Mary Shelley: The Strange True Tale of Frankenstein's Creator by Catherine Reef

Mary Shelley:  The Strange True Tale of Frankenstein's Creator by Catherine Reef - 224 pages

On the 200th anniversary of the publication of Frankenstein, comes a riveting biography of its author, Mary Shelley, whose life reads like a dark gothic novel, filled with scandal, death, drama, and one of the strangest love stories in literary history.

The story of Frankenstein’s creator is a strange, romantic, and tragic one, as deeply compelling as the novel itself. Mary ran away to Lake Geneva with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley when she was just sixteen. It was there, during a cold and wet summer, that she first imagined her story about a mad scientist who brought a corpse back to life. Success soon followed for Mary, but also great tragedy and misfortune.
     Catherine Reef brings this passionate woman, brilliant writer, and forgotten feminist into crisp focus, detailing a life that was remarkable both before and after the publication of her iconic masterpiece.

Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: Prodigal Son Volume 2 by Dean Koontz and Chuck Dixon

Dean Koont's Frankenstein: Prodigal Son Volume 2 by Dean Koontz and Chuck Dixon, Illustrated by Scott Cohn & Tom Seeley, 128 pages

The horror continues in Volume 2.  Detectives O'Conner and Maddison dig deeper into the life of Victor Helios and Victor's wife, Erika discovers her husband's dark hidden secrets of creating the perfect race.

Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: Prodigal Son Volume 1 by Dean Koontz and Kevin J. Anderson

Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: Prodigal Son Volume 1 by Dean Koontz and Kevin J. Anderson, Illustrated by Chuck Dixon, 144 pages

A serial killer is on the loose in New Orleans. But, what detectives Carson O'Connor and Michael Maddison have to worry about is a lot more than a serial killer.  A man named Victor Helios is creating a race of perfect people from the parts of dead people.

This Broken Wondrous World by Jon Skovron

This Broken Wondrous World by Jon Skovron  365 pages

"My fellow monsters," said Moreau. "No longer will we hide in the shadows, cringing, cowardly, hiding our true potential. You see, the humans do not view us as people. We must force them to expand their view of personhood to include us. By any means necessary."

A year ago, Boy, the son of Frankenstein's monster, had never even met a human. Now he's living with his human "family", the descendants of Dr. Frankenstein, in Switzerland. That is until the maniacal genius Dr. Moreau, long-ago banished to a remote island for his crimes against humanity, asks for Boy's help.

Moreau wants Boy to join his army of animal/human hybrid creatures and help him overthrow human society. Boy will do anything to save this broken, wondrous world from the war that threatens to split it in two. But how much will he have to give up? And is the world worth saving?

This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee

This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee  371 pages

In an alternative fantasy world where some men are made from clockwork parts and carriages are steam powered, Alasdair Finch, a young mechanic, does the unthinkable after his brother dies: he uses clockwork pieces to bring Oliver back from the dead.

But the resurrection does not go as planned, and Oliver returns more monster than man. Even worse, the novel Frankenstein is published and the townsfolk are determined to find the real-life doctor and his monster. With few places to turn for help, the dangers may ultimately bring the brothers together - or ruin them forever.

Man Made Boy by Jon Skovron

Man Made Boy by Jon Skovron  361 pages

Sixteen-year-old Boy's never left home.  When you're the son of Frankenstein's monster and the Bride, it's tough to go out in public, unless you want to draw the attention of a torch-wielding mob.  And since Boy and his family live in a secret enclave of monsters hidden under Times Square, it's important they maintain a low profile.

Boy's only interactions with the world are through the Internet, where he's a hacker extraordinaire who can hide his hulking body and stitched-together face behind a layer of code.  When conflict erupts at home, Boy runs away and embarks on a cross-country road trip with the granddaughters of Jekyll and Hyde, who introduce him to malls and diners, love and heartbreak. But no matter how far Boy runs, he can't escape his demons—both literal and figurative—until he faces his family once more.

Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, 263 pages

Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, 263 pages

The last time I read this, I found it overly-flowery and couldn't really sympathize with any of the characters.  This time, though, as an audiobook, I was able to take in many more of the details and appreciate it on a new level.  Victor Frankenstein creates life from the parts of dead bodies, and then immediately rejects his creation.  Are we to sympathize with Frankenstein, who has his loved ones taken away by the monster, or with his creation, who was never allowed to have loved ones?  A really powerful book and worth re-reading or listening.