FRANKENSTEIN

Jim Weiss, noted for his spirited, thoughtful storytelling for children, tries something different with this very adult classic. He does it well. Though initially his reading seems affected, caricaturing rather than characterizing, the listener is quietly swept up, especially after Dr. Frankenstein creates his monster. From that point on, Weiss reads with a slight European accent that adds to the novel’s gothic tone and makes the story even more moving. Weaknesses in the presentation after this rest in Mary Shelley’s implausible narrative, not Jim Weiss’s reading. P.E.F. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 02/ JAN 03]