Ms. Hen reviews Pride and Prometheus

Pride and Prometheus

John Kessel

Saga Press

2018

Ms. Hen read about this novel earlier in the year, and she was intrigued by the premise. It’s a mash-up between PRIDE AND PREJUDICE and FRANKENSTEIN, which happen to be two of Ms. Hen’s favorite books. Both were published in the same year, 1818, two hundred years ago, and were written by women, but are rarely talked about together, because they are worlds apart. Ms. Hen thought this book would be ideal to add to her Halloween reading this year, so she read it, and became engrossed in the story.

The first thing Ms. Hen noticed about PRIDE AND PROMETHEUS is that the writing style is similar to the styles of both Austen and Shelley. Ms. Hen was amazed that the author captures the voice of both authors. In some reviews Ms. Hen has read, people have written that the writing style could turn a lot of readers off, but it didn’t for Ms. Hen. She’s used to reading books like these, so she felt comfortable with the voice.

The novel centers on both Mary Bennett, the second youngest sister in the Bennett family, sister of Elizabeth, the protagonist of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, and Victor Frankenstein. This novel takes place about ten years after PRIDE AND PREJUDICE and during the timeframe of FRANKENSTEIN, when Victor spends time in England. Victor and Mary meet at a ball in London, and she is intrigued with his sadness over his brother’s death. He is interested in the fact that she has knowledge of natural history and fossils.

The two meet again when Mary is visiting Elizabeth and Darcy. Darcy invites Victor and his friend Henry to stay with them for a few nights. Victor tells Mary about the monster in the middle of the night in her room, which she thinks is inappropriate, but she listens with keen interest. Victor tells her that the monster wishes for him to make him a bride, but Victor does not want to do that because he does not want to bring more evil into the world. Mary is afraid, and she is not sure she should believe him, but afterwards, she meets the monster, and is afraid.

This novel took many twists and turns and it did not turn out the way Ms. Hen expected. Mary is the central character, and her thread runs throughout the whole novel. Even though Mary is the protagonist, it is mostly about FRANKENSTEIN, which Ms. Hen understands. This novel is about love and trying to find love, and failing at finding love in many different ways. When Ms. Hen reads FRANKENSTEIN, she feels sorry for the monster, because he is a tragic creature. She doesn’t understand why Victor doesn’t feel sorry for his creation in this tale. The monster is pathetic, and all he wants is someone to be with, who is like him, and will understand him. Victor tries to help, against his own inclinations, but things don’t end the way anyone would imagine.

Ms. Hen thinks this is a perfect Halloween novel. She would recommend it to anyone who loves Austen and Shelley, and would like to read a novel based on two of the most influential (women) writers of the nineteenth century.