A remarkable story: Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein

#MaryandtheBirthofFrankenstein #NetGalley

I am currently taking a class in which I just read Frankenstein. That book was reportedly written as a challenge when a group, including Shelley and Byron, challenged one another to write a scary story. Mary took the challenge very seriously though it took a bit of time for her to feel inspired. She then wrote a novel that has resonated for audiences up to the present day. Read the original to understand the sublime and what it means to create an amazing story and with the many questions that it raises.

Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein imagines these events during that strange”year without a summer” when Mary wrote the novel. Mary’s psyche and relationships are presented to the reader. Without doubt, they are complex. The author also looks back to Mary’s earlier life in Scotland and a relationship that she (reportedly-I don’t really know) had there. How did this influence the writing of the classic about Victor and the creature?

This is a novel (beautifully translated from the Dutch) that Mary Shelley aficionados will most certainly want to take a look at. It is atmospheric and interesting.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Via for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 03 October 2023

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