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annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review against another edition
4.0
This is typically a book to buy bookboxes for. I don't think I would have discovered the book without bookboxclub and I certainly don't know if I'd picked it up without my buddy's. Now I've finished the book (sorry Buddy's, I already read tomorrow's pages too) I'm actually glad that I discovered this book completely outside my usual comfort zone.
The book is written in a very beautiful, but easy to read style. It does take some time to get used to the fact that there are no chapters. Usually chapters are my breathing point AND the points where I pause my book. But, there were blank lines and bold lines to mark the dates, so it turned out this was actually way easier. There were many more moments to pause the book than there would have been if the book had been chaptered.
What's also interesting is the story. It's not the easiest tale to read. Mary's life, and also the lives of the other people who played a huge part in her story, has been far from easy. Due to the constant changes of perspective we get to know every character quite well, but they're not all likeable. I'd even go as far as saying that maybe no character, apart from maybe Fanny, was likeable. They were however all very human. And that made it so interesting. This were not sympathetic characters whom we rooted for, but these were real human beings we could hate and love and curse and cuddle.
But the book is interesting because of more than just the characters. It's also interesting because of the themes. In a way this book deals with female empowerment, with the position of women (and it reminds us that we've come a long way, but by far not long enough yet) and with the huge difference between dreams and reality and how much friction one can create when the ideology and theory are constantly contradicted by emotions and feelings. It's maybe not the most entertaining and amusing read, but it is an impressive one.
This year a new translation of Frankenstein will be released in the Netherlands and I can't wait to read that story while knowing what Mary's life might have been like. I'm sure it will add quite a few new layers to the story!
The book is written in a very beautiful, but easy to read style. It does take some time to get used to the fact that there are no chapters. Usually chapters are my breathing point AND the points where I pause my book. But, there were blank lines and bold lines to mark the dates, so it turned out this was actually way easier. There were many more moments to pause the book than there would have been if the book had been chaptered.
What's also interesting is the story. It's not the easiest tale to read. Mary's life, and also the lives of the other people who played a huge part in her story, has been far from easy. Due to the constant changes of perspective we get to know every character quite well, but they're not all likeable. I'd even go as far as saying that maybe no character, apart from maybe Fanny, was likeable. They were however all very human. And that made it so interesting. This were not sympathetic characters whom we rooted for, but these were real human beings we could hate and love and curse and cuddle.
But the book is interesting because of more than just the characters. It's also interesting because of the themes. In a way this book deals with female empowerment, with the position of women (and it reminds us that we've come a long way, but by far not long enough yet) and with the huge difference between dreams and reality and how much friction one can create when the ideology and theory are constantly contradicted by emotions and feelings. It's maybe not the most entertaining and amusing read, but it is an impressive one.
This year a new translation of Frankenstein will be released in the Netherlands and I can't wait to read that story while knowing what Mary's life might have been like. I'm sure it will add quite a few new layers to the story!
carolineroche's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this book! I was reading a prepub - this is out in February 2019. I don’t honestly know whether to place it in adult or older YA though - probably will go on the sixth form shelves. It tells the story of Mary Shelley and the events in her life which led up to the creation of Frankenstein. I really didn’t know much about her - let alone that she and her stepsister, both ages only sixteen, ran away with the married poet Shelley to live a life of free love, sharing him between them. Not about her children and how she sadly lost some of them as well in tragic circumstances. It was utterly fascinating and well written. Loved it!
loubraryoftheforest's review against another edition
3.0
Took me a while to get into, and at times I wished the story would move on bit quicker, hence 3 stars. Ultimately though I did enjoy it, it’s a very literal interpretation of Mary’s story. Mary is portrayed as the monster of her own creation, and not knowing much about her life and story I am intrigued now to go on and read more about her. She is portrayed as a somewhat selfish impudent naive girl, who believes passionately that her interpretation of the world is the truth, and that only love will save her, when ultimately it is her love for Shelley that destroys not only her own life, but all those around her. I wanted to both hold her in my arms and reassure her, and slap her for being such a brat all at the same time!
faemorgan's review against another edition
2.0
I'm not sure how to feel about this book. Truth, be told my interest in reading this book stemmed from the fact I had bookmark advertising it. I have not read Frankenstein yet, kinda bad, I know. The story was interesting, I will say that and when I was able to sit down and read it, I flew through the pages. However, I didn't feel connected to the characters and was just reading to see how it ended. I did enjoy it for the most part, but I probably won't find myself rereading it.
booksandlemonsquash's review against another edition
2.0
I honestly don’t know how best to review this. I’m not a great fan of historical fiction, but learning more about Mary Shelley was interesting. And I think that’s all I can really say about the book. It is interesting. I didn’t dislike it, I just didn’t like it either.
It’s also hard to tell fact from fiction in this, but I found all the characters unlikable to be honest. And the thing about historical fiction that annoys me is the culture in society against (or for) certain things, the way people behave. In this case simultaneously Mary cheating with Shelley, and society’s response to it. And then all of Shelley’s behaviour. I can’t help but wonder if he was truly polyamorous or if he was just a cheat. I say this more based on his first wife than his relationship with Mary and Claire, but honestly I read him more as someone who wanted multiple relationships but not the responsibility that comes with that and certainly not the openness and honesty it should entail.
Well written, but very much not for me, I’m afraid.
It’s also hard to tell fact from fiction in this, but I found all the characters unlikable to be honest. And the thing about historical fiction that annoys me is the culture in society against (or for) certain things, the way people behave. In this case simultaneously Mary cheating with Shelley, and society’s response to it. And then all of Shelley’s behaviour. I can’t help but wonder if he was truly polyamorous or if he was just a cheat. I say this more based on his first wife than his relationship with Mary and Claire, but honestly I read him more as someone who wanted multiple relationships but not the responsibility that comes with that and certainly not the openness and honesty it should entail.
Well written, but very much not for me, I’m afraid.
thewritebooks's review against another edition
2.0
I want to start of this review by saying that the actual content of this book was very interesting and I learnt a lot about the Shelleys and their families. However for me the writing style made it a drag to read.
I never knew Mary and Percy Shelley's relationship was such a scandal. They ran away together when Mary was 16, taking Mary's step-sister with them, despite Percy already being married and having 2 children. The over arching story of this book and their later life is altogether immensely depressing- it didn't really turn out well for any of them.
I suppose you would call this book a fictional re-telling of their lives which must be quite a task to produce- especially since we'll never know exactly what they were thinking or why they did all the things they did. Was it really love? The author suggests that Percy was polyamorous rather than a man who cheats frequently which I thought was an interesting perspective seeing as without this idea, he really doesn't come across in a very flattering light at all.
Think I'm going to have to read Frankenstein now and see if I can see similarities between the characters in that and the characters described here. Especially since Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein in my city!
I never knew Mary and Percy Shelley's relationship was such a scandal. They ran away together when Mary was 16, taking Mary's step-sister with them, despite Percy already being married and having 2 children. The over arching story of this book and their later life is altogether immensely depressing- it didn't really turn out well for any of them.
I suppose you would call this book a fictional re-telling of their lives which must be quite a task to produce- especially since we'll never know exactly what they were thinking or why they did all the things they did. Was it really love? The author suggests that Percy was polyamorous rather than a man who cheats frequently which I thought was an interesting perspective seeing as without this idea, he really doesn't come across in a very flattering light at all.
Think I'm going to have to read Frankenstein now and see if I can see similarities between the characters in that and the characters described here. Especially since Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein in my city!
apoorva_arpi's review against another edition
4.0
Very well written story. I chose to read it as fiction as if the characters were fictional, their stories were fictional. The author mentioned that she did not want Claire to appear second best and she delivered it very well. Mary, the protagonist was deprived of love and it made her do many things good and bad. The worse thing was going back on her promise of following her principles. Claire, on the other hand, did no such thing. She followed her principles and did her best to continue doing so, even in the face of adversaries. It is surprising that I liked this book so much when I disliked or hated almost all the main characters for a huge part of the book. This definitely tells us how well it was written.
The novel follows the life of Mary Shelly up until she completes "Frankenstein". This book does not give any false hopes, except if you were looking for other world monsters. She was, but a child when a lot happened to her, and perhaps that made her write such an extraordinary book. All of this is very well described in the book.
This book is not about the monsters that we see in scary movies. This book is about our own monsters and the havoc they can wreck if we let them reign us.
Rating purely for the writing style and the content. I am not sure how much I was supposed to like or sympathize with the protagonist. I know that I didn't do that much.
The novel follows the life of Mary Shelly up until she completes "Frankenstein". This book does not give any false hopes, except if you were looking for other world monsters. She was, but a child when a lot happened to her, and perhaps that made her write such an extraordinary book. All of this is very well described in the book.
This book is not about the monsters that we see in scary movies. This book is about our own monsters and the havoc they can wreck if we let them reign us.
Rating purely for the writing style and the content. I am not sure how much I was supposed to like or sympathize with the protagonist. I know that I didn't do that much.
ari_reading_'s review against another edition
3.0
A bit of a struggle in some parts, the start and the end were the most engaging, the middle seemed to drag.
Mary Shelley was truly an incredible woman.
Mary Shelley was truly an incredible woman.
kba76's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me access to such a complex and fascinating read. Some of the stories surrounding Frankenstein are well-known, and I admit to finding the book at its most absorbing around this time. However, in this we have an imagined account of the life of Mary Goodwin, her lover Percy Bysshe Shelley and a character I’d never heard of - half-sister Jane/Claire.
Initially the book felt slow in approach. A meticulous and, at times, off-putting focus on the build-up to the relationship between these evidently fascinating characters. There’s a clear sense of the time and beliefs around these characters being brought to life. It was definitely interesting to see how their lives may have intertwined and linked.
While the story was fascinating, I found myself intensely irritated by Shelley and the selfishness with which he acted. The attempt to show his appeal and positive traits is clear, but it didn’t quite succeed.
Initially the book felt slow in approach. A meticulous and, at times, off-putting focus on the build-up to the relationship between these evidently fascinating characters. There’s a clear sense of the time and beliefs around these characters being brought to life. It was definitely interesting to see how their lives may have intertwined and linked.
While the story was fascinating, I found myself intensely irritated by Shelley and the selfishness with which he acted. The attempt to show his appeal and positive traits is clear, but it didn’t quite succeed.