Frankenstein is the classic tale of a sentient being who is brought to life by an unorthodox scientific experiment, and then abandoned by the horrified doctor. Delving into the minds of Dr. Frankenstein and the Creature he created, this epistolary novel is considered one of the first works of true science fiction, and a prime example of the influence of the Gothic and Romantic literary movements. The story started from a competition among some of the finest literary minds of Shelley's age.