With a new introduction by Francine Prose and stunning original artwork, and published on the 200th anniversary of infamous night the novel was spawned, the Restless Classics edition ofFrankenstein brings Mary Shelley’s paragon of horror and science fiction vividly back to life. 

A towering masterpiece of gothic fiction, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: or, the Modern Prometheus brought to life the horror and science fiction genres and spawned countless cultural offspring. With the image of the stumbling, flat-headed, boltnecked monster Boris Karloff made famous so pervasive, it’s easy to forget how radical, insightful—and, yes, terrifying—the book is on its own terms.

The would-be Prometheus of the book’s title is the brilliant Swiss scientist Victor Frankenstein, whose studies in natural philosophy and chemistry lead him to become obsessed with building a living being out of old body parts and bringing it to life. But when he is miraculously successful, Victor is horrified at his creation, and the monster escapes into the night. Given life but little else, Frankenstein’s creation turns to violence and, soon enough, vengeance upon his creator. 

Frankenstein is the second book in the Restless Classics series: interactive encounters with great books and inspired teachers. Each Restless Classic is beautifully designed with original artwork, a new introduction for a general audience, and a video teaching series and live online book club discussions led by passionate experts, bringing the classroom experience back to the reader. 

A classic tale of Gothic horror, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein has been a world favorite since it was first published in 1818.

Originally published as part of a contest between Mary Shelley, her husband Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Lord Byron,Frankenstein has since captured countless imaginations. When Dr. Victor Frankenstein learns the secret of imparting life to inanimate matter, he is eager to test his theories. The bones he collects to construct his human subject become a gruesome, frightening creature, endowed with supernatural size and strength. Lonely and miserable, the created comes to hate his creator. When the monster murders Frankenstein's brother and his bride, the doctor embarks on a heated pursuit, only to put his own life in grave danger.

This novel is part of Brilliance Audio's extensive Classic Collection, bringing you timeless masterpieces that you and your family are sure to love.

He’s big, bad, and ugly, and he really wants a wife

Frankenstein’s monster is on the rampage: terrorizing the locals, unleashing murderous hell . . . and reading novels in his spare time. Can his petrified creator stop this reign of horror before his girlfriend gets the chop?

Dr. Frankenstein learns the secret of imparting life to inanimate matter. To test his theories, he collects bones from the charnel-houses to construct a "human" being, and then gives it life. The creature, endowed with supernatural size and strength, is revolting to look at, and frightens all who see it. Lonely and miserable, it comes to hate its creator. The monster murders Frankenstein's brother and his bride, and flees. The doctor pursues his creation in order to destroy it, but dies himself in the attempt.

The story of Frankenstein was first written as a ghost story to be told as part of a contest between Mary Shelley, her husband, and Lord Byron. This tale of terror has been a world favorite since it was first published in 1818, and has been made into countless movies.

"Grimly enlivens the prose while retaining its power to both frighten and engage sympathy for the monster-creator Victor Frankenstein. This is a richly morose nightmare of a book, a primer for young readers on the pleasures and dangers of decadent languidness."—New York Times Book Review

Gris Grimly's Frankenstein is a twisted, fresh, and utterly original full-length, full-color graphic-novel adaptation of Mary Shelley's original text, brought to life by acclaimed illustrator Gris Grimly. The first fully illustrated version to use the original 1818 text, this handsome volume is destined to capture the imagination of those new to the story as well as those who know it well.

New York Times bestselling illustrator Gris Grimly has long consideredFrankenstein to be one of his chief inspirations. From the bones and flesh of the original, he has cut and stitched Mary Shelley's text to his own artwork, creating something entirely new: a stunningly original remix, both classic and contemporary, sinister and seductive, heart-stopping and heartbreaking.

Few narratives can rival the way in which Shelley's gothic masterpiece captured the human imagination. In this book, the creature that has become the grotesque caricature we all know so well raises pertinent questions about science and responsibility that are more relevant today than ever before.

Extensively annotated, with pictures and a section on Shelley's life and works

Since it was first published in 1818, Mary Shelley's seminal novel has generated countless print, stage, and screen adaptations, but none has ever matched the power and philosophical resonance of the original. Composed as part of a challenge with Byron and Shelley to conjure up the most terrifying ghost story, Frankenstein narrates the chilling tale of a being created by a bright young scientist and the catastrophic consequences that ensue. Considered by many to be the first science-fiction novel, the tragic tale of Victor Frankenstein and the tortured creation he rejects is a classic fable about the pursuit of knowledge, the nature of beauty, and the monstrosity inherent to man.

Begun when the author was only eighteen, and conceived from a nightmare, Frankenstein is the deeply disturbing story of a monstrous creation which has terrified readers since its first publication in 1818. The novel has seared its way into the popular imagination, and established itself as one of the pioneering works of modern science fiction.

One of the scariest and most gripping novels of all time is brought vividly to life in a graphic novel retelling created by renowned comic and graphic novel artist, Anthony Williams. It makes a great gift for comic or graphic-novel enthusiasts and provides an appealing introduction to the world of literature for reluctant readers. Original.