Although I should have read the novel first, it was the 2023 film adaptation starring Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe that prompted me to pick up Poor Things by Scottish author Alasdair Gray (1934-2019). (According to the book stats, I was not the only one.) It exceeded my expectations, especially after reading it back-to-back with [b:Frankenstein|24131836|Frankenstein|Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1419726724l/24131836.SY75.jpg|4836639].

The comparison between the two books goes beyond the shared theme of resurrection. Both novels are structured as frame stories. Gray begins with a late-20th-century narrator explaining how a manuscript was discovered by one Archibald McCandless, accompanied by a more recent letter from Victoria McCandless, dismissing the story as nonsense. The two integral texts follow. Archibald’s story is so wildly fantastic that it’s a delight to read. It recounts how the scientist Godwin Baxter replaces the brain of a deceased young woman with that of her unborn child, after which he takes care of the ‘adult baby’. Combining a curious and observant nature with an autonomous mind and a complete lack of filter in her expression, Bella makes a lasting impression on literature.

Through Bella’s inquisitive character, Gray explores the boundaries of human nature. Her bold journey of self-discovery results in fascinating interactions, particularly with men, who seem incapable of offering Bella anything without attaching a claim (to marriage). The events toward the end of the story highlight just how far that can go.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It reminded me of other stories, such as [b:The Curious Case of Benjamin Button|18078374|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button|F. Scott Fitzgerald|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1371405092l/18078374.SY75.jpg|1650517] or [b:Life of Pi|4214|Life of Pi|Yann Martel|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1631251689l/4214.SY75.jpg|1392700], but it is ultimately a truly unique work. Gray’s use of letters did not always resonate with me, but I cannot hold such a minor flaw against an otherwise splendid work.

It is wonderful for a creator to see the offspring live, feel and act independently. I read Genesis three years ago and could not understand God’s displeasure when Eve and Adam chose to know good and evil – chose to be Godlike. That should have been his proudest hour.