A review by jackgoss
Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Her Daughter Mary Shelley by Charlotte Gordon

2.0

I don't think the every other chapter format was a great choice. The action in the chapters wasn't synced or timed to highlight parallels or provoke interesting comparisons. Many of the people share the same few first and last names, which makes it confusing and hard to keep track of, especially the minor characters. Telling the story chronologically would have made it easier on the reader to not have to keep the traits and timelines of 5 Marys and 4 Janes and 3 Elizabeths in mind at all times. The people who are in both sections are generally introduced in the daughter's section s, which leads to a lack of context.

I hated just about all these people. Especially all the Men. Especially Godwin.

This is a great illustration of how critical contraception has been to society and to individual women. For all the grand ideas and idealism, both women had to tie themselves to men with children.