If You Like ‘Frankenstein’ Add These Books To Your TBR
The month of October may be over. But some people are drawn to the misunderstood characters and the obscure.
The novel that has been adapted many times over is Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Each adaptation offers a new perspective on the novel, but Guillermo del Toro has created the perfect adaptation. Not only does he have a firm grasp of what Victor Frankenstein’s intention was with the undead, but he also makes him the villain of the story.
Del Toro’s love for Shelley’s novel and the depiction of The Creature is profound. It is one of the most beautiful films of the year and the definitive adaptation of Shelley’s novel.
Here at MBC, we enjoy expanding our horizons with sub-genres like gothic horror, and we are continuously on the lookout for new books to add to our future book club discussions.
Join our book club today and help us vote for our 2026 books.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Obsessed with the secret of creation, Swiss scientist Dr. Victor Frankenstein cobbles together a body he’s determined to bring to life. And one fateful night, he does. When the creature opens his eyes, the doctor is repulsed: his vision of perfection is, in fact, a hideous monster. Dr. Frankenstein abandons his creation, but the monster won’t be ignored, setting in motion a chain of violence and terror that shadows Victor to his death.
If you like Frankenstein here are the five novels we recommend!
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
'The horror, whatever it was, had not yet entirely spoiled that marvellous beauty'
Enthralled by his own exquisite portrait, Dorian Gray exchanges his soul for eternal youth and beauty. Influenced by his friend Lord Henry Wotton, he is drawn into a corrupt double life, indulging his desires in secret while remaining a gentleman in the eyes of polite society. Only his portrait bears the traces of his decadence. The Picture of Dorian Gray was a succès de scandale. Early readers were shocked by its hints at unspeakable sins, and the book was later used as evidence against Wilde at the Old Bailey in 1895.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick
It was January 2021, and Rick Deckard had a license to kill. Somewhere among the hordes of humans out there, lurked several rogue androids. Deckard's assignment--find them and then..."retire" them. Trouble was, the androids all looked exactly like humans, and they didn't want to be found!
Cold Moon Over Babylon by Michael McDowell
Terror grows in Babylon, a typical sleepy Southern town with its throbbing sun and fog-shrouded swamps.
Margaret Larkin has been robbed of her innocence -- and her life. Her killer is rich and powerful, beyond the grasp of earthly law.
Now, in the murky depths of the local river, a shifting, almost human shape slowly takes form. Night after night it will pursue the murderer. It will watch him from the trees. And in the chill waters of the river, it will claim him in the ultimate embrace.
The cold moon rises, the awful squishing sounds begin...
Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova
Grieving mother Magos cuts out a piece of her deceased eleven-year-old son Santiago’s lung. Acting on fierce maternal instinct and the dubious logic of an old folktale, she nurtures the lung until it gains sentience, growing into the carnivorous little Monstrilio she keeps hidden within the walls of her family’s decaying Mexico City estate. Eventually, Monstrilio begins to resemble the Santiago he once was, but his innate impulses—though curbed by his biological and chosen family’s communal care—threaten to destroy this fragile second chance at life.
The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss
Mary Jekyll, alone and penniless following her parents’ death, is curious about the secrets of her father’s mysterious past. One clue in particular hints that Edward Hyde, her father’s former friend and a murderer, may be nearby, and there is a reward for information leading to his capture…a reward that would solve all of her immediate financial woes.
Have you read any of the books listed above? If you have, let us know which one is your favourite! If you have any recommendations drop them in the comments below.
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