A-Z Blogging Challenge: F is for Frankenstein Pop-Ups

Frankenstein Pop-Ups

During last year's A-Z, I wrote about one of the Dracula pop-up books that I have; this year, I thought it only fair that I should include my Frankenstein pop-up book! As with the Dracula pop-up book, this adaptation of the famed Mary Shelley novel features the talents of Clare Bampton (story adaptation), Anthony Williams (illustrations) and David Hawcock (pop-ups), with the addition of Rob Taylor (colour), and is published by Walker Books as well.

Frankenstein is equally as visually appealing, and the panels featuring the creature are particularly emotive and well-executed. The story is shortened, surmised and details left out in order to fit the constraints of an illustrated pop-up book, which does make it feel slightly rushed in places. However, where an author might spend ten to twenty pages or more on each description of scenery, emotions, reactions etc. the illustrations and pop-ups create the scene in a page or less and the impact is much more immediate. 

Some of the paper craft creations, such as the one above, are close to half a metre high, which can't help but leave a lasting impression!

Whilst I won't pretend that this pop-up is a substitute for reading the original Frankenstein text, for horror fans who want something different after working through the novel several times, and for younger readers who aren't quite ready to tackle The Modern Prometheus yet, this is a fun and novel spin on a beautiful book.

This post is part of the A-Z Blogging Challenge, 2013.

A-Z Challenge: F is for...Futakuchi-onna

F is for...Futakuchi-onna
Image by Laura Plansker

Futakuchi-onna (two-mouthed woman) are yōkai - a type of supernatural being / monster from Japanese mythology. They are starving women, or women who eat very small portions, who develop a second mouth at the back of their heads, under their hair. The mouth is fully functional and ravenous, making up for the woman's meager portions by eating twice as much as she needs. If the woman refuses to feed the second mouth, it shrieks insults and obscenities at her until she complies, but can also use the unfortunate victim's hair as tentacles to grab the food for itself.

There are multiple variations on the story of how futakuchi-onna come into being, but many versions feature a young, beautiful woman that marries a miserly man who bullies her into not eating, as he doesn't want to pay for the food. As the starvation sets in, the woman begins to grow a second mouth, often due to some kind of demonic spirit taking hold, and it begins to gorge itself frequently. The new mouth also shouts terrible insults at her husband when he berates the woman for eating again, and he no longer bullies her. However, the mouth continues to scream at her if it is unfed.

Another, less common version of the tale features a woman that lets her step-child die of starvation, while feeding herself and her own children well. The child's spirit possesses the woman, creating the second mouth, and carries out its revenge by eating huge amounts and screeching spiteful insults at her when not fed. 

This post is part of the A-Z Blogging Challenge.