Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley

What can I say... such a timeless classic. Thank you for your review, Encarna!

Dear mates,

What a good idea to recommend amusing stories to one another!

Let me contribute with something I read two years ago.

It was in 2012 when I heard about an exhibition about this novel at the Bodleian Library in Oxford. Since then, I was really captivated by how this gothic story was given birth to, so I made up my mind to read this timeless classic in English. Not only has the story amazed everyone who has gone through its pages, but it has also inspired many authors to make new versions of it.

How the idea came up:

The Shelleys, Mary and her husband, were invited by Lord Byron to his house in Geneva in May 1816. They had to spend most of the time indoors because of the eruption of a volcano (Mount Tambora in Indonesia). It was a year without summer because a huge cloud covered the atmosphere in ash. So that, Lord Byron suggested them all should write a ghost story: it was then when Mary Shelley’s idea came up.

The story takes place in different locations of England, Italy, and Switzerland: London, Geneva, Lake Como, etc. 

Its main characters are:

·      Victor Frankenstein, an ambitious and well-educated young man. His studies lead him to the creation of a new being with the appearance of a monster.

·      The creature, confused and violent because of the circumstances. All he wants is to be accepted as a normal being.

·      Among other secondary characters are: Frankenstein’s father, who tries to help his son in his resolutions; Elizabeth with whom Dr. Frankenstein is engaged; Clerval, his lively friend; and R. Walton who appears at the beginning and at the end relating the surprising story of the Doctor to his sister.

Everything starts with Victor Frankenstein on board of a vessel, trying to put an end to his wretchedness. He tells the captain (R. Walton) the whole story of his life. The new creature he has created longs for company and sympathy. The fiend’s life revolves around that wish, no matter what he has to do to reach it, while Dr. Frankenstein devotes himself to keeping his family safe from the deamon’s grasp.

I am sure that the book will trap you. Considering that it’s been almost 200 years since the first publication, its power to astonish the reader remains. I definitely recommend reading the original rather than any of the adaptations, so this summer would be the right time to give it a try. 

Enjoy!

Encarna

Winter in Madrid, by C.J. Sansom

Verónica gives us this great review in an email to Manuela. She's persuaded me to read this one. What about you?

Follow our indications to contribute to the book review collection. Thank you!

Hello Manuela!

Nice to hear from you. It’s been ages since the last time you contacted me, it was through Fb, right? I hope you’re fine and that we can meet soon for a coffee or so. Although the lads and me myself miss you a lot in our German lessons (you were always so lively and amusing) I’m glad that the reason why you decided to put off your German’s learning was to improve your English.

  

Regarding me, the family is still grieving the dead of granny, but I hope we’ll be able to get over the loss soon. Anyway I’ve been really busy these last weeks, you know, besides the usual load of work at the office, I’ve had to deal with tests, exams and tons of tasks at the EOI, but it’s worth working hard if you feel you’re making progress, isn’t it?

You’re asking me for an interesting book to read in English; I would like to suggest   the last one I’ve read. It’s an unabridged novel called Winter in Madrid, written by the British author C.J. Sansom. It’s the story of three boys who were fellows at a public school in England, whose paths happen to cross again years later in a bleak Spain, after the Spanish Civil War and in the midst of the Second World War.

The main character of the book is Harry Brett, a middle-class boy whose family can afford to send him to Rookwood, an exclusive public school that ‘gives him his identity’; it’s the kind of institution that educates the future rulers of the country. During the Second World War Harry is recruited by  the British Intelligence to spy on an old schoolmate of his, Sandy  Forsyth, who was always a black sheep both for his family and for the school, but who always had a soft spot for Harry. When Harry is in Madrid acting as a spy, yet pretending to be an interpreter for the British Embassy, he discovers that his best friend at Rookwood, Bernie Piper (one of the scholarship boys) who fought for the Spanish Republica, and who was declared  missing and believed to have been killed in the Jarama Battle, is still alive.

What I liked the most about the book was its language, absolutely current, full of idiomatic expressions and adjectives related to people’s movements, gestures and characters, that will greatly help you  improve your vocabulary and reading comprehension. It’s been a bit strange for a Spanish reader like me to face a piece of our history narrated through foreign characters that give a sharp, objective view on how things happened during that period of time. This is a story that combines friendship, love, greed and betrayal, in which the topic of knowing a foreign language also plays a role! Although its pace is a bit too slow in some chapters, the ending of the book is amazing but coherent, logical afterwards. I’m sure you won’t be frightened of its 535 pages: after the Millenium trilogy we both have already read, this must be a piece of cake for you!

Take care,

Verónica.

SOME IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS I’VE LEARNT:

TO LIVE OVER THE BRUSH: used to describe an unmarried couple who live together.

Sandy and Barbara pretend to be a married couple in front of the Spanish authorities, but in fact they are living over the brush.

TO GIVE SOMEBODY THE (OLD) HEAVE-HO:to dismiss sb From their job. To end a relationship with sb.

Sebastián De Salas is considering giving his English girlfriend Jenny the heave-ho, mainly because she drinks a lot.

IN FOR A PENNY, IN FOR A POUND: used to say that since you started to do sth it’s worth to invest as much money or time as it is needed, in order to complete it.

In order to get more information, Harry puts a risky proposition to Sandy’s colleagues.

TO BE OUT OF THE SULKS: the end of a period of not speaking and being bad-tempered because you’re angry about sth.

Some time after they had had a row, Sandy asks Barbara ironically if she’s out of the sulks yet.

TO KEEP (CLOSE) TABS ON SB/STH: to watch sb/sth carefully in order to know what is happening so that you can control a particular situation.

Barbara says she doesn’t think the British government is keeping tabs on her any more.A while back she used to find her mail opened and her telephone to be making strange noises.

How this works

Welcome to the blog for book discussion. Here, you’ll be posting letters telling your friends about the books you have read, following the task and model below. You’ll be writing about the plot, characters and language of the book, as well as your opinion of it, so we can all use this blog for future reference when we need to choose our reading books.

So, here’s the task and the model:

You’ve received an e-mail from a friend of yours who is also learning English. You have both been asked to read books in English, and in her e-mail she asked you about the book you’ve read. Don’t forget to mention:

· What you’ve been doing in the last couple of months.

· Details about the book you’ve read (title, author, plot, characters, etc.)

· What you liked and disliked about it, and your recommendation for your friend. Is it good for your level of English, do you think? Why/why not?

SAMPLE E-MAIL

(4) Hi Debbie!

I was so glad to hear from you, (1) it’s been really long since we last met. I hope (1) you’re fine, and getting ready for your English exam!

As for me, (1) I’ve been really busy these weeks. I’ve been preparing for my exams at university and (1) I haven’t left the library in the last week (well, maybe I’m exaggerating a little bit there). But I’ve (2) definitely been working a lot: I’ve arranged a trip for next month, and I’ve had (2) lots of visits from my family to see my new flat. Right now I’m trying to find a present for Chris. It’s his birthday next week, (3) did you remember that? Don’t forget the (1) party’s on Friday. Hope to see you there at eight! (3)

You asked me about the book I’ve been reading. Well, I didn’t choose anything very original: I read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson. (8) You know I’m keen on thrillers and crime fiction, so it seemed a good choice. (3) And it was! (7) It’s really fast-paced and full of action, really one of the most gripping books I’ve ever read. It tells the story of a journalist, Mikael Blomkvist, (6) who is accused of libel and has to leave his job in his magazine, Millenium, for some time. He accepts the offer of an old man, Vanger, to try to find his missing niece, and this allows him to leave the capital and move to the north for a year. (8) As he advances in the investigation, he discovers that there is something very mysterious in the whole affair, and decides to ask for the help of a young woman, Lisbeth Salander, (6) who works for a detective company in Stockholm. But she’s not a conventional detective! (7) She’s extremely reserved, very awkward in her social relationships, and even her physical appearance is unusual. But surprisingly, they make a good team. And I’m not telling you anything else, (1) ‘cos I don’t want to spoil the ending!

(8) What I loved about the book was the characters. They are wonderfully created, powerful, strange and at the same time so real. And the language of the book was not as difficult as I expected. And well, (8) if I had to tell you something negative, I’d say the beginning (7) was a bit dull, very slow-moving for one hundred pages or so. But then it gets better, so I strongly recommend it to you. 

(8) I hope this helps you choose a book to read. And please, tell me if you start reading The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, because I’d love to discuss it with you!It may seem a little challenging at first, but once you get into the story, it's all about enjoying it and you forget that it was ever hard to read!

(4) Love,

Beatriz

For the informal e-mail, notice:

1) 1 1. The use of contractions (I’m, I’ve, ‘cos,…)

2) 2. The informal language: lots of, definitely, really, you know, well, a little bit,…

3 3. The direct questions and exclamations.

4 4. The informal beginning (Hi) and ending (Love).

In the “review” section, notice

5 5. How the information was divided into paragraphs (first, the details and plot summary, then the opinion and recommendation)

6) 6. The use of relative clauses, which are extremely useful.

7 7. The variety of adverbs and adjectives

8) 8. The variety of structures.

Your emails should be sent to me so they are posted as separate entries. I'd be really nice if you made comments and asked questions to the reviewers of the books!

Give us also a list of five words of expressions that you've learnt while reading this book, together with their context and their meaning.