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Love, Sex & Frankenstein
***PRE-ORDER the thrilling new novel from the author of PRIZE WOMEN, THE METAL HEART and THE GLASS WOMAN now***
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1816, Villa Diodati, Lake Geneva.
A summer storm is brewing.
Mary Shelley, eighteen-years-old, has fled London with her lover, Percy Shelley, and her sister, Claire. Mary is tormented by Shelley's infidelities, haunted by the loss of their baby daughter and suspicious of her sister's intentions.
Geneva promises a new start.
But far from being a refuge, the summer is freakishly cold and stormy, skies shrouded with volcanic ash. Locked in a villa with Shelley, her infuriating sister, and the infamous Lord Byron, madness takes root indoors. Haunted by repressed desires and the spectres of their pasts, Byron suggests each write a supernatural tale.
Mary has an idea . . . From her fervour, the tale of Frankenstein is born.
In this hauntingly evocative feminist retelling, Caroline Lea delves into the female rage, creative madness and steamy scandal that bore the world's most famous work of gothic fiction. Perfect for fans of The Essex Serpent and The Manningtree Witches.
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1816, Villa Diodati, Lake Geneva.
A summer storm is brewing.
Mary Shelley, eighteen-years-old, has fled London with her lover, Percy Shelley, and her sister, Claire. Mary is tormented by Shelley's infidelities, haunted by the loss of their baby daughter and suspicious of her sister's intentions.
Geneva promises a new start.
But far from being a refuge, the summer is freakishly cold and stormy, skies shrouded with volcanic ash. Locked in a villa with Shelley, her infuriating sister, and the infamous Lord Byron, madness takes root indoors. Haunted by repressed desires and the spectres of their pasts, Byron suggests each write a supernatural tale.
Mary has an idea . . . From her fervour, the tale of Frankenstein is born.
In this hauntingly evocative feminist retelling, Caroline Lea delves into the female rage, creative madness and steamy scandal that bore the world's most famous work of gothic fiction. Perfect for fans of The Essex Serpent and The Manningtree Witches.
400 pages, Hardcover
Published June 26, 2025
130 people are currently reading
2853 people want to read
About the author
Caroline Lea
5 books323 followersCaroline Lea grew up on the island of Jersey and gained a First from Warwick University. Her fiction and poetry have been shortlisted for the Bridport Prize and the BBC Short Story Prize. Her debut novel, The Glass Woman, a gothic thriller set during the Icelandic witch trials, was shortlisted for the HWA Debut Crown Award. Her next novel, The Metal Heart, was a powerful Second World War love story set on the island of Orkney.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
May 19, 2025
Villa Diodati, Lake Geneva, 1816.
The dark summer that birthed a monster….
Eighteen-year-old Mary Shelly has done what many would deem as reckless, absurd, and irresponsible: She has fled from the great city of London along with her capricious lover Percy Shelly, and her equally emotionally charged sister, Claire.
This however was not an easy decision as Mary felt there was little choice left should she want any sort of future for not only herself but also her child.
Tormented by the myriad of Shelly’s betrayals (Too numerous for one to count on two hands) and haunted by the loss of something created by herself and her lover, Mary seeks refuge. She must look further afield.
Lord Byron’s villa, lying under ominous ash-shrouded skies as if a funeral pyre is burning with unending fury and loss, feels akin to a trap, yet Mary is powerless to escape.
Upon Byron’s suggestion that each guest writes a supernatural tale, Mary is as drawn to the challenge as Byron himself which she cannot help be mesmerised but by, and in her thoughts an idea begins to form, to awaken from a slumber built on the fragile, splintering frame of Mary’s rage. Her love. Her aching loss. Her pain. Her life.
Spilling out of her in thick, black ink.
Something is about to be unleashed upon the world, and as sure as heaven and hell judge and punish, Mary shall expose her heart to those who so openly invite her to do so, and bare witness to what she spews forth.
But is she in control, or does the monster hold the strings?
Hypnotic, gothic, and utterly terrifying, Love, Sex & Frankenstein is an unmissable novel.
A triumph and in my humble opinion elevates Caroline Lea into the greats of modern writing. Superb!
The dark summer that birthed a monster….
Eighteen-year-old Mary Shelly has done what many would deem as reckless, absurd, and irresponsible: She has fled from the great city of London along with her capricious lover Percy Shelly, and her equally emotionally charged sister, Claire.
This however was not an easy decision as Mary felt there was little choice left should she want any sort of future for not only herself but also her child.
Tormented by the myriad of Shelly’s betrayals (Too numerous for one to count on two hands) and haunted by the loss of something created by herself and her lover, Mary seeks refuge. She must look further afield.
Lord Byron’s villa, lying under ominous ash-shrouded skies as if a funeral pyre is burning with unending fury and loss, feels akin to a trap, yet Mary is powerless to escape.
Upon Byron’s suggestion that each guest writes a supernatural tale, Mary is as drawn to the challenge as Byron himself which she cannot help be mesmerised but by, and in her thoughts an idea begins to form, to awaken from a slumber built on the fragile, splintering frame of Mary’s rage. Her love. Her aching loss. Her pain. Her life.
Spilling out of her in thick, black ink.
Something is about to be unleashed upon the world, and as sure as heaven and hell judge and punish, Mary shall expose her heart to those who so openly invite her to do so, and bare witness to what she spews forth.
But is she in control, or does the monster hold the strings?
Hypnotic, gothic, and utterly terrifying, Love, Sex & Frankenstein is an unmissable novel.
A triumph and in my humble opinion elevates Caroline Lea into the greats of modern writing. Superb!
June 16, 2025
Thank you to Michael Joseph (Penguin Random House) and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"Being a woman is a monstrous thing"
Did somebody say female rage? Because this book brims with it!
Love, Sex and Frankenstein is a reimagining of Mary Shelley’s (author of Frankenstein) life with a rich gothic atmosphere and feminist undertones. It's beautifully written and completely character driven, full of longing, tension, and frustration that just completely pulls you in. I didn't expect to love it as much as I did, but once i started reading, I couldn't stop!
This was my first Caroline Lea book, and I have to say: she's a genius. She captures what it feels like to be a woman trapped by love, obligation, and a lack of choices masterfully. Mary’s relationship with Percy is painful, insidious, and often cruel. Watching her make herself smaller just to keep his affection, even when it's hurting her, felt frustrating and familiar all at once. (This book truly enraged me at times, but I'm guessing that was the author's intention)
The dynamic between the characters (Mary, Percy, Claire, and Byron) is messy in the best way. The emotional chaos of their conveniently put together household seeps into every page, and you can feel Frankenstein slowly taking root as Mary shapes her story. It is in essence what the title promises: Love, Sex and Frankenstein.
I recommend this one if you like historical fiction with gothic tones, complicated relationships, and a feminist undercurrent that doesn't feel heavy-handed!
"Being a woman is a monstrous thing"
Did somebody say female rage? Because this book brims with it!
Love, Sex and Frankenstein is a reimagining of Mary Shelley’s (author of Frankenstein) life with a rich gothic atmosphere and feminist undertones. It's beautifully written and completely character driven, full of longing, tension, and frustration that just completely pulls you in. I didn't expect to love it as much as I did, but once i started reading, I couldn't stop!
This was my first Caroline Lea book, and I have to say: she's a genius. She captures what it feels like to be a woman trapped by love, obligation, and a lack of choices masterfully. Mary’s relationship with Percy is painful, insidious, and often cruel. Watching her make herself smaller just to keep his affection, even when it's hurting her, felt frustrating and familiar all at once. (This book truly enraged me at times, but I'm guessing that was the author's intention)
The dynamic between the characters (Mary, Percy, Claire, and Byron) is messy in the best way. The emotional chaos of their conveniently put together household seeps into every page, and you can feel Frankenstein slowly taking root as Mary shapes her story. It is in essence what the title promises: Love, Sex and Frankenstein.
I recommend this one if you like historical fiction with gothic tones, complicated relationships, and a feminist undercurrent that doesn't feel heavy-handed!
December 1, 2025
3.5, rounded up.
I must admit to a certain fascination with the tale of the creation of Mary W.G. Shelley's Frankenstein during the so-called 'Haunted Summer' of 1816, perhaps even more so than with the novel itself. I've seen at least four film adaptations and read as many novels and bios setting out various renditions of the story. This is neither the best nor worst of these, landing squarely in the middle tier.
The prose is decent and the slant the author takes, Mary as being a proto-feminist (taking after her mum, no doubt), and the novel she's writing being her psychoanalysis of her own internal rages against masculine privilege, makes a good deal of sense.
Where it breaks down is a decided lack of pacing, several of the episodes being both plodding and a bit repetitious - and, as the title indicates, resorting to a few too many romance novel/bodice ripper clichés for my taste. Did prime me for a reread of the OG book though, as it's been at least 40 years since my last dive into it.
I must admit to a certain fascination with the tale of the creation of Mary W.G. Shelley's Frankenstein during the so-called 'Haunted Summer' of 1816, perhaps even more so than with the novel itself. I've seen at least four film adaptations and read as many novels and bios setting out various renditions of the story. This is neither the best nor worst of these, landing squarely in the middle tier.
The prose is decent and the slant the author takes, Mary as being a proto-feminist (taking after her mum, no doubt), and the novel she's writing being her psychoanalysis of her own internal rages against masculine privilege, makes a good deal of sense.
Where it breaks down is a decided lack of pacing, several of the episodes being both plodding and a bit repetitious - and, as the title indicates, resorting to a few too many romance novel/bodice ripper clichés for my taste. Did prime me for a reread of the OG book though, as it's been at least 40 years since my last dive into it.
November 1, 2025
I give this book 4.5 stars, which rounds up to 5.
I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher for promotional purposes.
This was an insightful look into the creation of Frankenstein!
I read Frankenstein earlier this year and loved it, so naturally I had to read this book. I was so impressed that Mary Shelley wrote such a masterpiece at age 19.
The best part of the book was the depiction of female rage. Mary’s rage starts off quietly and then slowly simmers into an inferno. It was fascinating to read about!
The novel is very character driven and the rest of the characters were also well crafted. Lord Byron, in particular, was a very complex and complicated man. Mary’s sister, Claire (who had a flair for the dramatic), was also interesting to read about.
The book was also beautifully written. The author did an amazing job capturing the gothic feel of the “Year Without a Summer.” I could practically feel the chill in the air and hear the roar of thunder.
Since this is a fictionalized retelling of how Mary wrote Frankenstein, I would have liked if there was an “About the Book” section at the end that explained what was fact and what was fiction. While reading, I found myself running searches online to fact check some of it.
Overall, if you are a fan of Mary Shelley and Frankenstein, I recommend this book!
I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher for promotional purposes.
This was an insightful look into the creation of Frankenstein!
I read Frankenstein earlier this year and loved it, so naturally I had to read this book. I was so impressed that Mary Shelley wrote such a masterpiece at age 19.
The best part of the book was the depiction of female rage. Mary’s rage starts off quietly and then slowly simmers into an inferno. It was fascinating to read about!
The novel is very character driven and the rest of the characters were also well crafted. Lord Byron, in particular, was a very complex and complicated man. Mary’s sister, Claire (who had a flair for the dramatic), was also interesting to read about.
The book was also beautifully written. The author did an amazing job capturing the gothic feel of the “Year Without a Summer.” I could practically feel the chill in the air and hear the roar of thunder.
Since this is a fictionalized retelling of how Mary wrote Frankenstein, I would have liked if there was an “About the Book” section at the end that explained what was fact and what was fiction. While reading, I found myself running searches online to fact check some of it.
Overall, if you are a fan of Mary Shelley and Frankenstein, I recommend this book!
May 21, 2025
In this haunting book, we follow Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (not yet Shelley) on a trip of a lifetime. We begin in London and end in the Villa Diodati in Switzerland, where fateful events lead to what we know today as the classic that is Frankenstein. We don't just look in from above however, but experience the depths of Mary's mind and the personal relevance of this body of work to her and the inner workings that cause its creation.
Thank you NetGalley and Michael Joseph at PRH for this ARC - all opinions are my own.
I was immensely excited by the prospect of this book, as someone who has only recently read Frankenstein in a book club and discovered the history behind it, I was keen to hear about these events from Mary's perspective. However, I was a little disappointed in the end, as I felt that the book was lacking in several aspects.
Firstly I want to mention that the writing was vivid and expansive, and objectively very well and beautifully written. For me personally, I struggle with writing leaning on verbose, as I personally enjoy more straightforward and snappy writing and struggle to stay motivated when reading expansive writing. Therefore, unfortunately, this book put me in somewhat of a reading slump as I had to really bring myself to pick it back up again in anticipation of the ‘heavyset’ writing. But for readers who enjoy vivid descriptions, this will be a fun read! And the writing definitely fit the setting and gave it that gothic feel. Just not my style!
The pace definitely picked up for me toward the last 100 pages roughly, as I felt that the story was becoming more consistent and interesting and I wanted to pick it up again to read about what happened (although it slumped again at the very end).
Before then, my main issues were that the description of the people involved, and most disappointingly Mary herself, fell a bit flat for me. Most of all that came through in the interactions and the way Mary made sense of the others internally. The best example is her relationship with Claire. It is a hugely interesting relationship to explore: step-sisterhood, jealousy, manipulation, but then the shared experience of being women in this world and time, with similar experiences with men. While all these elements are present in the book, it feels like Mary just keeps going back and forth between: “I hate Claire she’s so hysterical and dramatic”, and holding her hand in a fleeting moment of kindness and then wanting to be mean to her again. There could have been a lot more interesting exploration of that shared womanhood, as so much of this story is about being a woman and exploring female rage. I think this was missed potential because so much of Mary’s development, I believe, is finding her female rage and realising her womanhood and this important female companion amidst all these men seems neglected in the story.
In terms of the relationship to the men, I really do not have a lot to say. I didn't find it particularly overwhelming or "sexy", which the title sort of leads you to believe, but again just a bit flat. I really did not care for the way the men were portrayed. The felt attempt at enemies to lovers did not get me, because it was not enemies to lovers but "He's a terrible person but he likes me and is nice to me so I guess we can get it on" and that trope is a bit tired for me because when someone is that plainly horrible, no matter how nice they may be to the love interest, I am already mentall checked out. I understand historical constrictions but it could have been explored more in depth - there is nothing more interesting than conflict, but there was not a lot of high stakes conflict felt here (even though there could and should have been!).
In terms of Mary herself – I really appreciated the attempt at female rage and the build up to that explosion of rage and the realisation of herself but it did not really feel satisfying as the build up was mostly “I hate Shelley, I want to leave” to “Actually, I love him” and back again. It became a bit repetitive and reductive and I would have liked to see that be, plainly said, more. I think I came to this with Nightbitch sort of female rage expectations and got Beth Harmon smoking in a nightgown ‘female rage’ instead – you see my disappointment.
She also just felt really inconsistent to me, where even after her “big break” and coming to terms with herself, all of a sudden she hears a voice and she wants to leave again but at that point it really does not make sense anymore? Mary’s inner world does not feel very credible or complex, even though, looking at the real Mary, it should be. It feels like Mary only has two settings in this book and I wanted a more multilayered and complex Mary.
Overall, the ‘bigger’ moments on womanhood and societal expectations also felt like they only scratched the surface. This book felt like it wanted to be Greta Gerwig’s Little Women monologue from Florence Pugh or that one in Barbie but it unfortunately did not get there for me.
Coming to the research on this book - you could definitely tell the author knew what she was writing about. Although, I felt the quotes at the beginning of each chapter only ever being from Frankenstein felt a bit like the research done was only done on Mary in relation to Frankenstein and not paying much attention to her other work as a writer. I guess it makes sense seeing as this book is about the creation of Frankenstein, but each new chapter I was hoping for something else somehow.
Finally, I want to say that I was also slightly disappointed by the inclusion of big ideas that are hugely relevant in understanding Frankenstein (e.g. renaissance humanism, nature/nurture…). It would have been so interesting to see these ideas really take shape in Mary’s personal life and discussions and unfortunately it felt like the whole book was just the Mary as described above, with no real influence or discussion of these ideas, and then in the last few pages there was a few paragraphs that tried to squeeze these massive ideologies into a few sentences where Mary suddenly had this huge realisation of, actually, there is no god, when this debate never really popped up to begin with.
In the end I was just left a bit lacking and wanting. I would have liked to have seen more than a well written retelling. But that it definitely was, the story and all its elements were there.
Thank you NetGalley and Michael Joseph at PRH for this ARC - all opinions are my own.
I was immensely excited by the prospect of this book, as someone who has only recently read Frankenstein in a book club and discovered the history behind it, I was keen to hear about these events from Mary's perspective. However, I was a little disappointed in the end, as I felt that the book was lacking in several aspects.
Firstly I want to mention that the writing was vivid and expansive, and objectively very well and beautifully written. For me personally, I struggle with writing leaning on verbose, as I personally enjoy more straightforward and snappy writing and struggle to stay motivated when reading expansive writing. Therefore, unfortunately, this book put me in somewhat of a reading slump as I had to really bring myself to pick it back up again in anticipation of the ‘heavyset’ writing. But for readers who enjoy vivid descriptions, this will be a fun read! And the writing definitely fit the setting and gave it that gothic feel. Just not my style!
The pace definitely picked up for me toward the last 100 pages roughly, as I felt that the story was becoming more consistent and interesting and I wanted to pick it up again to read about what happened (although it slumped again at the very end).
Before then, my main issues were that the description of the people involved, and most disappointingly Mary herself, fell a bit flat for me. Most of all that came through in the interactions and the way Mary made sense of the others internally. The best example is her relationship with Claire. It is a hugely interesting relationship to explore: step-sisterhood, jealousy, manipulation, but then the shared experience of being women in this world and time, with similar experiences with men. While all these elements are present in the book, it feels like Mary just keeps going back and forth between: “I hate Claire she’s so hysterical and dramatic”, and holding her hand in a fleeting moment of kindness and then wanting to be mean to her again. There could have been a lot more interesting exploration of that shared womanhood, as so much of this story is about being a woman and exploring female rage. I think this was missed potential because so much of Mary’s development, I believe, is finding her female rage and realising her womanhood and this important female companion amidst all these men seems neglected in the story.
In terms of the relationship to the men, I really do not have a lot to say. I didn't find it particularly overwhelming or "sexy", which the title sort of leads you to believe, but again just a bit flat. I really did not care for the way the men were portrayed. The felt attempt at enemies to lovers did not get me, because it was not enemies to lovers but "He's a terrible person but he likes me and is nice to me so I guess we can get it on" and that trope is a bit tired for me because when someone is that plainly horrible, no matter how nice they may be to the love interest, I am already mentall checked out. I understand historical constrictions but it could have been explored more in depth - there is nothing more interesting than conflict, but there was not a lot of high stakes conflict felt here (even though there could and should have been!).
In terms of Mary herself – I really appreciated the attempt at female rage and the build up to that explosion of rage and the realisation of herself but it did not really feel satisfying as the build up was mostly “I hate Shelley, I want to leave” to “Actually, I love him” and back again. It became a bit repetitive and reductive and I would have liked to see that be, plainly said, more. I think I came to this with Nightbitch sort of female rage expectations and got Beth Harmon smoking in a nightgown ‘female rage’ instead – you see my disappointment.
She also just felt really inconsistent to me, where even after her “big break” and coming to terms with herself, all of a sudden she hears a voice and she wants to leave again but at that point it really does not make sense anymore? Mary’s inner world does not feel very credible or complex, even though, looking at the real Mary, it should be. It feels like Mary only has two settings in this book and I wanted a more multilayered and complex Mary.
Overall, the ‘bigger’ moments on womanhood and societal expectations also felt like they only scratched the surface. This book felt like it wanted to be Greta Gerwig’s Little Women monologue from Florence Pugh or that one in Barbie but it unfortunately did not get there for me.
Coming to the research on this book - you could definitely tell the author knew what she was writing about. Although, I felt the quotes at the beginning of each chapter only ever being from Frankenstein felt a bit like the research done was only done on Mary in relation to Frankenstein and not paying much attention to her other work as a writer. I guess it makes sense seeing as this book is about the creation of Frankenstein, but each new chapter I was hoping for something else somehow.
Finally, I want to say that I was also slightly disappointed by the inclusion of big ideas that are hugely relevant in understanding Frankenstein (e.g. renaissance humanism, nature/nurture…). It would have been so interesting to see these ideas really take shape in Mary’s personal life and discussions and unfortunately it felt like the whole book was just the Mary as described above, with no real influence or discussion of these ideas, and then in the last few pages there was a few paragraphs that tried to squeeze these massive ideologies into a few sentences where Mary suddenly had this huge realisation of, actually, there is no god, when this debate never really popped up to begin with.
In the end I was just left a bit lacking and wanting. I would have liked to have seen more than a well written retelling. But that it definitely was, the story and all its elements were there.
December 15, 2025
Love, Sex & Frankenstein è una biografia romanzata su Mary Shelley, e (lo ammetto) all’inizio ero un po’ scettica. Di romanzi sulla creatrice di Frankenstein ne ho già letti parecchi, e le prime pagine mi davano quella sensazione di “già visto”: l’adolescenza di Mary, l’incontro e l’innamoramento con Percy Shelley… elementi notissimi, almeno per chi conosce già la sua vita. Per un po’ ho avuto la sensazione che la storia non avesse molto da aggiungere.
Poi però, superate le prime cento pagine, il romanzo cambia passo. Entriamo nel periodo del soggiorno in Svizzera, la famosa “estate senza estate” che Mary, Percy e la sorellastra Claire trascorsero a Villa Diodati insieme a Lord Byron e John Polidori. Ed è lì che, per me, il libro decolla davvero.
L’autrice si concentra sul processo creativo che porterà alla nascita di Frankenstein, intrecciandolo con il clima inquieto di quel periodo e con il turbinio emotivo di Mary: il rapporto complesso con Claire, quello instabile e spesso doloroso con Percy, il lutto mai risolto per la perdita della sua prima figlia, e l’ambiguo legame con il carismatico (e magnetico) Lord Byron. Tutti questi elementi rendono la seconda parte del libro sorprendentemente intensa e diversa dagli altri romanzi su Mary Shelley che ho letto.
Un punto fortissimo del romanzo, secondo me, è lo stile di scrittura: gotico, ricco, molto introspettivo. La narrazione è curata, suggestiva, attenta ai dettagli degli ambienti e soprattutto agli stati d’animo, ai sentimenti e ai tumulti interiori di Mary. Mi sono ritrovata a sottolineare tantissimi passaggi: la prosa è davvero potente e immersiva.
Quello che sembrava l’ennesimo romanzo biografico su Mary Shelley si è rivelato invece una lettura coinvolgente e sorprendente. 4,5 ★
Poi però, superate le prime cento pagine, il romanzo cambia passo. Entriamo nel periodo del soggiorno in Svizzera, la famosa “estate senza estate” che Mary, Percy e la sorellastra Claire trascorsero a Villa Diodati insieme a Lord Byron e John Polidori. Ed è lì che, per me, il libro decolla davvero.
L’autrice si concentra sul processo creativo che porterà alla nascita di Frankenstein, intrecciandolo con il clima inquieto di quel periodo e con il turbinio emotivo di Mary: il rapporto complesso con Claire, quello instabile e spesso doloroso con Percy, il lutto mai risolto per la perdita della sua prima figlia, e l’ambiguo legame con il carismatico (e magnetico) Lord Byron. Tutti questi elementi rendono la seconda parte del libro sorprendentemente intensa e diversa dagli altri romanzi su Mary Shelley che ho letto.
Un punto fortissimo del romanzo, secondo me, è lo stile di scrittura: gotico, ricco, molto introspettivo. La narrazione è curata, suggestiva, attenta ai dettagli degli ambienti e soprattutto agli stati d’animo, ai sentimenti e ai tumulti interiori di Mary. Mi sono ritrovata a sottolineare tantissimi passaggi: la prosa è davvero potente e immersiva.
Quello che sembrava l’ennesimo romanzo biografico su Mary Shelley si è rivelato invece una lettura coinvolgente e sorprendente. 4,5 ★
July 22, 2025
"There is a freedom in this movement of my quill across the page. Making and unmaking, creating and destroying. There is a darkness in my soul which I can neither control nor understand. I can hide it no longer. I do not want to flee from it.
I have been trying to find a way to escape but I cannot flee from myself.
I will not hide from the thing I might become." (p, 294)
This is a harder review to write than I was expecting it to be. A fictional account of how Mary Shelley came to write Frankenstein. But more than that, a novel about female rage and creativity. Sounds amazing, and certain parts of it were. So why did I find myself feeling a little bored at times, and why did I struggle with thoughts of putting it down?
I have thought a lot about this, and I feel that there are almost 2 parts to this story. The majority of this book, perhaps two thirds, is about Mary's time before she meets Byron, and before they travel to Geneva where her classic tale is to be born. There is intense examination of her relationship with Shelley and Claire, her step-sister whom she doesn't fully trust. Something about the writing during this time seemed to come across as a little young, I don't know how to pinpoint it, but there just seemed to be something a little off about it. Although I have experienced my own fair share of turmoil when it comes to love, the time looking at her relationship with Shelley came across as though I was reading a teenager's lovelorn diary.
The second part of this novel, and the part that I really did enjoy, was the last third or so. When Mary finds herself in Geneva with Shelley, Claire and Byron, things really do come alive. The motivations for her to bring life to her 'monster' were written superbly. All the rage from her lovelorn diary finds somewhere to go. It highlighted the true genius of Frankenstein, and why it has remained in print since its original publication, as there are so many layers to it:
"That the story is not just about man's capacity to create but also about his desire to control, his aptitude for neglect. That it is about his inability to take responsibility, even as the world around him crumbles and his actions bring distress and death to those he loves. Can she explain to her lover that her story is not just about creating something wonderful? It is also about man's arrogant belief that the act of creation is itself an achievement, because it brings glory without demanding any sacrifice." (p. 369)
But it is because of my two opposing reactions to this novel that I now find myself struggling to decide upon a rating. It is because of my love for the parts of this novel which examined her rage; her desire to be something more than what people, especially men, expected her to be, that I wanted to give this a higher rating. But then there was my reaction to the other part of the novel, where it seemed to be repetitive, and a little 'young' which drew me towards a lower rating.
Overall, I am glad that I persevered with this one. It wasn't a quick read - the chapters are longer than some books, and given the contents it felt cloying at times, but the reflections it provided on female rage, creativity, and what it means to bring anything into life - a child, or a piece of fiction - enthralled me.
Rating - 3.5 stars.
I have been trying to find a way to escape but I cannot flee from myself.
I will not hide from the thing I might become." (p, 294)
This is a harder review to write than I was expecting it to be. A fictional account of how Mary Shelley came to write Frankenstein. But more than that, a novel about female rage and creativity. Sounds amazing, and certain parts of it were. So why did I find myself feeling a little bored at times, and why did I struggle with thoughts of putting it down?
I have thought a lot about this, and I feel that there are almost 2 parts to this story. The majority of this book, perhaps two thirds, is about Mary's time before she meets Byron, and before they travel to Geneva where her classic tale is to be born. There is intense examination of her relationship with Shelley and Claire, her step-sister whom she doesn't fully trust. Something about the writing during this time seemed to come across as a little young, I don't know how to pinpoint it, but there just seemed to be something a little off about it. Although I have experienced my own fair share of turmoil when it comes to love, the time looking at her relationship with Shelley came across as though I was reading a teenager's lovelorn diary.
The second part of this novel, and the part that I really did enjoy, was the last third or so. When Mary finds herself in Geneva with Shelley, Claire and Byron, things really do come alive. The motivations for her to bring life to her 'monster' were written superbly. All the rage from her lovelorn diary finds somewhere to go. It highlighted the true genius of Frankenstein, and why it has remained in print since its original publication, as there are so many layers to it:
"That the story is not just about man's capacity to create but also about his desire to control, his aptitude for neglect. That it is about his inability to take responsibility, even as the world around him crumbles and his actions bring distress and death to those he loves. Can she explain to her lover that her story is not just about creating something wonderful? It is also about man's arrogant belief that the act of creation is itself an achievement, because it brings glory without demanding any sacrifice." (p. 369)
But it is because of my two opposing reactions to this novel that I now find myself struggling to decide upon a rating. It is because of my love for the parts of this novel which examined her rage; her desire to be something more than what people, especially men, expected her to be, that I wanted to give this a higher rating. But then there was my reaction to the other part of the novel, where it seemed to be repetitive, and a little 'young' which drew me towards a lower rating.
Overall, I am glad that I persevered with this one. It wasn't a quick read - the chapters are longer than some books, and given the contents it felt cloying at times, but the reflections it provided on female rage, creativity, and what it means to bring anything into life - a child, or a piece of fiction - enthralled me.
Rating - 3.5 stars.
May 9, 2025
A gothic novel par excellence. Blurb to come.
December 4, 2025
Really fun fictionalization of mary shelley and the rest of the group in geneva. I particularily really liked the writing style and the characterization of mary as a young woman with contradictions and a lot going on in her head. The ending was also excellent the direct parallels between Mary creating Frankenstein and the story of the book was just *insert gif of duck smoking*.
I'm really in the Frankenstein mood after watching the movie so i will be reading more about the classic novel and Mary Shelley soon
I'm really in the Frankenstein mood after watching the movie so i will be reading more about the classic novel and Mary Shelley soon
May 31, 2025
Ok, let’s start with the facts. This is written very well. It’s easy and well paced. The chapters are LONG which is my least favourite thing about the book (22 chapters over 400 pages, so I know this is fine for a lot of people but I like a good 5-10 page chapter), which shouts about how good this book is because if that’s my only problem then we’re winning.
The gothic ambience is beautiful; the settings, the buildings, the weather - every detail adds character and atmosphere in a perfectly precise way. I can’t wait to reread this book in the autumn on a rainy day.
I’m not familiar with much about Mary Shelley’s background so I can’t speak to accuracy but if any of this is based in truth then I’ve learnt so much about the author. It was all absolutely fascinating and awful at the same time. The woman was ahead of her time, we know this from her writing but to get to peep into this window of her life made it all the more interesting. I would love to read even more about her life now and I think I’ll search out some more books on the topic!
This is 100% character driven, which I LOVE. I think for anyone who appreciates character analysis then this is one for you.
The female rage is everything in this novel. I won’t shut up about well Caroline Lea captured the intense, silent and brutal nature of that rage. It’s done in such a way that had me ready to leap into the pages to high five our main character. The men are truly waiting to be given a strong hard slap in parts.
This book is full of passion, jealousy betrayal and pettiness and I love every single second.
4/5⭐️
Release Date: 19th June 2025
Thankyou so much @michaeljbooks for the gifted proof!
The gothic ambience is beautiful; the settings, the buildings, the weather - every detail adds character and atmosphere in a perfectly precise way. I can’t wait to reread this book in the autumn on a rainy day.
I’m not familiar with much about Mary Shelley’s background so I can’t speak to accuracy but if any of this is based in truth then I’ve learnt so much about the author. It was all absolutely fascinating and awful at the same time. The woman was ahead of her time, we know this from her writing but to get to peep into this window of her life made it all the more interesting. I would love to read even more about her life now and I think I’ll search out some more books on the topic!
This is 100% character driven, which I LOVE. I think for anyone who appreciates character analysis then this is one for you.
The female rage is everything in this novel. I won’t shut up about well Caroline Lea captured the intense, silent and brutal nature of that rage. It’s done in such a way that had me ready to leap into the pages to high five our main character. The men are truly waiting to be given a strong hard slap in parts.
This book is full of passion, jealousy betrayal and pettiness and I love every single second.
4/5⭐️
Release Date: 19th June 2025
Thankyou so much @michaeljbooks for the gifted proof!
May 9, 2025
A unique and haunting read following Mary Shelley during her trip to Switzerland and how she came to wrote Frankenstein.
I'm not too familiar with the context of Frankenstein (I know the story, but not much about Mary Shelley), so I'm not too sure how much of this is rooted in fact, but I thought it was a phenomenal read. The complexity of the characters and their relationships to one another was so juicy, the slow unravelling of Mary as the novel goes on... just outstanding!!
Absolutely recommend to those who enjoy slow paced, gothic, character-driven, atmospheric historical novels.
Thank you Penguin for sending me an arc of this book! All opinions are my own!
Content warning: death, death of a child, abuse, domestic violence, stillbirth, alcoholism, drug use, animal abuse, misogyny, injury
I'm not too familiar with the context of Frankenstein (I know the story, but not much about Mary Shelley), so I'm not too sure how much of this is rooted in fact, but I thought it was a phenomenal read. The complexity of the characters and their relationships to one another was so juicy, the slow unravelling of Mary as the novel goes on... just outstanding!!
Absolutely recommend to those who enjoy slow paced, gothic, character-driven, atmospheric historical novels.
Thank you Penguin for sending me an arc of this book! All opinions are my own!
Content warning: death, death of a child, abuse, domestic violence, stillbirth, alcoholism, drug use, animal abuse, misogyny, injury
October 6, 2025
I read this in a weekend so it was a good read but it was not the "Gothic feminist tale" it purported to be, well, not for me anyway. This historical fiction piece was a reimagining of the events leading up to the creation of Frankenstein in 1816, when Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin was with Percy Shelley, Lord Byron, Dr John Polidori and her step-sister Claire Clairmont in a Geneva chateau, waiting out a storm during a year in which the weather in Europe was all sorts of chaotic. This historically infamous weekend birthed not only Shelley's monstrous tale, the first science fiction novel, but also saw the writing of Polidori's The Vampyre, which was a precursor to Dracula decades before Stoker's classic. The potential for this weekend to be full or riotous house parties, sizzling sex and witty repartee is huge - but this book unfortunately didn't take the opportunity to go fully Byronic and hedonistic, which is a shame. Instead, Mary - in history a genius philosopher, feminist author, intellectual giant - is written as a boring, whiny character, spending most of her time bickering with her sister over men (Claire has an interesting real backstory of her own that's worthy of reading), fawning over said men, attracting the attention of those men, and fussing over her child. And not in a good way. For a book that said it was a feminist retelling, I don't know that it would pass the Bechdel test. The version of Mary (future) Shelley in this was uninspired, silly, and unlikeable, to be blunt. In fact, all of them at the villa were intolerable, even poor Doc Polidori who in real life, like the others, has quite a colourful and lovely personality. Byron is the OG literary bad boy, but in this novel he has none of the spark that makes you understand why he was the moment. Percy Bysse Shelley, who was his contemporary and, while not as feted, quite similar to Byron is many ways, comes across as a petulant, whiny posh boy, who again contains none of the personality to encourage everyone to fall in love with him. They were annoying, juvenile, and cringe. Maybe that is more realistic than the romanticised version of this event, but there appeared to be a lack of research present - no bibliography, no acknowledgement of researchers in the thank you pages. And Mary herself, yes, while only 18 in this story, really did not come across as the phenomenon she was. The "feminine rage" was minor. And even the Gothic elements were not wholly immersive. It wasn't spooky or foreboding, even during the stormy bits. It attempted to create atmosphere but when you are writing about the beginning of the genre, you do have big shoes to fill. Look, I am glad I read this, I will pass it on the others I know I'll enjoy it, I would like to read the author's book set in Iceland, but for me, this was not what I was hoping for when reading about the emergence of a Gothic queen who lost her virginity on her mother's grave, and who kept part of her husband's calcified heart in her desk drawer.
November 9, 2025
Come si fa a non innamorarsi di un’apertura del genere? Io sono stata subito catturata.
“Cara lettrice, hai 18 anni. Cacciata da tuo padre, emarginata dalla società, sei fuggita a Ginevra con il tuo amante e tua sorella. Il fatto che abbiano legato tra loro ti rende furiosa, ma se protesti il tuo amante ti lascerà.”
Ci immergiamo tra Londra del 1814 e Ginevra del 1816, testimoniando l’amore tra Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin e Percy Bysshe Shelley: un amore folle, disperato, ossessivo, quasi tossico, ma totalizzante. Mary ha sedici anni, Percy già ventuno è sposato e ha figli. Eppure basta poco perché Mary cada sotto il suo fascino: basta sentirlo declamare una poesia per sentirsi completamente coinvolta.
La loro storia d’amore diventa rapidamente uno scandalo: fuggono insieme, portando con sé Claire, la sorella di Mary, formando un trio inseparabile.
L’autrice descrive con incredibile intensità la frustrazione e la rabbia di Mary, che non gradisce le attenzioni reciproche tra Percy e Claire, e allo stesso tempo lotta con i suoi sentimenti contrastanti: passione, dolore, perdita, tradimento.
Leggendo, ho provato un nervosismo palpabile: avrei voluto scuotere Mary, svegliarla dalla sua disperazione, urlarle di reagire. La sua fuga, le gravidanze, le perdite, la vita sotto pressione dei creditori e dei vincoli sociali: tutto contribuisce a rendere il romanzo estremamente coinvolgente. Percy non è certo un personaggio perfetto: tra fughe, amanti e promesse vane, cresce la frustrazione di Mary, che nonostante tutto è una donna colta, filosofa e scrittrice, cresciuta con un’educazione che le ha insegnato a ragionare, a leggere, ad argomentare.
Love, Sex, and Frankenstein è quindi molto più di una biografia romanzata: è un viaggio nel cuore di una storia gotica, passionale e tragica, in cui la genialità di Mary Shelley emerge con tutta la sua forza, tra amore, rabbia, libertà e dolore. Caroline Lea riesce a rendere vivi i personaggi, a far sentire il lettore dentro la loro esperienza, con uno stile che cattura e scuote allo stesso tempo.
Non riesco a spiegare quanto questo libro mi abbia travolto. L’autrice è talmente brava a far provare emozioni che, mentre leggevo sentivo una rabbia indescrivibile sia verso la sorella Claire che verso Percy Shelley, per come trattano Mary, per il loro rapporto, per tutto ciò che lei è costretta a subire. Rabbia per le umiliazioni, per le perdite, per una vita di dolore e di stenti vissuta già da giovanissima...
E poi le descrizioni dei luoghi, suggestivi come Villa Diodati e l’incontro con Lord Byron, le serate a bere e a scrivere. Lasciando andare la ragione e vivendo con l’istinto. Lasciando uscire il mostro che alberga per fargli prendere vita e creare un capolavoro.
“Cara lettrice, hai 18 anni. Cacciata da tuo padre, emarginata dalla società, sei fuggita a Ginevra con il tuo amante e tua sorella. Il fatto che abbiano legato tra loro ti rende furiosa, ma se protesti il tuo amante ti lascerà.”
Ci immergiamo tra Londra del 1814 e Ginevra del 1816, testimoniando l’amore tra Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin e Percy Bysshe Shelley: un amore folle, disperato, ossessivo, quasi tossico, ma totalizzante. Mary ha sedici anni, Percy già ventuno è sposato e ha figli. Eppure basta poco perché Mary cada sotto il suo fascino: basta sentirlo declamare una poesia per sentirsi completamente coinvolta.
La loro storia d’amore diventa rapidamente uno scandalo: fuggono insieme, portando con sé Claire, la sorella di Mary, formando un trio inseparabile.
L’autrice descrive con incredibile intensità la frustrazione e la rabbia di Mary, che non gradisce le attenzioni reciproche tra Percy e Claire, e allo stesso tempo lotta con i suoi sentimenti contrastanti: passione, dolore, perdita, tradimento.
Leggendo, ho provato un nervosismo palpabile: avrei voluto scuotere Mary, svegliarla dalla sua disperazione, urlarle di reagire. La sua fuga, le gravidanze, le perdite, la vita sotto pressione dei creditori e dei vincoli sociali: tutto contribuisce a rendere il romanzo estremamente coinvolgente. Percy non è certo un personaggio perfetto: tra fughe, amanti e promesse vane, cresce la frustrazione di Mary, che nonostante tutto è una donna colta, filosofa e scrittrice, cresciuta con un’educazione che le ha insegnato a ragionare, a leggere, ad argomentare.
Love, Sex, and Frankenstein è quindi molto più di una biografia romanzata: è un viaggio nel cuore di una storia gotica, passionale e tragica, in cui la genialità di Mary Shelley emerge con tutta la sua forza, tra amore, rabbia, libertà e dolore. Caroline Lea riesce a rendere vivi i personaggi, a far sentire il lettore dentro la loro esperienza, con uno stile che cattura e scuote allo stesso tempo.
Non riesco a spiegare quanto questo libro mi abbia travolto. L’autrice è talmente brava a far provare emozioni che, mentre leggevo sentivo una rabbia indescrivibile sia verso la sorella Claire che verso Percy Shelley, per come trattano Mary, per il loro rapporto, per tutto ciò che lei è costretta a subire. Rabbia per le umiliazioni, per le perdite, per una vita di dolore e di stenti vissuta già da giovanissima...
E poi le descrizioni dei luoghi, suggestivi come Villa Diodati e l’incontro con Lord Byron, le serate a bere e a scrivere. Lasciando andare la ragione e vivendo con l’istinto. Lasciando uscire il mostro che alberga per fargli prendere vita e creare un capolavoro.
May 23, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I mean, I am fascinated by Mary Shelley and her writing of Frankenstein, and so jumped at the chance to read this, especially given the positive reviews it was getting.
It's often been said that the opening sentence to a book is the most important, as it draws you in, but I've never really understood it. I can't imagine judging an entire book on its opening sentence, however I got it with this book. I have been given permission from the publisher to be able to quote the opening line here:
"At dusk, the sky overnight Lake Geneva is the colour of blood in a glass of water."
I thought this opening line hooks you in instantly, and it doesn't let up.
Historical books, especially ones depicting a real-life, or adaptation of a real-life event, can be a bit heavy and dry, intent on providing information over entertainment. But this has both. I'm learning more about the Shelley's time at Lake Geneva and writing Frankenstein, but it's so well written that I am thoroughly enjoying it, it's light and quick but thoughtful.
It has made me want to re-read Frankenstein, as it has been some years since I last did, but it is definitely one of the greatest novels ever written, and I don't think any sci-fi book will really surpass it.
We all know of Mary Shelley and Percy Shelley and Lord Byron and their time at Lake Geneva and the writing of Frankenstein and whatnot, but we don't really know them as individuals, rather than just the stars we know now. Whilst this may be fictional, Caroline has given us the heart and soul of the Shelleys.
I don't know much about Caroline's work (this is my first book of hers) and so I don't know if she has a link to this story or not, but I think she's got to have a passion for it. The facts can give you the story, but passion gives it its soul.
It was so addictive and I had to ignore my want to sleep to read it long into the night as I just couldn't part with it. I ended up reading it in less than 12 hours - and that included time for sleeping.
It's not always an easy read in terms of topics discussed. It's raw and nasty and callous and rude, and yet there's this undercurrent of hope and love which stops it from being miserable.
Caroline embodies Mary Shelley's spirit and storytelling ability in this masterful book.
I mean, I am fascinated by Mary Shelley and her writing of Frankenstein, and so jumped at the chance to read this, especially given the positive reviews it was getting.
It's often been said that the opening sentence to a book is the most important, as it draws you in, but I've never really understood it. I can't imagine judging an entire book on its opening sentence, however I got it with this book. I have been given permission from the publisher to be able to quote the opening line here:
"At dusk, the sky overnight Lake Geneva is the colour of blood in a glass of water."
I thought this opening line hooks you in instantly, and it doesn't let up.
Historical books, especially ones depicting a real-life, or adaptation of a real-life event, can be a bit heavy and dry, intent on providing information over entertainment. But this has both. I'm learning more about the Shelley's time at Lake Geneva and writing Frankenstein, but it's so well written that I am thoroughly enjoying it, it's light and quick but thoughtful.
It has made me want to re-read Frankenstein, as it has been some years since I last did, but it is definitely one of the greatest novels ever written, and I don't think any sci-fi book will really surpass it.
We all know of Mary Shelley and Percy Shelley and Lord Byron and their time at Lake Geneva and the writing of Frankenstein and whatnot, but we don't really know them as individuals, rather than just the stars we know now. Whilst this may be fictional, Caroline has given us the heart and soul of the Shelleys.
I don't know much about Caroline's work (this is my first book of hers) and so I don't know if she has a link to this story or not, but I think she's got to have a passion for it. The facts can give you the story, but passion gives it its soul.
It was so addictive and I had to ignore my want to sleep to read it long into the night as I just couldn't part with it. I ended up reading it in less than 12 hours - and that included time for sleeping.
It's not always an easy read in terms of topics discussed. It's raw and nasty and callous and rude, and yet there's this undercurrent of hope and love which stops it from being miserable.
Caroline embodies Mary Shelley's spirit and storytelling ability in this masterful book.
May 25, 2025
I’ve read numerous books on Mary Shelley and the origins of the story of Frankenstein. It holds a huge amount of intrigue for me, romance, deceit, jealousy, passion. Let me tell you, nothing compares to this book. I feel like I’ve burrowed under Mary’s skin, become her, felt what she feels and loved as she loved. I will never fail to be intrigued by how the likes of Shelley and Emily Bronte conceive such raw and wild stories from the background they’re from. Books like this are an eye opener. As for the story in the villa beside Lake Geneva, I’ve felt myself there so many times in the insufferable damp, the storm, amidst some of the greatest geniuses of the time; Percy Bysshe Shelley, Polidori, Lord Byron and above all, Mary herself. I can’t recommend this book enough, I’m so glad I requested it. It’s released June 19th and I’ll definitely purchase a copy for my forever shelf.
June 27, 2025
Caroline Lea's 'Love, Sex & Frankenstein' is an atmospheric and evocative gothic reimagining of Mary Shelley's tumultuous summer at Villa Diodati. The novel truly captures the emotional intensity of Mary’s relationships with Percy Shelley, her stepsister Claire, and Lord Byron, and works to weave a narrative that covers themes of love, betrayal, and creative awakening.
However, the novel's structure may challenge some readers as it did for me. There are frequent shifts between timelines in the first half which I found disrupted the narrative flow and made it a little difficult to follow. The character dynamics and interpersonal drama also, whilst compelling at times, derail and overshadow what I was most interested in - the exploration of Mary’s literary genius. The actual writing of Frankenstein is introduced later in the story which disappointed me as I was expecting a deeper dive into the novel's creation.
Overall, 'Love, Sex & Frankenstein' is a beautifully written novel that offers a fresh, reimagined perspective on Mary Shelley's life. For me, whilst its narrative structure and emphasis on personal relationships didn't appeal I think that readers who love a character driven story will truly love this work and will find it a compelling read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for a digital review copy of "Love, Sex & Frankenstein" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.
However, the novel's structure may challenge some readers as it did for me. There are frequent shifts between timelines in the first half which I found disrupted the narrative flow and made it a little difficult to follow. The character dynamics and interpersonal drama also, whilst compelling at times, derail and overshadow what I was most interested in - the exploration of Mary’s literary genius. The actual writing of Frankenstein is introduced later in the story which disappointed me as I was expecting a deeper dive into the novel's creation.
Overall, 'Love, Sex & Frankenstein' is a beautifully written novel that offers a fresh, reimagined perspective on Mary Shelley's life. For me, whilst its narrative structure and emphasis on personal relationships didn't appeal I think that readers who love a character driven story will truly love this work and will find it a compelling read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for a digital review copy of "Love, Sex & Frankenstein" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.
July 20, 2025
‘If I cannot inspire love, I will cause fear’.
An atmospheric reimagining of the summer that created Frankenstein, the book captures both the haunting beauty of the Gothic and of Mary Shelley’s world. There is a powerful undercurrent of feminine rage throughout. How Mary, despite her brilliance, was still constrained by the men and expectations around her.
The characters are all deeply flawed, desperate, and yearning for love, much like Frankenstein’s monster. Their relationships and interpersonal drama is messy and compelling.
I was intrigued to learn more about Mary Shelley’s real life.
My only critique is that some chapters felt overly long and slightly slowed the pacing, but overall, this was a rich read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.
4/5 🌟
An atmospheric reimagining of the summer that created Frankenstein, the book captures both the haunting beauty of the Gothic and of Mary Shelley’s world. There is a powerful undercurrent of feminine rage throughout. How Mary, despite her brilliance, was still constrained by the men and expectations around her.
The characters are all deeply flawed, desperate, and yearning for love, much like Frankenstein’s monster. Their relationships and interpersonal drama is messy and compelling.
I was intrigued to learn more about Mary Shelley’s real life.
My only critique is that some chapters felt overly long and slightly slowed the pacing, but overall, this was a rich read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.
4/5 🌟
November 18, 2025
“Grief marks a person as fire marks a house. You can paint over the soot and repair the boards, but the rooms will be haunted always by the scent of ashes.”
This was an awesome blend of historical and imagined events in Mary Shelley’s life. This twisted historical fact at a very granular and specific point that made this more like clever foreshadowing and a fun foundation for the actual events that occurred after. This made some fun nods to actual historical characters and their works too. If you’re familiar with John Polidori and his work The Vampyre you might catch some fun imaginings around his behavior. This of course also toys with Mary Shelley’s story and creates some clever but beautifully tragic metaphors from it. This delves deeply into Percy and Mary Shelley’s relationship as well which if you’re familiar with history is pretty “Oops I did it again”. This was a little frustrating at times for me to read personally but then their whole relationship was pretty frustrating to me historically anyway. I did also think this had some parts that dragged on a little too much at times. However I did enjoy this overall and really appreciated the attention to detail that was a result of this. I would definitely recommend giving this a read if you’re a history fan, Mary Shelley fan, or are looking for a gothic slow burn read. It’s creepy and dismal but also a fun creative peek into what life might have been like for Mary Shelley and those around her.
And because I couldn’t just choose one favorite quote from this one:
“She knows that every gateway she will have to pass through to have her work accepted, for it to be read and sold, and reviewed, will have a man standing in front of it.”
This was an awesome blend of historical and imagined events in Mary Shelley’s life. This twisted historical fact at a very granular and specific point that made this more like clever foreshadowing and a fun foundation for the actual events that occurred after. This made some fun nods to actual historical characters and their works too. If you’re familiar with John Polidori and his work The Vampyre you might catch some fun imaginings around his behavior. This of course also toys with Mary Shelley’s story and creates some clever but beautifully tragic metaphors from it. This delves deeply into Percy and Mary Shelley’s relationship as well which if you’re familiar with history is pretty “Oops I did it again”. This was a little frustrating at times for me to read personally but then their whole relationship was pretty frustrating to me historically anyway. I did also think this had some parts that dragged on a little too much at times. However I did enjoy this overall and really appreciated the attention to detail that was a result of this. I would definitely recommend giving this a read if you’re a history fan, Mary Shelley fan, or are looking for a gothic slow burn read. It’s creepy and dismal but also a fun creative peek into what life might have been like for Mary Shelley and those around her.
And because I couldn’t just choose one favorite quote from this one:
“She knows that every gateway she will have to pass through to have her work accepted, for it to be read and sold, and reviewed, will have a man standing in front of it.”
December 21, 2025
At first I rated it at 4. I found the ending drawn out, and I was ready for the story to end.
Then I went to bed and dreamed about the characters in the book. In my dream, I was Mary, feeling the frustration, anger, hate, love, passion, contradictions, that formed her. I knew, in the dream, that Mary's feelings surrounding men, power, independence, rivalry and love between women, and the source of creativity have also formed me--and all women, through all ages--although in this case I identified in a very singular way with Mary Shelley as presented by Lea.
I was required to read Frankenstein as an undergraduate, and then I taught it as a graduate student in English, and I admit, I never viewed the text as equal in stature or intellect to the works of say Byron, or P.B. Shelley. This realization, too, was revelatory for me. I have been seduced, by my own male-centered education, to take Mary Shelley's masterpiece less seriously than the Romantic poets who wrote/lived/loved alongside her. Now I need to re-read both the poets and Mary Shelly again, with this different eye. It's always refreshing to realize anew how my education, no matter how liberal it seemed to me at the time, is/was/will continue to be steeped in bias against and disdain for women.
Lea conveyed Mary's complexity, or at least how she imagined Mary's complexity, so masterfully I didn't even realize the impact her character had on me until days after I finished the book.
I also appreciate how Lea told Mary's story in the tradition of Frankenstein (the gothic) so perfectly.
Then I went to bed and dreamed about the characters in the book. In my dream, I was Mary, feeling the frustration, anger, hate, love, passion, contradictions, that formed her. I knew, in the dream, that Mary's feelings surrounding men, power, independence, rivalry and love between women, and the source of creativity have also formed me--and all women, through all ages--although in this case I identified in a very singular way with Mary Shelley as presented by Lea.
I was required to read Frankenstein as an undergraduate, and then I taught it as a graduate student in English, and I admit, I never viewed the text as equal in stature or intellect to the works of say Byron, or P.B. Shelley. This realization, too, was revelatory for me. I have been seduced, by my own male-centered education, to take Mary Shelley's masterpiece less seriously than the Romantic poets who wrote/lived/loved alongside her. Now I need to re-read both the poets and Mary Shelly again, with this different eye. It's always refreshing to realize anew how my education, no matter how liberal it seemed to me at the time, is/was/will continue to be steeped in bias against and disdain for women.
Lea conveyed Mary's complexity, or at least how she imagined Mary's complexity, so masterfully I didn't even realize the impact her character had on me until days after I finished the book.
I also appreciate how Lea told Mary's story in the tradition of Frankenstein (the gothic) so perfectly.
December 13, 2025
3.5 stars. There's no real plot here, as Mary and her lover "Shelley" and Mary's sister Claire travel to Geneva and meet up with famous poet Lord Byron. Byron is the ultimate womanizer, and as it happens, Shelley has a similar history of love 'em and leave 'em. He's still married to Harriet back in London, but no matter. Here he is in love with Mary...or Claire...or Mary. And both Claire and Mary were also not models of monogamy thanks to Lord Byron. So there was plenty of love and hurt feelings among each of them for similar infidelities, and the first 80% 0f the book explores those relationships. The best part for me, and what I felt carried the novel past the romance stage was the last 20% when Byron's challenge to write a horror story met with Mary's introspection, and we began to see the development of Frankenstein. Mary was a very complex character - a tough, independent woman much of the time, yet easily manipulated by Shelly or easily falling under Byron's masculine, poetic spell.
July 12, 2025
I don't know anything about Mary Shelley other than that she is the iconic woman who basically created science fiction. I read Frankenstein at school and remember enjoying (as much as you can enjoy a book at school). I don't know how close to the truth of Mary's life this is, but I can say I loved it. I felt like the author really brought Mary to life, and throughout the story she really developed into the woman you would imagine Mary to be. Great character development all round actually.
I always forget how much I love gothic literature - this has reminded me that I need to seek it out more often. I loved the broody, atmospheric descriptions. They were just the right length to properly set the scene without going on and losing my attention. I loved the addition of the Frankenstein quotes at the beginning of each chapter too - like a reminder of the end goal.
Brb off to read Frankenstein again
I always forget how much I love gothic literature - this has reminded me that I need to seek it out more often. I loved the broody, atmospheric descriptions. They were just the right length to properly set the scene without going on and losing my attention. I loved the addition of the Frankenstein quotes at the beginning of each chapter too - like a reminder of the end goal.
Brb off to read Frankenstein again
November 27, 2025
IMAGE: GUILLERMO DEL TORO'S IMAGE OF A FRIGHTENED NOT-MONSTER
It's the alleged monster, not the doctor, who emerges as more real.
Maybe men should read this rather than women, who are already quite familiar with gaslighting abuse from their husbands and lovers and have their (our) own rage. Shelley's novel itself doesn't read as feminist rage--and after Percy Bysshe Shelley died when she was 24, Mary spent the rest of her life publishing his poetry, writing his biography, even to keeping what she thought was his heart forever on her desk.
Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus, addresses a plethora of other critical issues. Yes, there are the themes of abandonment and guilt reflecting her life at 18. But she also raises other issues imperative today: what limits should there be to science, if it defies nature? Should we flawed humans play God? Is genetics evil? From Mary Shelley we should learn to limit AI! "As a parable, the novel has been used as an argument both for and against slavery and revolution, vivisection and empire, and as a dialogue between history and progress, religion and atheism."
--from the BBC.com, October 14, 2025
I was hoping this novel would provide clues as to how she developed her two main characters: first, the overambitious doctor, horrified by a creation he deliberately made 8 feet tall in hopes of spawning a new humanity, even as slave owners were practicing genetics on a people they assumed to own. Then, an innocent pieced together from different bodies, shocked to life devoid of any memory of past lives, who develops complex intelligence, language skills, an enduring altruism in sensitivity and kindness, and the ability to survive well despite being abandoned. None of that appears here.
We do get a sense of the existential dread felt around the world by the fallout of Mt. Tambora's eruption in Indonesia that began in April, 1815. 10,000 people died immediately, but 1818 was a summer that, yes, snowed in August in London. It blew rock particles into the sky to create, as the author notes at the start, "a sky the color of blood in water," causing crop failures, drought, and the deaths of approximately 90,000 people over the course of three years.
Where Shelley made us look to the world through a series of letters written by men, this novel is deliberately insular and isolated, a circle dance of shared sex among four characters who are utterly reckless about love, which makes the protagonist's 180, her sudden, new love for Percy, reanimated from fluff but now completely real--as a result of having sex with Byron??--ring false. It seems a disservice to the real Mary Shelley.
I would've titled it Rage, Sex, and Frankenstein, instead.
Read
November 12, 2025“La capacità di inventare non consiste nel creare qualcosa dal nulla, ma dal caos.”
RABBIA, la costante della vita di Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, conosciuta al mondo letterario come Mary Shelley.
Ognuno ha dei mostri da affrontare con coraggio. Mary l’ha fatto regalando al mondo un capolavoro: Frankenstein.
Protesta dando voce alla creatività combinata alla rabbia, alla ribellione combinata alla sottomissione e alla bellezza combinata alla mostruosità. Sputa tutto il suo dolore verso un mondo che idolatrava gli uomini ignorando le donne.
“Una bestia si è risvegliata dentro di lei, ed è sempre più difficile nasconderla. Ora che l’ha riconosciuta, la rabbia cova dentro di lei costantemente.”
“Improvvisamente un rumore che sembra il tuono di una folla urla a Mary di agire, di gridare, di ululare la sua rabbia e il suo dolore.”
L’inizio è sempre oggi….
Questo libro di Caroline Lea, pur essendo mooolto romanzato e con non poche libertà prese, è scritto bene e convince.
“È giunta l’ora di dare inizio a una rivoluzione nei costumi delle donne”.
RABBIA, la costante della vita di Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, conosciuta al mondo letterario come Mary Shelley.
Ognuno ha dei mostri da affrontare con coraggio. Mary l’ha fatto regalando al mondo un capolavoro: Frankenstein.
Protesta dando voce alla creatività combinata alla rabbia, alla ribellione combinata alla sottomissione e alla bellezza combinata alla mostruosità. Sputa tutto il suo dolore verso un mondo che idolatrava gli uomini ignorando le donne.
“Una bestia si è risvegliata dentro di lei, ed è sempre più difficile nasconderla. Ora che l’ha riconosciuta, la rabbia cova dentro di lei costantemente.”
“Improvvisamente un rumore che sembra il tuono di una folla urla a Mary di agire, di gridare, di ululare la sua rabbia e il suo dolore.”
L’inizio è sempre oggi….
Questo libro di Caroline Lea, pur essendo mooolto romanzato e con non poche libertà prese, è scritto bene e convince.
“È giunta l’ora di dare inizio a una rivoluzione nei costumi delle donne”.
August 10, 2025
This was a dark evocative story of love, jealousy and betrayal. Mary and her sister's relationship is strained both torn between Percy and Lord Bryon and the pull they have on them. An atmospheric reimagining of the doomed holiday to Lord Byron’s Villa where Mary is inspired to write her story of creator and creature.
I was transfixed with Mary her thoughts and her desire to write at only eighteen years old she is a wonder. Caroline Lea has written an exceptional gothic read it's one you don't want to miss!
Highly recommend!!
I was transfixed with Mary her thoughts and her desire to write at only eighteen years old she is a wonder. Caroline Lea has written an exceptional gothic read it's one you don't want to miss!
Highly recommend!!
September 13, 2025
I just wrote a review that got deleted and I don't feel like writing another one. In short:
- For some reason there seems to be many novels about the time in Mary Shelley's life just before she wrote Frankenstein. The other one I've read in the last couple years is this one, which is inferior to this.
- This novel is really good. I loved it.
- The only thing that sucks about it is the title. Stupid title.
- For some reason there seems to be many novels about the time in Mary Shelley's life just before she wrote Frankenstein. The other one I've read in the last couple years is this one, which is inferior to this.
- This novel is really good. I loved it.
- The only thing that sucks about it is the title. Stupid title.
December 2, 2025
5 STARS. this was The Book for me. caroline lea’s writing is incredible !!!! and i read this with a very little if nothing knowledge on mary shelley’s life and came to realise that so much of this book was historically accurate which love.
i think it’s such an amazing feat to be able to take a life as complex as mary shelley’s and write it in such a creative and beautiful and true way. i was absolutely gripped by this book from start to finish and loved watched the raw rage rip from mary shelley’s soul through the pages and into my own.
i think it’s such an amazing feat to be able to take a life as complex as mary shelley’s and write it in such a creative and beautiful and true way. i was absolutely gripped by this book from start to finish and loved watched the raw rage rip from mary shelley’s soul through the pages and into my own.
June 30, 2025
Christ… what a book! The best expression of female rage I have read to date.
November 22, 2025
A riveting read! It’s been a long time since I got lost in a story. This is a story you will not forget anytime soon.
December 1, 2025
3.5 stars
Too well written to give it the 3 stars I am thinking it deserves. Lea strings words together beautifully, but what she's weaving is insufferable.
Cripes! What a long slog. With a cast of self-absorbed, petulant, and unlikable people all fucking each other whilst professing undying love for another, behind their backs. Caroline Lea reduces Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley into a sniveling, willful, hate filled crybaby I would not want to know.
The last 25% of the book is what is worth reading. I do not believe the pages and pages of bawling leading up to it are necessary to make the last bit worth while.
Too well written to give it the 3 stars I am thinking it deserves. Lea strings words together beautifully, but what she's weaving is insufferable.
Cripes! What a long slog. With a cast of self-absorbed, petulant, and unlikable people all fucking each other whilst professing undying love for another, behind their backs. Caroline Lea reduces Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley into a sniveling, willful, hate filled crybaby I would not want to know.
The last 25% of the book is what is worth reading. I do not believe the pages and pages of bawling leading up to it are necessary to make the last bit worth while.
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