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Christopher Bram has been a popular gay author for many years, but I had until recently never been tempted into reading any of his books, but having just seen (and enormously enjoyed) the movie Gods and Monsters, I was attracted to the book to see how it compared to the film. For a change the movie was fairly faithful to the book, but with some parts being got across better with the film's great cinematography, and other parts coming across better in the book. The book is an engrossing read and in many ways I think I would have liked to have come to the book not knowing the story, and thus discovered the suspense and emotion of the story along with the wit and liveliness of the writing style. But in other ways being able to recall some of the classic scenes from the movie while reading was an advantage, particularly scenes with the maid - she was a real scene-stealer in the movie. The storyline is Bram's fictionalisation of the last days in the life of a real person - James Whale, a gay Hollywood director in the '30s and 40's, whose films included the early Frankenstein films (and also films like Showboat!). When the book starts Whale has moved on from making monsters in the studio to a life of increasing obscurity, and more frustratingly, confusion and disorientation following a stroke. His last desperate attempt to create a monster from the poor innocent gardener ultimately fails, but along the way the development of the relationship between the declining Whale and the confused, sympathetic, and in some ways even more desperate and needy gardener is a classic read. In the end the many monsters in Whale's life end up bringing him to his death, in what could really be considered a happy ending! One of the reviews of the movie that I read claimed that neither Father of Frankenstein or Gods and Monsters was a particularly compelling title, but I would have to disagree, particularly for G&M, and particularly after the fact! Regardless, I would say read the book for the beauty and simplicity of the writing style, see the movie for the cinematography (and Lynn Redgrave as the maid) and do either for a great story!
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