Stryker's essay is a masterclass in weaving personal narrative with literary critique. The 'characters' are really two intertwined figures: Stryker and Frankenstein's monster. She doesn't just analyze the creature; she embodies its rage and vulnerability, drawing parallels to her own life as a trans woman. The absence of a traditional cast makes the piece feel intimate, like a midnight confession. What sticks with me is how she reclaims the monster's narrative—it's not a tale of horror but one of resistance. The way she writes about bodies, both the creature's and her own, is achingly beautiful. It's less about who's in the story and more about how their stories collide.
This essay flips the script on character roles entirely. Stryker and the Frankenstein monster share the spotlight, but in a way that feels more like a duet than a duel. Her words give the creature new life, turning it into a symbol of trans resilience. There's no supporting cast—just these two voices, one historical and one deeply personal, echoing each other across time. It's sparse yet overflowing with meaning, like a poem you can't shake off.
Reading 'My Words to Victor Frankenstein Above the Village of Chamounix' feels like stepping into a storm of emotions and reflections. The main character isn't a traditional protagonist—it's the narrator herself, Susan Stryker, a trans woman who engages in a powerful dialogue with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. She doesn't just retell the story; she intertwines her own experiences with the monster's alienation, creating a haunting parallel. The essay is less about multiple characters and more about this visceral connection between Stryker and Frankenstein's creature, both outcasts navigating a world that rejects them.
What fascinates me is how Stryker uses the monster as a metaphor for trans identity, dissecting themes of body horror, societal fear, and the longing for acceptance. There's no villain or hero here—just raw, poetic introspection. It's the kind of work that lingers in your mind for days, making you question how we define humanity.
If you're expecting a cast of characters like in a novel, this piece might surprise you. The heart of it is Stryker's own voice, fierce and unapologetic, confronting Frankenstein's legacy through a trans lens. She speaks directly to the creature, almost like a kindred spirit, and through that conversation, she becomes the focal point. The monster, in a way, is less a separate entity and more a mirror for her struggles—misunderstood, stitched together by others' expectations, and yearning for freedom. It's a brilliant, deeply personal take that blurs the line between literary analysis and memoir.
2026-03-18 07:28:15
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The Vampire's Tribute
Jane Above Story
8.8
15.0K
Olivia was proposed to by her lover Jacob, but she couldn't agree. They could not make love or even kiss. Because this was a vampire-ruled country, werewolves were vampires' slaves. All werewolf women must remain chaste, because every young girl was a tribute waiting to be chosen by a vampire. Once a girl turned 15, she would enter the annual lottery. Only girls who were not chosen five times in a row were allowed to fall in love with their mate, and vampires considered five years of waiting a mercy. Olivia had not been selected for four consecutive years, and as long as she failed again this year, she could marry Jacob. This year's tribute lottery was special, and all tributes would be dedicated to the legendary Vampire Duke Damien. Olivia was lucky not to be chosen. Unfortunately, her sister became a tribute. To save her sister, Olivia volunteered to be a tribute. Unbeknownst to Olivia, her blood had aroused Damien's interest. When a vampire came looking for the blood pet chosen by Damien, an accident caused Olivia to swap identities with another tribute. Olivia planned to escape, but was found by vampires and became their appetizer. Just as Olivia was about to fall into nothingness, she heard an indifferent voice.“Who allowed you to hurt my pet?”
I was barely a young girl when I was sent to him to be trained as an assassin.
Marco didn't just turn me into a ruthless killer-he made me a woman.
I was his protégé.
He was my Master - of my mind, body, and soul.
But I wanted more.
I wanted to be HIS WOMAN.
And how long was he going to deny me?
Scott had always hated humans ever since the begining of his existence. He believed that they were only good for one thing... As food bags.
Alijah was the average human girl who loved her lonely life and prefered peace to every other thing. Her life turned around when she became involved with Scott, a man who seemed to hate her gut for no reason.
Some harsh truth became open and Scott was left with no choice than to either become a forced bodyguard or let the entire vampire race be vanquished.
Family is everything. Blood is everything. You only live, die and kill for your family."
Born and raised in secret, like a ghost who never existed, Lilliana Moretti was brought up to be used as a secret weapon against one of the most ruthless crime families-the Romanos.
And when she walked into the devil's lair willingly-pretending to be in love with the second-in-command of the Romano Empire, Dominic Romano-too many buried secrets were unearthed, leaving her shattered.
An uphill battle between two crime families unleashed chaos like never before.
While two people were out for each other's blood with bleeding hearts, little did they realize their love was more lethal than their hatred for each other.
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E X C E R P T -
My fingers tangled in her hair as I forced her downward.
“I’m not going to kneel before you like you’re some kind of god,” she snarled.
The corner of my mouth curved into a slow, dark smile.
“No,” I agreed, voice low and steady. “You’re not going to kneel for me.”
I leaned in closer, eyes locked on hers.
“You’re going to spread your legs for me, Lilliana—because I’m the monster, baby. The real one.”
For five years, the entire vampire world knew that Caelan Vale only drank my blood.
Not because I was special. Simply because he chose me, and everyone assumed that made me the Vampire Prince’s only blood source. His only exception.
Until tonight.
The man who never allowed anyone to touch him lowered his head and drank from another woman’s hand.
Isolde Voss. Caelan’s real fiancée.
“Claire, you didn’t actually think a human could become a Prince's consort, did you?”
I stood there without moving.
Humans could only ever remain human.
I thought I was the exception. In the end, I never even qualified to be one.
I placed the blood bond release papers in front of him and told him they were travel documents.
Caelan didn’t even lower his eyes.
The black fountain pen slid across the page as he signed his name with careless ease, just like everything he had done to me over the past five years.
He had no idea that what he was personally letting go of was not just me.
Beneath my cloak, I was already carrying his only half-blood heir.
Later, everyone searched for the runaway human.
But by then, I had already erased my scent.
This time, even the high and mighty Vampire Prince would not find me so easily.
Once, I was the one begging for his love.
Now, it was his turn.
Twin Vampire Princes’ Regret After Choosing a Human
Alyssa J
1
5.4K
My sister Isolde and I used to be human.
The twin vampire princes, Caelum and Dorian, turned us and married us.
The entire vampire world celebrated. Two human sisters, personally turned by the Crown Princes? It was the highest honor a mortal could receive.
We believed we were loved.
We were fools.
Five months into my pregnancy, I was attacked by a group of exiled vampires in the forest beyond our territory.
I called Caelum nine times. He didn’t pick up.
The exiles circled me, cutting into my arms and legs with blades that burned. Pain tore through my body.
I called a tenth time.
This time, Caelum’s cold voice came through: “Haven’t you had enough? Vivienne is being tracked by hunters. Stop bothering me.”
Vivienne was the human girl that both princes truly loved. The one who had refused to be turned.
With nothing to stop them now, the exiles closed in. Their leader drove a blade into my stomach. I watched the light leave my body from the inside out, and felt my unborn child die.
When I was close to death, my sister Isolde found me and fought the exiles off.
But there were too many. Isolde was badly wounded. She called her husband Dorian for help. All she got was: “Looking for Vivienne. Don’t bother me.”
Isolde carried me and ran. A storm hit and we were caught in the open at dawn—deadly for wounded vampires.
The border patrol found us just in time. We barely survived.
When I woke up in the infirmary, my first thought was simple: Sever the bond.
The main characters in 'Valentine Frankenstein' are a fascinating mix of gothic romance and modern twists. First, there’s Valentine herself—a reimagined take on the classic 'bride of Frankenstein,' but with way more agency. She’s not just a patchwork of parts; she’s a fierce, curious soul navigating a world that fears her. Then there’s Viktor, the scientist who created her, but this version is less of a mad genius and more of a tortured artist, obsessed with perfection but haunted by his own humanity. The dynamic between them is less about horror and more about longing, identity, and the question of what makes someone 'real.'
Rounding out the cast is Elise, a human journalist who stumbles into their world, serving as the audience’s lens. She’s skeptical at first but gets drawn into their story, blurring the lines between observer and participant. The supporting characters—like Gregor, Viktor’s rival, and Lena, a fellow 'creation' with her own agenda—add layers of conflict and intrigue. What I love about this version is how it plays with expectations, turning the original myth into a story about love, not just monsters.