Content levels
Positive tags
Hero archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Themes
Synopsis
*Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus* is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. Frankenstein tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment. Shelley started writing the story when she was 18, and the first edition was published anonymously in London on 1 January 1818, when she was 20. Her name first appeared in the second edition, which was published in Paris in 1821.
Is The Annotated Frankenstein appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 14 and up.
Classic Gothic tale exploring the consequences of unchecked ambition features thematic violence (murder, pursuit), death of loved ones, and existential horror. Dense 19th-century prose requires mature reading ability.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, no sexual content, and clean language. Content notes include murder, death, death of child, death of a loved one, and grief (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Teens interested in classic literature will engage with the philosophical questions about creation, responsibility, and what it means to be human.