(MENAFN- The Conversation) Mary Shelley's Frankenstein has long served as a parable – a warning against the hubris of playing God, the dangers of motherless creation, reckless parenthood and unchecked scientific ambition. It's a story that continues to resonate, revealing how little human ego and error have changed over time.

In the latest adaptation from horror maestro Guillermo del Toro, the tale of a mad scientist and his unnatural creation is reimagined with his signature touch. Like Shelley's original, the film challenges us to ask: Who is the real monster?

Del Toro layers this timeless question with visual and thematic echoes from his own canon. Fans will spot traces of Crimson Peak in the gothic set design, Cronos in the intricate costuming, and The Shape of Water in its emotional core.

This version of Frankenstein is a visual feast – lavishly constructed and meticulously researched. As our reviewer Sharon Ruston points out, it incorporates real elements from early surgical education, including the gruesome 17th-century anatomy guides known as the Evelyn Tables. It also weaves in the history of Arctic exploration; those familiar with the doomed voyages of the Terror and Erebus will recognise their spectral influence.

I strongly recommend seeing this in cinemas. The immersive sound design and Alexandre Desplat's haunting score pull you deep into this eerie, beautiful world. And if you're in London, don't miss the exhibition at Selfridges, where you can get up close to the props and costumes and appreciate the craftsmanship behind the film. It pairs perfectly with a visit to the Hunterian Museum, where the real Evelyn Tables are on display.

Frankenstein is in cinemas now, and will be available to watch on Netflix from November 7.

Read more: Guillermo de Toro's Frankenstein: beguiling adaptation stays true to heart of Mary Shelley's story

Bold women

Virginia Woolf has a new book out. No, she hasn't sent it from beyond the grave. And no, it's not the product of an AI trained on her oeuvre. The Life of Violet is a newly unearthed early work by Woolf, available to read for the very first time.

This early foray into the genre of mock biography – which she would later explore more fully in Flush and Orlando – is composed of three short, fairytale-like stories chronicling the life of her close friend, Violet Dickinson.

Within these vivid, fantastical sketches, we see the early sparks of themes that would later define Woolf's work: sharp satire of societal ills, the suffocating constraints of social norms, the joys and limits of womanhood, the quiet power of female friendship, and the deep yearning for freedom and choice.

Short, surreal and bitingly witty, these stories are a treat for new readers and a treasure for long-time Woolf fans who thought they had read it all.

Life of Violet: Three Early Stories is available at most bookshops

Read more: The Life of Violet: three unearthed early stories where Virginia Woolf's genius first sparks to life

If you're looking for something binge-worthy this weekend, don't miss Riot Women, Sally Wainwright's bold and brilliant new drama.

The series follows five menopausal women who rediscover themselves – and find their voices – through punk at a time when life is pulling them in every direction: children, ageing parents, difficult men and demanding jobs with lousy bosses.

Tonally rich and emotionally layered, Riot Women balances laugh-out-loud moments with poignant, deeply felt drama. It's a nuanced portrait of midlife – of caregiving, exhaustion, resilience and the fierce beauty of friendship.“These are not neat storylines,” reviewer Beth Johnson writes,“they are ongoing negotiations with life.”

The show's strength lies in Wainwright's deft storytelling, and an exceptional cast including Joanna Scanlan, Tamsin Greig and Rosalie Craig.

Riot Women is available to watch on BBC iPlayer now

Read more: With Riot Women, Sally Wainwright is turning menopause into punk rebellion

More than just art

I first encountered the work of Lee Miller last year at the Heide Museum of Modern Art in Melbourne. I was instantly captivated. Here was a woman far ahead of her time: model, fashion photographer, surrealist artist and one of the few female war correspondents accredited by the US Army during the second world war.

Her photographs are fearless, witty and wide-ranging – from surreal shots of Egypt's landscapes to scenes of wartime London. As fine art expert Lynn Hilditch notes, the documentation of people in the liberated Holocaust camps and refugees in the aftermath stand out as both harrowing and deeply human.

Now, Miller's work takes centre stage in the first major UK retrospective at Tate Britain. Featuring more than 250 vintage and modern prints, film and original publications (many never before shown), the exhibition is a long-overdue celebration of her legacy.

Lee Miller's work is impressively diverse in its subject and tone. Lee Miller Archives/Wikimedia

Lee Miller is at Tate Britain in London till 15 February 2026.

Read more: Lee Miller retrospective confirms her as one of the most important photographers of the 20th century

If you're after an autumn city break, Amsterdam makes for a perfect long weekend – and right now, the Van Gogh Museum is offering something truly special.

On show is a remarkable exhibition bringing together 14 portraits of the family of Joseph Roulin – the postman who became one of Van Gogh's closest friends during his time in Arles, in the south of France. Van Gogh painted Roulin's wife Augustine and their three children with affection and intensity, transforming ordinary subjects into something universal.

As Frances Fowle writes, Van Gogh wasn't just painting individuals – he was capturing archetypes. In these enigmatic portraits, we see not just a family but timeless figures: a comforting mother, a boy desperate to be a man, an innocent baby.

The Roulin family portraits represent more than just who they were as individuals. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston/Museum Folkwang Essen/Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Van Gogh and the Roulins – Together Again At Last is at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam until January 11 2026.

Read more: Van Gogh and the Roulins: a family reunion of the artist's greatest portraits

In other exciting news, The Conversation UK's arts team is launching a podcast to mark 250 years since Jane Austen's birth. This series will take you on a journey through the author's life and times with the help of the UK's top Austen experts.

Over six episodes, one per book, we visit a scandal-filled bun shop in Bath, go for a windswept walk along the sea shore at Lyme Regis, and attend a glittering Regency ball in York to find out more about the woman behind the novels. This is Austen as you've never known her before. The first episode is out in November, but you can listen to the trailer here now.

This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop The Conversation UK may earn a commission.

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