Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is the seminal work of Gothic horror and the birth of science fiction. Consumed by ambition, the brilliant young scientist Victor Frankenstein uncovers the secret of animating lifeless matter — and brings into being a creature of superhuman strength and unbearable loneliness. Spurned and abandoned by its maker, the creature turns from longing to vengeance, and pursuer and pursued are drawn toward a devastating reckoning that carries them across Europe and into the frozen wastes of the Arctic. A haunting meditation on ambition, responsibility, and the meaning of humanity, this edition presents Shelley's complete and unabridged masterpiece, newly typeset and illustrated with 41 full-page color plates.