The Wasp Factory from Iain Banks is also some sort of Frankenstein-esque book. Not about creating a monster, but a "polymorpheus playground through genetic augmentation" as Sherryl Vint described it. The book has a gothic mansion in the Scottish Highlands and is thereof a gothic novel, and it's an analogy of "who is the monster here?" is it the insane, crazy Eric or the murderous Frank? Wasp Factory also have commons to Alasdair Grays book Lanark.
No matter how many times it happens, I always love hearing you talk about your love for Frankenstein. Frankenstein is one of my all-time favorites: the thematic explorations of grief of loss throughout are profound. Every time I read it, it feels simultaneously brand new and like a spiritual renewal. I have had Orpheus Builds a Girl on my TBR ever since you first brought it to my radar. Sadly, I have not yet read it (I know, I'm ashamed!), but now I have even more reason to read it as well as every single other book you recommended! Thank you for these recommendations!
Ooh, I recently bought 'A Botanical Daughter' for a friend who loves horror and mythology, as the blurb reminded me of the Welsh myth of Blodeuwedd (in which two magicians create a woman out of flowers). Really hoping he'll enjoy it! :)
Great list! Have you read Romantic Outlaws, a dual biography of Mary Shelley and her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft? Told in alternate chapters as they're about the same ages. So very good!
I’ve got it! I love love LOVE it! My favorite biography and it reads so well and entertaining. It’s so in depth! Halfway through and then forgot about it to go read other pr books but I will come back to it for sure! It’s the reason why I adore the romantic period now
it is beautifully written.. not nearly as intimidating either as I thought it'd be. though there is a monologue from The Creature that is quite lengthy.. but the themes are really interesting and poses a great question - who is the real monster? the monster.. or man who created the monster?
It's interesting how so many novels inspired by Frankenstein have their Victor character be a doctor. I image that a mechanical restoration by an Engineer would be equally grotesque
Frankenstein is also my favorite book! I'd like to reccommend Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova. I don't know that it was meant to be a Frankenstein story per se but it is a story about creating a monster and does some cool things with changing character perspectives throughout the book.
Just finished reading it and…I’m not sure what it was but I didn’t like it. It wasn’t…dark enough? I feel strange saying that but it felt a little too coming of age for me. I wanted more florid, lyrical prose and to leave finishing reading it with deep melancholic thoughts like Frankenstein did.
💚 I have a readathon on Storygraph called "The Frankenstein Project" which I'm using to keep track of all the wonderful Frankenstein-inspired books I want to read--inspired mostly by books you've talked about here and previously. One worthy mention in addition to these books is Victor Lavalle's Destroyer, a graphic novel about a young, Black monster who is mad at the world. 💚 (And though I've not read it yet, Frankenstein in Baghdad is an Iraqi novel that is on my list.)
My copy of Frankenstein is the edition illustrated by Lynd Ward - gorgeous dark, gothic woodcuts with (to my eye at least) a distinctly queer twist to them.
I’m reading A Botanical Daughter right now and I’m pretty sure it’ll be my top book of the year. I’m so in love with it. It’s taking me forever because I keep rereading passages I can’t stop thinking about.
I adored this video. I'm a huge Frankenstein fan. I'm getting A Botanical Daughter in a few days and I read Our Hideous Progeny recently. I loved that it had a mention of my hometown near the end. 😁 Have you read The Monsters We Deserve? I found it quite odd while reading it, but afterwards it kinda stuck around in the back of my head.
Thank you for your recommendations! I too do love »Frankenstein« and am looking foreward to literatur influenced by it. I will also reread it as a queer book since I haven't done that before. I'm really looking foreward to that, too. (I have hitherto only read it as a perfect excample of romanticism given the thrownness of the creature into the world.) Coincidally I have just watched a videoessay on a Dr. White aka. Dr. Butcher who mistook »Frankenstein« as an inspiration and not as a warning. He was a neurosurgeon who wanted to transplant whole heads (something of which I think it will come in the future once we figured out how to reconnect the spinal cord). The videoessay is a really interesting look into the questions whether we have a soul, where our self is situated, and what it would mean for ourselves if it was possible to make copies of our consciousness in the future. I leave the link here for you: th-cam.com/video/JMkrrjKf5AE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=_CQFVL8JId5ps2FJ
@@WillowTalksBooks Maybe you could start with an investigation and a subsequent essay on what the true origin of the concept "monster" is. Were monsters those born different and the source of the fear and disgust of the rest of their social environment? Those who would most likely suffer the violence of a disgusted and frightened mob and whose family would protectively (shamefully) hide them? Because now (it is assumed) the monster is the offender. But originally the monster was the victim. Frankenstein, created a victim? Is it the monstrous nature of society that reverses the roles? How does this relate to queerness? Just a few stray thoughts!
I wish more of these were in my library. I really want to read them. I do have a reservation on placed on Poor Things and will have to hope they acquire the others at some point.. Or that ebooks go on sale so I can afford them
Have you ever read Monsters? It's a non fiction account of the story behind Mary Shelley writing Frankenstein. Orpheus Builds a Girl sounds like the Karl Tanzler story.
Thanks for all of these great recommendations! I've recently heard interesting things about Chicano Frankenstein by Daniel A Olivas. Again in a Frankenstein intertext, politics is right there in the mix. I'm wondering what is your take on why there seems to be such a bulge of Frankensteinian fiction at the moment?
Wonderful list and yes Frankenstein is a masterpiece. I'm Listening to it and it's been decades 💘 Have you read Frankenstein in Baghdad? Dean Koontz horror take The Prodigal Son is also a favorite ❤
Oh, I am going to enjoy this video, guaranteed 😮 Have you ever watched Penny Dreadful, Willow? I quite enjoyed their take on Frankenstein's creation (Caliban in the show, played by Rory Kinnear). Watching now, have a lovely day! 😊
theres a very beautiful and scenic pixel art game retelling frankenstein from the creations perspective-- its called "the wanderer: frankensteins creature". i think youd probably love it
I feel like we are currently experiencing a Frankenstein-renaissance and I am here for it!
I really liked Anatomy A Love Story, definitely reading all of these in the near future
The Wasp Factory from Iain Banks is also some sort of Frankenstein-esque book. Not about creating a monster, but a "polymorpheus playground through genetic augmentation" as Sherryl Vint described it. The book has a gothic mansion in the Scottish Highlands and is thereof a gothic novel, and it's an analogy of "who is the monster here?" is it the insane, crazy Eric or the murderous Frank? Wasp Factory also have commons to Alasdair Grays book Lanark.
Looking it up ❤
No matter how many times it happens, I always love hearing you talk about your love for Frankenstein. Frankenstein is one of my all-time favorites: the thematic explorations of grief of loss throughout are profound. Every time I read it, it feels simultaneously brand new and like a spiritual renewal.
I have had Orpheus Builds a Girl on my TBR ever since you first brought it to my radar. Sadly, I have not yet read it (I know, I'm ashamed!), but now I have even more reason to read it as well as every single other book you recommended!
Thank you for these recommendations!
I have a few of these on my list ❤
Ooh, I recently bought 'A Botanical Daughter' for a friend who loves horror and mythology, as the blurb reminded me of the Welsh myth of Blodeuwedd (in which two magicians create a woman out of flowers). Really hoping he'll enjoy it! :)
Poor things the film was so good. Im glad i didn't know anything going in.
It was a wacky delight! I will read the novel for sure.
Great list!
Have you read Romantic Outlaws, a dual biography of Mary Shelley and her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft? Told in alternate chapters as they're about the same ages. So very good!
I’ve got it! I love love LOVE it! My favorite biography and it reads so well and entertaining. It’s so in depth! Halfway through and then forgot about it to go read other pr books but I will come back to it for sure! It’s the reason why I adore the romantic period now
I have got to read all these books ❤ I am a queer Frankenstein (and dinosaur lol) lover. I must read them ALL!
Okay you've inspired me to take on a Frankenstein reading project. Excellent recommendations! Thanks Willow! ❤️
I STILL haven’t gotten around to reading Frankenstein! I know it’s many people’s favourite classic, so I must resolve that very soon.
it is beautifully written.. not nearly as intimidating either as I thought it'd be. though there is a monologue from The Creature that is quite lengthy.. but the themes are really interesting and poses a great question - who is the real monster? the monster.. or man who created the monster?
It's interesting how so many novels inspired by Frankenstein have their Victor character be a doctor. I image that a mechanical restoration by an Engineer would be equally grotesque
Frankenstein is also my favorite book!
I'd like to reccommend Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova. I don't know that it was meant to be a Frankenstein story per se but it is a story about creating a monster and does some cool things with changing character perspectives throughout the book.
I have a review copy coming soon!
Just finished reading it and…I’m not sure what it was but I didn’t like it. It wasn’t…dark enough? I feel strange saying that but it felt a little too coming of age for me. I wanted more florid, lyrical prose and to leave finishing reading it with deep melancholic thoughts like Frankenstein did.
💚 I have a readathon on Storygraph called "The Frankenstein Project" which I'm using to keep track of all the wonderful Frankenstein-inspired books I want to read--inspired mostly by books you've talked about here and previously. One worthy mention in addition to these books is Victor Lavalle's Destroyer, a graphic novel about a young, Black monster who is mad at the world. 💚 (And though I've not read it yet, Frankenstein in Baghdad is an Iraqi novel that is on my list.)
My copy of Frankenstein is the edition illustrated by Lynd Ward - gorgeous dark, gothic woodcuts with (to my eye at least) a distinctly queer twist to them.
Oh heck yeah! Im actually reading Frankenstein at the moment! It was on my tbr for an embarassingly long time...
I’m reading A Botanical Daughter right now and I’m pretty sure it’ll be my top book of the year. I’m so in love with it. It’s taking me forever because I keep rereading passages I can’t stop thinking about.
I love that most of these are available in audio ❤
i read Orpheus Builds a Girl on your recommendation and did not regret it! it's so darkly twisted i loved it!
I love Frankenstein, Our Hideous Progeny, and Poor Things. I'm adding the others to my TBR.
I adored this video. I'm a huge Frankenstein fan. I'm getting A Botanical Daughter in a few days and I read Our Hideous Progeny recently. I loved that it had a mention of my hometown near the end. 😁 Have you read The Monsters We Deserve? I found it quite odd while reading it, but afterwards it kinda stuck around in the back of my head.
Thank you for your recommendations! I too do love »Frankenstein« and am looking foreward to literatur influenced by it. I will also reread it as a queer book since I haven't done that before. I'm really looking foreward to that, too. (I have hitherto only read it as a perfect excample of romanticism given the thrownness of the creature into the world.)
Coincidally I have just watched a videoessay on a Dr. White aka. Dr. Butcher who mistook »Frankenstein« as an inspiration and not as a warning. He was a neurosurgeon who wanted to transplant whole heads (something of which I think it will come in the future once we figured out how to reconnect the spinal cord). The videoessay is a really interesting look into the questions whether we have a soul, where our self is situated, and what it would mean for ourselves if it was possible to make copies of our consciousness in the future. I leave the link here for you: th-cam.com/video/JMkrrjKf5AE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=_CQFVL8JId5ps2FJ
❤
Anatomy: A Love Story is on my TBR list. Have you read the sequel and would you recommend it? 📚👩🏼⚕️
I just finished it yesterday and loved it! Not quite as good as Anatomy but absolutely worth reading!
Another fantastic video Willow, just going to purchase the books I don’t already have 😊
I haven’t had a bad recommendation yet, thanks again 💜
Thank you! I remain intrigued by the relationship between queerness and the construction of a non-"natural" human (monster?).
I would love to write a whole book on the subject
@@WillowTalksBooks Maybe you could start with an investigation and a subsequent essay on what the true origin of the concept "monster" is. Were monsters those born different and the source of the fear and disgust of the rest of their social environment? Those who would most likely suffer the violence of a disgusted and frightened mob and whose family would protectively (shamefully) hide them?
Because now (it is assumed) the monster is the offender. But originally the monster was the victim.
Frankenstein, created a victim? Is it the monstrous nature of society that reverses the roles?
How does this relate to queerness?
Just a few stray thoughts!
Love this! It’s my new reading list. ❤
I absolutely loved Poor Things and putting the rest of these on TBR
I wish more of these were in my library. I really want to read them. I do have a reservation on placed on Poor Things and will have to hope they acquire the others at some point.. Or that ebooks go on sale so I can afford them
Have you ever read Monsters? It's a non fiction account of the story behind Mary Shelley writing Frankenstein. Orpheus Builds a Girl sounds like the Karl Tanzler story.
Great list! I’m excited to read Our Hideous Progeny. I would also add Frankenstein in Baghdad to the list
I think y’all would also like Lives of the Monster Dogs by Kirsten Bakis, has a lot of parallels to Frankenstein. I enjoyed both books a lot!
Thanks for all of these great recommendations! I've recently heard interesting things about Chicano Frankenstein by Daniel A Olivas. Again in a Frankenstein intertext, politics is right there in the mix. I'm wondering what is your take on why there seems to be such a bulge of Frankensteinian fiction at the moment?
Have you read M is for Monster? It is based on Frankenstein and is very cozy.
That edition you have of Mary is gorgeous . The US edition is not so fabulous :(
Eynhallow by Tim McGregor would make a great addition to this list.
Wonderful list and yes Frankenstein is a masterpiece. I'm Listening to it and it's been decades 💘
Have you read Frankenstein in Baghdad? Dean Koontz horror take The Prodigal Son is also a favorite ❤
Oh, I am going to enjoy this video, guaranteed 😮
Have you ever watched Penny Dreadful, Willow? I quite enjoyed their take on Frankenstein's creation (Caliban in the show, played by Rory Kinnear).
Watching now, have a lovely day! 😊
theres a very beautiful and scenic pixel art game retelling frankenstein from the creations perspective-- its called "the wanderer: frankensteins creature". i think youd probably love it
Omg thank you for this!