Jess C’s Shelfie
This is my beloved Frankenstein bookshelf. When I first read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus about 20 years ago, it moved me in a way I couldn’t fully name at the time. It left a lasting impression that has persistently shaped how I understand human suffering, responsibility, and the ethical dimensions of care in my work as a psychologist.
Over the years, and through multiple re-readings, I’ve come to see clearer parallels between Shelley’s creature and the incarcerated patients I work with; the longing to be seen, to belong, and the harm that grows out of rejection and isolation. It has been my favorite book ever since, and as I get older, it remains a formative text that continues to influence my worldview and how I practice. Over time, I’ve also collected different editions as a way of returning to a story that keeps revealing new meaning.
I was so excited when Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein was released! Seeing the story reimagined with such love and care only fortified my love for, and gratitude, toward a text that keeps giving me new ways to understand people.
I am the proud daughter of immigrant parents, who, like the Creature, sought belonging and acceptance in places that weren’t always welcoming. Growing up, they encouraged my love for books, and I found my sense of belonging in books, stories, and bookstores; my happy places.
Shelfies is edited by Lavie Tidhar and Jared Shurin.
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