Reader discussion: The Last Man

Public reader discussion about The Last Man by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley.

I just finished Frankenstein, the first piece of classic literature I’ve ever read, and it was spectacular

By HawkBirch2001

What really stood out to me in the whole novel is how clearly it shows how much trauma can mess with a person. I was honestly blown away when Elizabeth is worried about Justine and talks to Victor about how it isn’t just about questioning a guy’s motives—it’s also about how you start questioning your own past and what you’ve been through. That’s exactly how I felt about someone who hurt me, and the way Shelley put it into words was so spot-on and really well done. Now I’m even more hyped to read more Victorian and gothic stuff—like, I can’t wait. 10/10!

Thought Doomsday Book by Connie Willis was a recent work based on its description of a pandemic, until I discovered it was written in 1992...

By Orchid89

That part with the American bell ringer protesting like, basically, “I’m not used to my rights being taken away like this—back home nobody would ever tell you where you can and can’t go.” And then it hit me that way of thinking ended up costing so many people later on, and it made me pause. Honestly, a couple lines in the book gave me this really intense COVID vibe, and I was genuinely surprised to learn it was written almost 30 years before COVID. I don’t know, maybe Americans have always been like that 😂 Edit: I’m American.