A Gothic Resurrection: Review of J.S. Barnes’ “Frankenstein’s Monster”

J.S. Barnes’ Frankenstein’s Monster (2025) stands as a daring literary endeavour that seeks to extend Mary Shelley’s foundational Gothic narrative into new thematic and philosophical territory. Presented as a direct sequel to Shelley’s masterpiece, Barnes’ novel resurrects both Victor Frankenstein and his Creature despite their apparent deaths in the original text, weaving a tale that explores the enduring consequences of playing God. This ambitious work follows Barnes’ previous forays into classic horror reimaginings, including Dracula’s Child and The City of Dr. Moreau, establishing him as a distinctive voice in the realm of literary horror revivalism.

True to Shelley’s original narrative technique, Barnes employs an epistolary framework that unfolds through letters, journal entries, and multiple perspectives, a choice that simultaneously honours the source material and enhances the novel’s psychological depth. The story operates across two distinct timelines: the initial events of, where a mysterious stranger disrupts the rural retreat of folklorist Nathaniel Greene and his wife Alice, and the investigative frame of, where philanthropist Jesse Malone and psychic Hubert Crowe piece together the horrific aftermath from Nathaniel’s prison cell. This dual-temporal structure creates a compelling mystery that gradually unveils its horrors through fragmented revelations, much like the original Frankenstein‘s nested narratives.

Barnes demonstrates a profound understanding of Shelley’s core philosophical concerns while expanding them into new moral territory. The novel resurrects Victor Frankenstein not as a reformed man but as an obsessive visionary still consumed by his desire to conquer death, declaring that creation should be “Man’s, not woman’s, not theirs alone! It is our birthright if only we have the key“. This gendered appropriation of creation becomes a central theme, particularly through Alice Greene’s character, a childless woman seduced by Frankenstein’s promise to fulfil her maternal longings. In a brilliant inversion of the original’s themes, Barnes suggests that true monstrosity lies not in physical deformity but in moral corruption,

The Creature, meanwhile, evolves into a compassionate figure who “belies his apparent monstrosity” by helping those in need, reinforcing Shelley’s argument that humanity is defined by action rather than appearance. These thematic complexities elevate Barnes’ sequel beyond mere imitation into a genuine philosophical dialogue with its source material.

The novel introduces compelling original characters while thoughtfully reinventing Shelley’s iconic figures. Victor Frankenstein appears as an elderly but still brilliant scientist, whose charismatic manipulation reveals deeper layers of narcissism and moral bankruptcy. His Creature emerges as the narrative’s moral centre, a tortured consciousness seeking redemption despite his traumatic origins. Among the new additions, Alice Greene stands out as a tragically nuanced figure whose maternal yearning transforms her from sympathetic to terrifying, embodying Barnes’ theme of how ordinary human desires can mutate into monstrous obsessions.

Nathaniel Greene serves as both participant and chronicler, his background as a folklorist justifying the novel’s dense narrative style while providing a critical perspective on the unfolding horrors. The investigative duo of Malone and Crowe offers readers entry points into the mystery, though some reviewers found them less developed than the principal characters. Where Barnes particularly excels is in his psychological complexity, ensuring that even minor characters operate with believable motivations rather than merely serving as Gothic archetypes.

One of the novel’s most impressive achievements is Barnes’ ability to channel Shelley’s distinctive Romantic-Gothic voice while maintaining readability for contemporary audiences. The prose balances period-appropriate diction with narrative clarity, avoiding both archaic obscurity and modern anachronism. Descriptions of the English countryside and the ominous Fieldwick Hall are particularly evocative.

Barnes occasionally employs lyrical flourishes worthy of his predecessor, especially in capturing the Creature’s inner torment and Frankenstein’s manic grandeur.

Frankenstein’s Monster operates primarily as a slow-burning psychological horror, building dread through accumulating rather than visceral shocks. This deliberate pacing effectively mirrors the original novel’s contemplative rhythm. The narrative accelerates significantly in the final act, where Barnes delivers on the atmospheric promises with genuinely unsettling revelations. Gothic elements like gathering storm clouds, suspicious villagers, and flickering lights are deployed with expert timing, creating what one reviewer called “unrelenting” atmospheric tension.

Unlike many modern adaptations that prioritise spectacle over substance, Barnes’ sequel demonstrates remarkable fidelity to Shelley’s spirit while expanding her mythology. The novel distinguishes itself from other continuations (like Susan Heyboer O’Keefe’s Frankenstein’s Monster) by focusing not solely on the Creature’s perspective but on Frankenstein’s continuing corruption and its impact on new victims. This approach aligns more closely with Shelley’s thematic concerns about irresponsible innovation than with more monster-centric popular adaptations.

Within Barnes’ own oeuvre, the novel represents his most sophisticated engagement with classic horror yet, surpassing even Dracula’s Child in its philosophical ambition. The book successfully translates Shelley’s early 19th-century anxieties into the Victorian context.

This historical anchoring strengthens the novel’s exploration of how scientific progress without ethical advancement creates cyclical horror. Barnes ultimately suggests that the true horror isn’t the Creature itself but humanity’s endless capacity to reinvent Frankenstein’s original sin, a timely warning that connects Shelley’s era to our own.

J.S. Barnes’ Frankenstein’s Monster stands as a respectful and atmospheric sequel that largely succeeds in its ambitious literary resurrection. While imperfect in its pacing and occasional narrative frustration, the novel delivers a profoundly Gothic experience that honours Shelley’s legacy while offering new insights into her created world. Its strengths lie in its atmospheric prose, thematic complexity, and psychological depth.

This book comes highly recommended for devotees of Gothic literature and readers who appreciate Shelley’s original philosophical horror over more action-oriented monster tales. Fans of Barnes’ previous works will find this his most sophisticated effort yet, while readers new to his writing will discover an author capable of bridging literary eras with intelligence and style.

Frankenstein’s Monster by J.S. Barnes

A writer finds his rural English life disrupted by the arrival of mysterious doctor with a legendary past in this bold and chilling sequel to Frankenstein, written in the style of Mary Shelley’s classic.

From the author of Dracula’s Child. Perfect for fans of Kim Newman and Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

“He was soon borne away by the waves, and lost in darkness and distance.”

There are those who would swear that Victor Frankenstein is dead. Those who would swear that his Creature died also.

They are wrong.

1842. Folklorist Nathaniel Greene escapes to the country to finish his latest book, along with his wife, Alice. Yearning for a family, and yet finding herself without, Alice watches as Greene grows ever more distant with her, fraying their already tense bonds. When a mysterious stranger arrives on their doorstep, bedraggled and delirious, Alice welcomes him in, finding herself seduced by the promises he makes.

1850. In Newgate prison, Nathaniel Greene stands accused of murder. Philanthropist Jesse Malone and psychic Hubert Crowe are determined to understand what happened, but the story Greene has to tell is almost unbelievable: one of monstrous, impossible creations made in an outhouse laboratory.

To uncover the truth behind Greene’s bizarre claims, the two investigators must delve into a terrifying world where the men play God once more, and the ghosts of the past appear to be alive and vengeful.

In this visionary sequel to Mary Shelley’s peerless classic, old experiments resume, new mysteries arise, and the true question of mankind’s morality is tested once more.

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