Title: Frankenstein: The Legacy
Author: Christopher Schildt
Date of First Publication: 2001
Place of Publication: Pocket Books
Type: Novel
Characters: No Character
Themes: BYRONIC HERO; MAD SCIENTIST/MONSTER; SYMPATHETIC MONSTER
Critical Summary: In Christopher Schildt’s Frankenstein: The Legacy, a Princeton professor named Daniel becomes obsessed with his work and mysteriously disappears, leaving a tricky and curious case for the investigators of the second part of the novel. The story is told by an active character to an inactive character, as Daniel verbally recalls events to a priest to narrate the novel. This leads to intriguing details being left out in part one that can later be pieced together in the second portion of the novel when the U.S. government desires to discover the truth behind the existence of Victor Frankenstein’s journal and executes an investigation into the story of Daniel, the protagonist of the first portion. The novel also ends with an exciting scene that could easily transition in to a sequel to this novel as the infamous notes of Victor Frankenstein are still in existence after the creation of two different Creatures.
Frankenstein: The Legacy can be used as a research tool for any project dealing with “Frankensteinesque” novels as the story not only mentions Victor Frankenstein, but also uses his story as a factual event in history. This novel is also satisfies admirers of Shelley’s famous novel as it bears many resemblances of the novel, and is told in a nearly identical fashion. The thematic elements of both novels are similar as well as they both defend the notion of caution when it comes to “playing god” or creating sentient life. Although Schildt’s novel is in many ways homage to Shelley, he also creates numerous details that give the story its own uniqueness, originality, and creativeness. The novel takes place in modern America, and is told in the same past tense style but through verbal communication rather than written displaying Schildt’s desire to mirror Shelley without copying exact aspects of her style. The parallel events of the creation of the creature, a mad scientist whose work leads to antisocial behavior, the disregard of family and friends from dedication to their work, the creature’s desire for a female counterpart, the trail of death and destruction made by the creature, and the immaturity of the creator all occur in both novels. Schildt plays with these events in his plot to give an almost humorous read to his audience that is familiar with Shelley’s work. The two novels also end in a similar fashion. Shelley concludes her novel with the Creature still alive and leading the reader to question what his future will be, while Schildt concludes his novel with the notes of Victor Frankenstein being sent to Harvard leading the reader to wonder if a third creature will eventually be created. Both endings leave the reader room to imagine what the concluding events of the novel could lead to, more death or the conclusion of an experiment that was never meant to happen.
Administrative Notes: Dylan Hensley, CSUF; Joshua Newman, CSUF (editing)