"Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley

Ten years after

It seems like only yesterday that Robin, Nigel, and a few others who have fallen by the wayside, were at the inaugural Hove Book Group meeting in January 2005.  It really was ten years ago.  

Happy 10th anniversary Hove Book Group

Let them eat cake

At around half way through our discussion, and with mounting impatience on Robin's part, a cake appeared, was deftly cut into five pieces, and we gazed at each other, happily munching, with awe struck faces.  Here's to the next ten.

Raising our game

At the end of year HBG festive meal in December 2014 we resolved to raise our game and make 2015 a year to remember and to kick us off Robin had chosen an eclectic and intriguing mix including...

"Frankenstein" (1818) by Mary Shelley

Robin

Why Robin why?  

Robin visited a cinema in Worthing where he saw Benedict Cumberbatch perform as The Monster in a National Theatre adaptation of Frankenstein.  It was love at first sight. Frankenstein is an engrossing, spine-chilling drama: creator and creature in an inimitably gothic mirror motif, with the outcast creature, rejected by his maker, and yet a reflection of him.

Robin loved this amazing, clever, insightful, far fetched but ultimately believable tale.  9/10

Keith was filled with feverish anticipation prior to reading Frankenstein.  His overriding emotion once he'd finished was disappointment.  Keith acknowledged that Frankenstein is a parable of scientific arrogance, a critique of masculine meddling in creation, which has only increased in our age of test-tube babies, genetic engineering and stem-cell therapies however the actual experience of reading the book was "not all that".  4/10

Nigel really enjoyed "Dracula", another Robin choice, and so with this in mind had high hopes for "Frankenstein".  Nigel was struck by how different the cinematic adaptations are when compared with the original story.  The original story felt more implausible, and he could appreciate why it has been simplified for the cinema.

The basic idea (messing with nature and unleashing unstoppable forces), and the book's themes (hubris, horror, madness, the danger of pushing beyond accepted human limits (both Frankenstein and Walton)), are wonderful, however the book itself doesn't make the best use of the grand themes and such a stunning central idea, with too many overlong sections and too many implausibilities.  Nigel was glad to have read it however he felt it could and should have been even better.  6/10

Hamish claimed "Frankenstein" represents the greatest disparity between source novel and subsequent adaptations.  He thought the book was very readable and liked the letter writing structure.  He mused about the extent to which Mary Shelley might have realised how prescient her tale would prove.  The relationship between monster and creator was both compelling and fascinating.  8/10

Tristan started his review with a wonderful diatribe written in the style of the book which will live long in the memories of those privileged to hear it.  Bravo Sir.

Reverting to his customary street patois, Tristan then savaged the book, lambasting the preposterous plot, the endless coincidences, the lack of insights, and the poor characterisation, before finally dismissing it as "a throwaway entry to a ghost story competition...".  Ouch.  Take that Mary Shelley.  2/10

As is so often the way, a divisive book is the catalyst for a stimulating and entertaining discussion and so it proved, as we traded bon mots and stinging jibes, before moving on to...

"The Usual Suspects" (1995) directed by Bryan Singer

Robin, Nigel, Hamish, Keith, Tristan

Robin described "The Usual Suspects" as flawless.  10/10

Tristan thought the twist was less effective second time round. 8/10

Hamish had completely forgotten watching it "back in the day" and was grateful for his shocking memory 9/10

Keith was watching it for the first time as his wife only lets him watch foreign language art films.  He thought it was excellent before resolving to watch more of "this kind of thing".  9/10

Nigel queried a few plot points, amidst another glowing review, which sparked feverish discussion. 8/10

"The Bends" by Radiohead (1995)

Robin loves The Bends 9/10

Keith likes The Bends 8/10

Nigel quite likes The Bends 7/10

Hamish somehow linked a tale about a visit to a Motel in the USA which he had to leave in a hurry to "Creep" before declaring Radiohead the best British band of the modern era.  9/10

Tristan was once subjected to a 24 hour Radioheadathon by his evangelical brother in law which resulted in him feeling ambivalent ?/10

Endorse it

"Endorse it" is our new feature in which everyone is invited to recommend stuff.  Here's what we came up with...

Hamish: "lullaby and... The Ceaseless Roar" by Robert Plant
Tristan: "Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage" by Haruki Murakami 
Nigel: "Handsome Brute" by Sean O'Connor
Robin: Segway Granada tour
Keith: "Natural Born Killers" 1994 dir by Oliver Stone

And with that we bade each other farewell.  What a wonderful evening.