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Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'
Her Lost Words: A Novel of Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley by Stephanie Marie Thornton
4 reviews
imogensinklings's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Animal death, Blood, Miscarriage, Animal cruelty, and Child death
carireadsbooksandtarot's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Thornton brings to life two extraordinary women authors whose work changed the world, paving the way for countless women after them. Mary Wollstonecraft was just thirty-eight years old when she died shortly after giving birth to her daughter. She lives on in her sentinel work, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, and her daughter, Mary who grows up to pen the masterpiece, Frankenstein. In alternating chapters, readers are invited into each of the women’s lives as they both forsake society to write, live, and love with a degree of freedom unheard of for most women of the period.
I knew next to nothing about the lives of either Wollstonecraft or Shelley and thoroughly enjoyed this well-researched and beautifully written novel. Both mother and daughter were pioneers in the arena of women’s rights in the late 18th and early 19th century. Joining them on their travels was fascinating and being invited to imagine what their relationships might have been like felt like a rare privilege. Once I got into a rhythm, it was hard to put this book down.
I have a particular fondness for fictional narratives about real women from history considering how many women’s stories are completely lost to time. Thornton has done a service to Wollstonecraft and Shelley by bringing them to life with skill and respect. Thornton is especially good at putting words to emotions, from the highs of enduring love to the lows of unimaginable loss. I will be checking out her backlist.
Thank you to The Book Drop and its Books for Tea subscription which reliably sends me brilliant works of historical fiction that I wouldn’t have found on my own. I can’t recommend this subscription highly enough!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Miscarriage
Minor: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse
mrsamandalamb's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Miscarriage
Minor: Domestic abuse
transportedlfl's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I am especially pleased to share an amazing new historical fiction that highlights two fabulous female authors.
I was initially introduced to Mary Wollstonecraft's writing through historical romances with strong female protagonists. In many ways, Mary Wollstonecraft is the forerunner to much of modern feminist thinking. And though I had forgotten, she was also Mary Shelley's mother.
The book was told in first person with alternating chapters from Mary Wallstonecraft and Mary Godwin/Shelley. Though I knew a bit of the history of both women separately, I especially appreciated the choice to pair them in this way. Reading their alternating perspectives made the choices and feelings of each all the richer.
Mary Wallstonecraft is best known for writing A Vindication of the Rights of Women. She advocated for women's education, suffrage, the right to divorce and property. I had not known of her additional writings on the French Revolution or travel. So I learned a great deal reading this.
I especially appreciated the Author's Note in which Stephanie Marie Thornton clarified when and how she changed facts for a simpler story (especially in terms of so many women named Mary). As she describes it herself, this book is a love letter to both Mary Wallstonecraft and Mary Shelley and to the amazing writing both did.
The narration was done by two women: Grace Gray as Mary Shelley and Hannah Curtis as Mary Wallstonecraft. I found it quite helpful that their voices were different in following which story I was listening to at the time.
CW: domestic violence, suicide, loss of a child
I was initially introduced to Mary Wollstonecraft's writing through historical romances with strong female protagonists. In many ways, Mary Wollstonecraft is the forerunner to much of modern feminist thinking. And though I had forgotten, she was also Mary Shelley's mother.
The book was told in first person with alternating chapters from Mary Wallstonecraft and Mary Godwin/Shelley. Though I knew a bit of the history of both women separately, I especially appreciated the choice to pair them in this way. Reading their alternating perspectives made the choices and feelings of each all the richer.
Mary Wallstonecraft is best known for writing A Vindication of the Rights of Women. She advocated for women's education, suffrage, the right to divorce and property. I had not known of her additional writings on the French Revolution or travel. So I learned a great deal reading this.
I especially appreciated the Author's Note in which Stephanie Marie Thornton clarified when and how she changed facts for a simpler story (especially in terms of so many women named Mary). As she describes it herself, this book is a love letter to both Mary Wallstonecraft and Mary Shelley and to the amazing writing both did.
The narration was done by two women: Grace Gray as Mary Shelley and Hannah Curtis as Mary Wallstonecraft. I found it quite helpful that their voices were different in following which story I was listening to at the time.
CW: domestic violence, suicide, loss of a child
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, and Child death
Moderate: Suicide
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