Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

        In the eighteenth century, a young man through long hours and hard work discovers the secrets to life.  With this knowledge he engages in the task of creating a living being.  Shutting up in his apartment and secluding himself from society he works long days and nights.  Months later he emerges victorious but in horror of his creation.  He is helpless as the monster destroys those close to him.
        The novel starts in a series of letters from, Robert Walton, the captain of a ship headed for the North Pole, writing to his sister back in England about the progress of his journey. Successful early on, the ship is soon trapped when the seas freeze into solid ice.  While waiting for the ice to melt they spot a stranded man on a dog sled.  They bring him aboard and nurse him back to health.  After a couple of days he tells Walton his story and how he ended up stranded.
        The man’s name is Victor Frankenstein.  He briefly describes his youth growing up.  From an early age he was very interested in natural philosophy and chemistry.  He attends the University of Ingolstadt to pursue his studies.  There he becomes consumed in his desire to unlock the mystery of life.  After years of research he is convinced that he has found it and immediately begins work to create a being.  Finding the materials he needs to outfit his creation in graveyards he locks himself up working non-stop.
        One night he is finally ready to bring his creation to life.  But he is horrified when it awakens and he runs away.  During the following months he is haunted as those he loves systematically taken from him.  Miserable, he is determined to get revenge and commits the rest of his life to tracking down the monster.
Frankenstein remains a relevant analysis of the dangers of science, the fine line between developing the mind and knowing too much.  We are now faced with a very similar issue: human cloning.  Although there may be numerous benefits such as new organs for those in need, great care needs to be taken.  Playing the role of creator can have very serious consequences.
        I would recommend this book to everyone.  It starts out slow but quickly develops into an interesting and thought provoking mystery that makes you want to keep reading.  Almost two hundred years after being published, Frankenstein, is still a well know novel enjoyed by many.  There have been countless movies, cartoons, and TV shows based off of this timeless