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    Gods and Monsters: A Novel
    Unavailable
    Gods and Monsters: A Novel
    Unavailable
    Gods and Monsters: A Novel
    Ebook373 pages8 hours

    Gods and Monsters: A Novel

    By Christopher Bram

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Previously titled Father of Frankenstein, this acclaimed novel was the basis for the 1998 film starring Sir Ian McKellen, Lynn Redgrave, and Brendan Fraser. It journeys back to 1957 Los Angeles, where James Whale, the once-famous director of such classics as Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein, is living in retirement, haunted by his past. Rescuing him from his too-vivid imagination is his gardener, a handsome ex-marine. The friendship between these two very different men is sometimes tentative, sometimes touching, often dangerous—and always captivating.

    This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.

    Editor's Note

    Father of Frankenstein…

    A Hollywood director’s relationship with his ex-marine gardner is rife with sexual tension in this landmark work of gay fiction, adapted into an Oscar-winning film.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateOct 13, 2009
    ISBN9780061857461
    Unavailable
    Gods and Monsters: A Novel
    Author

    Christopher Bram

    Christopher Bram is the author of eight other novels, including Gods and Monsters (originally titled Father of Frankenstein), which was made into an Academy Award-winning film. Bram was a 2001 Guggenheim Fellow and received the 2003 Bill Whitehead Award for Lifetime Achievement. He lives in New York City.

    Read more from Christopher Bram

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    Reviews for Gods and Monsters

    4/5

    73 ratings6 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Loved the GODS AND MONSTERS movie and since a copy of this came across my desk in 1st edition hardcover, I couldn't pass it up at used book prices. We'll see how it holds up to the movie (and vice-versa). The author's repertoire looks interesting and based on this book, I may follow up with more.

      SES
    • 4/5
      Originally titled "Father of Frankenstein" and subsequently changed to "Gods and Monsters" to match the movie version, this novel is a subtly charming rendition of the last two weeks of the life of James Whale, director of horror flicks Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein (as well as many others). At this point in his life, Whale has just recovered (somewhat) from a stroke and is living alone in his mansion. After making the acquaintance of his young, butch, former Marine yardman Clayton, Whale sets in motion a hare-brained scheme to end his own life.

      What gives the novel texture are the nuanced portraits of the unsophisticated but ultimately soft-hearted Clayton (who is encountering a professed homosexual for the first time in his life -- that he knows of) and Whale, who is haunted by his working class origins in England as well as by his haunting experiences in the Great War. In particular, Whale's mix of the maudlin, queeny repartee, and a drole and dismal gallows humor drive the narration.

      Bram's prose is workmanlike and simple, but the portraits are nuanced and there is a sprinkle of Hollywood glitz over the whole. Bram's amusingly self-deprecating Afterword (written after the film version's release) is a humorous counterpoint to the novel's inevitable end.
    • 5/5
      Great book
    • 4/5
      Each of the lead characters in this book had distinctive voices, and interesting personalities and backstories. I liked the developing friendship between two unlikely characters. This was a novel about depression, sexual identity, and prejudice. The narrative was well written, the dialog was excellent, and I thought the premise was intriguing. Worth reading.
    • 4/5
      This is a surprisingly sweet and gentle novel.
    • 5/5
      Moving, gripping, very well-written. Loved it.