Frankenstein

I rank Frankenstein very highly.

There is a lot of rambling nonsense to it, jumping around glaciers, traversing mountain ranges and generally stomping around the world in a fit of pent up rage. So much anger, reminiscent of The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells (but a far superior book). Frankenstein's monster is so indignant about his fate he's on an ultimate mission for realignment, redemption and finally, revenge, which serves for an unlikeable character portrayal.

There are other issues. The is no scientific evidence or explanation at how the monster came into being, other than - poof - apparatus was set up and a terror came into being the next morning. We are expected to believe that a vagrant monster can get highly educated by spying and observing a few books through a peephole, for example, plus other archaic and convenient explanations.

But for all that, it's still a riveting read and akin to Bram Stoker's Dracula as essential reading for anyone who claims to enjoy gothic horror.

Frankenstein's monster is just a guy like anyone else, who wants love, recognition, peace of mind and growth, who goes out of his mind to get it, and further out of his mind when denied.

I had to throw away my misconceptions of square foreheads and lightning bolts to appreciate this deep, sinister, rampant and very profound work of art, which has become dear to me.