Mary Shelley: The Strange True Tale of Frankenstein's Creator

by Catherine Reef (Author)

Mary Shelley: The Strange True Tale of Frankenstein's Creator
Reading Level: 8th − 9th Grade
On the 200th anniversary of the publication of Frankenstein, comes a riveting biography of its author, Mary Shelley, whose life reads like a dark gothic novel, filled with scandal, death, drama, and one of the strangest love stories in literary history. The story of Frankenstein's creator is a strange, romantic, and tragic one, as deeply compelling as the novel itself. Mary ran away to Lake Geneva with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley when she was just sixteen. It was there, during a cold and wet summer, that she first imagined her story about a mad scientist who brought a corpse back to life. Success soon followed for Mary, but also great tragedy and misfortune. Catherine Reef brings this passionate woman, brilliant writer, and forgotten feminist into crisp focus, detailing a life that was remarkable both before and after the publication of her iconic masterpiece. Includes index.
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$19.99

ALA/Booklist

Reef does an excellent job of putting Mary Shelley's life and work in context. Teen fans of Frankenstein will be doubly rewarded by both an account of the inspiration for the novel and the fascinating, scandal-rich life of its author.

Kirkus

A thorough, sensitive portrayal of one of literature's most remarkable authors.

School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up--Reef traces the unconventional life of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, beginning with the somewhat gruesome discovery after her death of her husband's shriveled heart in a portable writing desk. Involved from age 16 in a relationship with the already married poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, the teen wandered Europe for much of their time together, escaping disapproving families in England. Constantly short of funds, the couple often depended on the kindness of friends, including Lord Byron and editor/poet Leigh Hunt. At a gathering in a house rented by Bryon, the group challenged each other to write a ghost story, and Shelley produced the story of Victor Frankenstein and the being he brought to life. The bibliography is impressive; the author has mined primary and secondary sources to provide a detailed picture of Shelley's life. Nearly every page has images of people or places that help establish the social context of the early 1800s. Recounted chronologically, the narrative reads smoothly, spiced throughout with quotes from letters, journals, and poems. Reef manages to keep clear for readers the often complex tangle of Shelley's family relationships and friendships. Shelley comes solidly to life as a woman who, like her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, bucked the conventions of her time to follow her own star. VERDICT A strong source for research and simply a good read for biography fans.--Katherine Koenig, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"Reef does an excellent job of putting Mary Shelley's life and work in context. Teen fans of Frankenstein will be doubly rewarded by both an account of the inspiration for the novel and the fascinating, scandal-rich life of its author." — Booklist

"A thorough, sensitive portrayal of one of literature's most remarkable authors." — Kirkus Reviews

"A pleasurably angst-infused read." — Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Shelley comes solidly to life as a woman who, like her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, bucked the conventions of her time to follow her own star." — School Library Journal

Catherine Reef

The award-winning Catherine Reef is the author of more than forty nonfiction books for young readers, including Jane Austen: A Life Revealed, among many other biographies. She lives in College Park, Maryland. Visit her at www.catherinereef.com.

Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9781328740052
Lexile Measure
1010
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Clarion Books
Publication date
September 18, 2018
Series
-
BISAC categories
YAN006030 - Young Adult Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Historical
YAN006040 - Young Adult Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Literary
YAN006140 - Young Adult Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Women
Library of Congress categories
19th century
Biographies
Authors, English
Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft

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