with no memories of anything before his reanimation by an unscrupulous group of scientists other than a reasonable command of English. Fortunately, although he has no sort of religious affiliation he has made a decision based on logic and conviction to become a Jew, and not just because his love and her family are also Jewish. Can you see Mel Brooks here? I highly recommend it!
Benjamin Fife is a fantastic choice to be the voice actor! He manages to make it even funnier!
I won the audiobook in a giveaway! I really win!

Funny and comforting

This story is pretty wonderful and heartwarming. It’s a nice break from all of the stories where the monster is bad and goes on a rampage.

Funny, charming and thought-provoking

I went into this book expecting a funny take on the classic movie given the witty title, and I was partially correct. There was plenty of humor, and most of it deserved a generous smirk. Beyond that, I didn’t know what I was expecting.

This story is set in our modern day, and it is in a scientific lab that Frank is brought to life. This book shined the most when it explored the morality and “human” rights of someone who is alive through non-traditional means. It dives into the societal opinions of this technology, and it runs the gamut from wholesale approval to just short of torches and pitchforks.

The story is also filled with insight into the Jewish culture since that is the faith/culture of Frank’s bride-to-be. We see this all primarily through the father-in-law’s perspective, but much of it comes through as Frank is considering converting to Judaism. (As an aside, as someone who is not Jewish, there were times when I felt this was done very well and explained in a way that was approachable for me. However, there were other times when it either seemed excessive. I applaud the author for pulling in their heritage, and don’t take off much for this. I just mention it to say it hindered me a little from enjoying it more. That said, I bet it would be VERY well received from a reader who shares the rich traditions of the Jewish life.)

Overall, I think this book was successful for what it was meant to be: funny where it was intended, as well as charming and thought-provoking. 3.8 out of 5 stars.

(I was given a copy of the audio book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to the narrator for the copy – well done!)

Funny and Unique Despite its Flaws

I received this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

If it's not clear from the title, Daniel M Kimmel's story is essentially Father of the Bride meets Frankenstein. Father of the Bride was a great film (Steve Martin is one of my favorites), so I came into this work with a level of uncertainty. It seemed like an overly wacky concept that would be difficult to write, but Kimmel pulls it off in a great way. I recommend this book to anyone who's willing to suspend disbelief for an entertaining adventure.

The narrative is told through the father's perspective, and he is a compelling character with flaws and a big personality. The remaining characters are interesting, although Frank the monster has the most depth. The story shares a series of events that lead from the reanimation of Frank through the wedding day. These characters really can't catch a break, as craziness and mayhem follows their every move. Although this seems like a light read, Kimmel tackles topics of ethics, morals and religion. The religious aspect was particularly interesting, although it bogs down a bit towards the end. Nevertheless, the story remains humorous and engaging through the nearly 6.5 hour duration.

Benjamin Fife does a good job with his narration, although I did have a few complaints. He conveys emotion and adds humor in his inflections. However, he seems to catch on some words throughout the work. The narrative doesn't exactly flow as well as it could. Nonetheless. I never grew tired of his voice, and he did a fine job differentiating between each character. My other complaint isn't exactly focused on Fife, but it's more focused on the recording in general. Occasionally, background noises can be heard during the recording. There is also a chapter where the audio cuts off early and then includes brief narration from another chapter.

Despite it's flaws, this was a fun, entertaining book that kept me interested throughout. Kimmel is a good author, and Fife does a fine job narrating. I'd be happy to hear more works from them both in the future.