One of Alasdair Gray's most brilliant creations, Poor Things is a
postmodern revision of Frankenstein that replaces the traditional
monster with Bella Baxter--a beautiful young erotomaniac brought back to
life with the brain of an infant. Godwin Baxter's scientific ambition to
create the perfect companion is realized when he finds the drowned body
of Bella, but his dream is thwarted by Dr. Archibald McCandless's
jealous love for Baxter's creation.
The hilarious tale of love and scandal that ensues would be "the whole
story" in the hands of a lesser author (which in fact it is, for this
account is actually written by Dr. McCandless). For Gray, though, this
is only half the story, after which Bella (a.k.a. Victoria McCandless)
has her own say in the matter.
Satirizing the classic Victorian novel, Poor Things is a hilarious
political allegory and a thought-provoking duel between the desires of
men and the independence of women, from one of Scotland's most
accomplished authors. Alasdair Gray is the author of over a dozen novels
and short story collections, including Lanark, 1982 Janine, and
Unlikely Stories, Mostly.
