Gia Gould and Claire Pollock

Summary: At only 18 years old, Mary Shelley began writing her first book: Frankenstein. The story explores the life and experiences of Victor Frankenstein, a scientist fascinated by the mysteries of life. This leads him to create the monster known in pop culture today and seen as a hallmark of Halloween. However, upon the creation, he finds the creature horrific—so much so that he abandons it—and wishes never to see it again. But the monster has other plans, and causes havoc. Victor learns of...

Author’s Note: Unlike our previous reviews, we decided to combine the summary and review portion for Little Women. There is simply less for us to critique in this novel, especially because so much of its value comes from its characters and the way Alcott approaches their lives. Instead, we wanted to focus more on why a novel written more than 150 years ago can still feel so personal. In many ways, the March sisters’ experiences with growing up, forming their identities, and figuring out what...