Frankenstein: A Retelling

A mainstay of the English Literature curriculum, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is retold superbly by Tanya Landman. Her version for dyslexia specialist publisher Barrington Stoke compresses the story into just one hundred pages but retains all the power, menace and beauty of the original, while she also explores the moral questions and ambiguities at the novel’s heart. Using Shelley’s puzzle box format of consecutive,  interlocking first person narratives, Landman’s telling is direct and compelling, the pace changing from furious, terrified urgency to quieter, contemplative moments as Frankenstein and his creation chase one another across ever wilder landscapes. Though the sentences are kept short, we hear Shelley’s voice clearly and even while ensuring this version will be accessible to all readers, Landman retains the grandeur of the original, in tone, rhythm and language choices. In her hands, the story will reach and inspire readers of all abilities, and give them an understanding of and connection with of one of the most thrilling tales ever created.