Frankenstein or, The Modern Prometheus

By: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Narrated by: George Guidall

First published in 1818, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: Or the Modern Prometheus stands as one of the greatest achievements in English literature and the foundation of modern science fiction. In this groundbreaking novel, Shelley weaves a tale of genius and despair, creation and destruction, exploring the boundaries of human ambition and the consequences of defying nature.

When Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist driven by an insatiable thirst for knowledge, succeeds in animating lifeless matter, he unleashes a being both magnificent and monstrous. Rejected by his creator and shunned by society, the Creature embarks on a tragic quest for acceptance, love, and revenge.

Blending gothic horror with profound philosophical questions, Frankenstein remains a timeless meditation on the human condition—the pursuit of power, the fear of the unknown, and the moral cost of creation.

Public Domain (P)1993 Recorded Books

A classic book well read

Where does Frankenstein or, The Modern Prometheus rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best.

Which character – as performed by George Guidall – was your favorite?

The reading by George Guidall is superb. He does such a fantastic job, this is the main reason I'm writing this review. All the characters are fleshed out, particularly the voice of the monster.

If you could take any character from Frankenstein or, The Modern Prometheus out to dinner, who would it be and why?

The Monster. Listen to the book to find out why.

Such a good story

It’s nice to hear the real story instead of what’s been perpetuated by Hollywood in the past

Overlooked classic

This story is much better than what the movies have shown. The author's poetic language was interesting in itself, but the story is suspenseful. It's hard to find books that enthrall me but this one will keep your attention. If nothing else give it a listen to see how badly the movies portrayed this book. Finally, the reader did a great job with all the characters and voice changes.

Symbolism and Evidence

There is so much evidence and symbolism that you will be unable to comprehend this novel with out read or listening to it at least 3 or 4 times. This is so intense and I love it. Make sure when you play this audio file that you spread it out. The whole thing is about 10 hours long. You will enjoy it completely.

Incredible tragedy!

The story is truly an epic tragedy of the sort the Ancient Greeks would have loved, but popular culture has truncated and dumbed down beyond recognition. The hubris of wealthy young man who wanted to be a god leads Victor Frankenstein to an awful experiment. When he succeeds, Frankenstein shows himself to possess fatal flaws of character and courage. The monster is not as monstrous as his creator!

There is a lot of horror but not a lot of gore. The audiobook narrator, George Guidal, is excellent.