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Almost Invincible: A Biographical Novel of Mary Shelley, Author of Frankenstein
"She is singularly bold, somewhat imperious, and active of mind. Her desire of knowledge is great, and her perseverance in everything else she undertakes, almost invincible."
Mary Shelley began Frankenstein in 1814, when she was eighteen. By then, she had been living for two years in a scandalous relationship with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, who was already married with children. The novel was conceived in a contest with him and Lord Byron to tell ghost stories.
When she eloped with Shelley, Mary had been quite prepared to suffer condemnation from society. It was much harder to cope with her jealousy of Claire, her step-sister, who had run away with them and was also in love with Shelley. During the nine turbulent years Mary and Shelley were together, Claire was the ever-present third, whose manipulative behaviour often drove Mary to despair. Shelley was little help - his unconventional attitudes to love strained her devotion to its limits.
They moved constantly throughout England, Switzerland and Italy, escaping creditors, censorious families and ill health. It was in Italy that they found their spiritual home, their 'paradise of exiles', but it was also there that the loss of her children nearly broke Mary's spirit.
Her writing became her grip on sanity, and Shelley never wavered from his belief in her creative genius - as she believed in his.
Mary Shelley began Frankenstein in 1814, when she was eighteen. By then, she had been living for two years in a scandalous relationship with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, who was already married with children. The novel was conceived in a contest with him and Lord Byron to tell ghost stories.
When she eloped with Shelley, Mary had been quite prepared to suffer condemnation from society. It was much harder to cope with her jealousy of Claire, her step-sister, who had run away with them and was also in love with Shelley. During the nine turbulent years Mary and Shelley were together, Claire was the ever-present third, whose manipulative behaviour often drove Mary to despair. Shelley was little help - his unconventional attitudes to love strained her devotion to its limits.
They moved constantly throughout England, Switzerland and Italy, escaping creditors, censorious families and ill health. It was in Italy that they found their spiritual home, their 'paradise of exiles', but it was also there that the loss of her children nearly broke Mary's spirit.
Her writing became her grip on sanity, and Shelley never wavered from his belief in her creative genius - as she believed in his.
332 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2014
3 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 13, 2016
After reading Almost Invincible, I've come to the conclusion that Mary Shelley was truly caught betwixt and between her heritage as the daughter of the radical and unconventional Mary Wollstonecraft and her upbringing in the Godwin household run by the second Mrs. Godwin, Mary Jane Clairmont, who was obsessed with respectability.
What I liked most about this book were the references to what was happening during the period. So although the main focus of Almost Invincible was on Mary's relationship with Shelley, Burdon did provide a frame of reference which shows us the truth of their times.
For my complete review see http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2015/...
What I liked most about this book were the references to what was happening during the period. So although the main focus of Almost Invincible was on Mary's relationship with Shelley, Burdon did provide a frame of reference which shows us the truth of their times.
For my complete review see http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2015/...
May 12, 2015
If Mary Shelley's life had been written as a complete work of fiction, it would be almost unbelievable. The daughter of feminist writer Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin and novelist/philosopher William Godwin, Mary met poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, a married man with children, when she was 16. She scandalously ran off with him, totally in love. She was only 19 when she began to write the remarkable Frankenstein. Their life was filled with dramas (often caused by Mary's step-sister Claire, who lived with them), never-ending money worries, and personal grief as they lost family members to suicide and illness - including some of their infant children. Shelley's own life was cut far too short, and Mary spent the rest of her life bringing his work to the attention of the public, and writing herself to support her son Percy.
Written as a biographical novel and not simply a biography, this book is sometimes clunky in style, with 'info-dumps' as a way of relaying information. Other writers and friends are often introduced with just their last names - and this could have been made clearer. People unfamiliar with the Shelleys could have trouble following some of the action and/or friends. The non-linear style also sometimes confuses. However, as mentioned before, this astonishing and unusual story of Mary's life from the time she met Shelley until the time of his death makes for riveting reading.
Written as a biographical novel and not simply a biography, this book is sometimes clunky in style, with 'info-dumps' as a way of relaying information. Other writers and friends are often introduced with just their last names - and this could have been made clearer. People unfamiliar with the Shelleys could have trouble following some of the action and/or friends. The non-linear style also sometimes confuses. However, as mentioned before, this astonishing and unusual story of Mary's life from the time she met Shelley until the time of his death makes for riveting reading.
October 20, 2019
As I have read Frankenstein and see two movies that portrayed Mary Shelley I was intrigued by the idea of this being a biographical novel.
January 31, 2016
**I received a free copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review**
After drawing her readers into each chapter with a literary quote, the author uses references from Greek mythology as well as devices such as alliteration, metaphors and similes which build each scene for her characters’ interactions to unfold. I particularly liked the anthropomorphism of ‘London stretching its early morning limbs’.
We witness some of Mary’s experiences which subsequently influenced the plot in Frankenstein, as the bohemian family continue their nomadic life in Europe. Whilst they are plagued by a series of misfortunes, they find a measure of contentment among the expat community in Italy, along with some local and international intelligentsia.
We sympathise with Mary as she continues to struggle with her nemesis. The altruistic, philanthropic and unworldly Shelley takes every cause to heart but appears unable to acknowledge the pain caused to Mary (now his wife) by the ever-present self-centred Claire. It is challenging to blend historical facts with fictional emotions but Ms Burdon manages it superbly.
The pace of the novel is well-balanced and the author has clearly researched her subject thoroughly. She gives us glimpses of incidents of the time, including the Spa Field Riots of 1816, as well as the Peterloo Massacre and the Pentrich Rising of 1817. References to the couple’s work are cleverly interspersed throughout which also anchors this tale in its place in history.
Ultimately, this is a love story with the underlying themes being the belief the couple have in each other’s talent as well as their independence of mind. I would recommend "Almost Invincible" to anyone with an interest in Mary Shelley or who likes historical family drama. I found this novel compelling and award it five stars.
Reviewed by Julie at www.whisperingstories.com
After drawing her readers into each chapter with a literary quote, the author uses references from Greek mythology as well as devices such as alliteration, metaphors and similes which build each scene for her characters’ interactions to unfold. I particularly liked the anthropomorphism of ‘London stretching its early morning limbs’.
We witness some of Mary’s experiences which subsequently influenced the plot in Frankenstein, as the bohemian family continue their nomadic life in Europe. Whilst they are plagued by a series of misfortunes, they find a measure of contentment among the expat community in Italy, along with some local and international intelligentsia.
We sympathise with Mary as she continues to struggle with her nemesis. The altruistic, philanthropic and unworldly Shelley takes every cause to heart but appears unable to acknowledge the pain caused to Mary (now his wife) by the ever-present self-centred Claire. It is challenging to blend historical facts with fictional emotions but Ms Burdon manages it superbly.
The pace of the novel is well-balanced and the author has clearly researched her subject thoroughly. She gives us glimpses of incidents of the time, including the Spa Field Riots of 1816, as well as the Peterloo Massacre and the Pentrich Rising of 1817. References to the couple’s work are cleverly interspersed throughout which also anchors this tale in its place in history.
Ultimately, this is a love story with the underlying themes being the belief the couple have in each other’s talent as well as their independence of mind. I would recommend "Almost Invincible" to anyone with an interest in Mary Shelley or who likes historical family drama. I found this novel compelling and award it five stars.
Reviewed by Julie at www.whisperingstories.com
August 25, 2014
I confess I don't know a lot about the Shelleys and I've never been overly fond of his poetry, so it's hard for me to judge how accurate a portrayal of their lives this book is. It is quite well written, and one gets a good sense of the things that happened, the places they lived and their close associates but I couldn't help feeling that the real people were probably more complex than the ones in this story. Maybe that's just my own assumptions about the nature of artists.
Most of this book is devoted to the tangled messy relationship between Shiloh, Mary and Claire - and it seems a fair and balanced assessment of the strengths and weaknesses in that mostly toxic relationship. I'm guessing this book was framed as historical fiction rather than a straight biography, to allow the writer a bit more freedom in exploring the feelings and the motivations of the players. It would have been nice to have an Afterward, where the known facts, and the writer's assumptions were spelt out. As is, I'm not sure I can really believe the real people thought and felt in this way.
My only other gripe is that the story begins with Mary meeting Shelley, and effectively finishes up when he dies - with a brief framing nod to the (long) life she lived after. I'm a little uncomfortable that such a strong independent woman's biography begins and ends with the time she spent with her lover. She lived quite a bit of life outside those bookends - It would have made a more challenging read if the author had been able to deal with "life after Shiloh".
Most of this book is devoted to the tangled messy relationship between Shiloh, Mary and Claire - and it seems a fair and balanced assessment of the strengths and weaknesses in that mostly toxic relationship. I'm guessing this book was framed as historical fiction rather than a straight biography, to allow the writer a bit more freedom in exploring the feelings and the motivations of the players. It would have been nice to have an Afterward, where the known facts, and the writer's assumptions were spelt out. As is, I'm not sure I can really believe the real people thought and felt in this way.
My only other gripe is that the story begins with Mary meeting Shelley, and effectively finishes up when he dies - with a brief framing nod to the (long) life she lived after. I'm a little uncomfortable that such a strong independent woman's biography begins and ends with the time she spent with her lover. She lived quite a bit of life outside those bookends - It would have made a more challenging read if the author had been able to deal with "life after Shiloh".
August 7, 2015
This book was recently entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Almost Invincible
Author: Suzanne Burdon
Star Rating: 5 stars
Number of Readers: 27
Readers’ Comments
‘I personally thought this was the best book in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. Lovely style of writing, strong cover and a sizzling look at the life of Mary Shelley. It is always so satisfying to understand the mind of an artist and this book helped me to do that. Being a big fan of Frankenstein I particularly enjoyed it.’ Female reader, aged 62
‘I did not even know Percy Bysshe Shelley was her husband. But I do now. Interesting and well-researched look at her life. I particularly enjoyed the complex relationship between her and her step-sister.’ Female reader, aged 23
‘A bit slow to get going but, apart from that, a thoroughly absorbing read. It depicts life in the 1800s with clarity and the characters simply jump off the page.’ Male reader, aged 54
‘I had no idea Shelley was so poor and spent much of her life running from debt. Fascinating.’ Male reader, aged 56
Stats
Cover 8/10
Writing Style 9/10
Editing 9/10
Contents 10/10
Of the 27 readers:
25 would read another book by this author.
22 thought the cover was good or excellent.
17 thought the depth of the author’s understanding of the characters was the best part of the book.
‘A fascinating, often shocking look at the life of Mary Shelley.’ The Wishing Shelf Awards
Title: Almost Invincible
Author: Suzanne Burdon
Star Rating: 5 stars
Number of Readers: 27
Readers’ Comments
‘I personally thought this was the best book in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. Lovely style of writing, strong cover and a sizzling look at the life of Mary Shelley. It is always so satisfying to understand the mind of an artist and this book helped me to do that. Being a big fan of Frankenstein I particularly enjoyed it.’ Female reader, aged 62
‘I did not even know Percy Bysshe Shelley was her husband. But I do now. Interesting and well-researched look at her life. I particularly enjoyed the complex relationship between her and her step-sister.’ Female reader, aged 23
‘A bit slow to get going but, apart from that, a thoroughly absorbing read. It depicts life in the 1800s with clarity and the characters simply jump off the page.’ Male reader, aged 54
‘I had no idea Shelley was so poor and spent much of her life running from debt. Fascinating.’ Male reader, aged 56
Stats
Cover 8/10
Writing Style 9/10
Editing 9/10
Contents 10/10
Of the 27 readers:
25 would read another book by this author.
22 thought the cover was good or excellent.
17 thought the depth of the author’s understanding of the characters was the best part of the book.
‘A fascinating, often shocking look at the life of Mary Shelley.’ The Wishing Shelf Awards
January 5, 2016
“Provocative and profound, with brilliant characterisation, Suzanne Burdon’s dazzling novel, ´Almost Invincible´ skilfully blends fact and fiction into a realistic portrayal of some of the mysteries and day-to-day events surrounding Mary Shelly’s life!” Catherine Rose Putsche
Almost Invincible is a fictional telling of Mary Shelly’s life based on true events. The story opens on a stormy and turbulent night in the summer of 1816 at Lord Bryon’s villa in Lake Geneva. Lord Byron challenges all his guests, Shelley, Claire Clairmont, Mary and Dr. Polidori to write ghost stories and this is where Mary produces a terrifying story that will later become, Frankenstein, eventually assuring Mary a permanent place in literary history. The story then goes on to document Mary’s ignominious love affair with Percy Bysshe Shelley, who is married with children at the time of their elopement and follows the couple around England, Switzerland, France and Italy, where they experience a number of traumas such as being ostracised due to their controversial life choices, financial worries and the death of their children, and Mary’s manipulative step-sister, who drives Mary to despair on many occasions.
Burdon has crafted a beautiful story full of adventure, strength and survival of a real-life heroine who despite suffering with misfortune in her life is one of the most influential female geniuses of her time.
My Ranking: 5 Stars
Almost Invincible is a fictional telling of Mary Shelly’s life based on true events. The story opens on a stormy and turbulent night in the summer of 1816 at Lord Bryon’s villa in Lake Geneva. Lord Byron challenges all his guests, Shelley, Claire Clairmont, Mary and Dr. Polidori to write ghost stories and this is where Mary produces a terrifying story that will later become, Frankenstein, eventually assuring Mary a permanent place in literary history. The story then goes on to document Mary’s ignominious love affair with Percy Bysshe Shelley, who is married with children at the time of their elopement and follows the couple around England, Switzerland, France and Italy, where they experience a number of traumas such as being ostracised due to their controversial life choices, financial worries and the death of their children, and Mary’s manipulative step-sister, who drives Mary to despair on many occasions.
Burdon has crafted a beautiful story full of adventure, strength and survival of a real-life heroine who despite suffering with misfortune in her life is one of the most influential female geniuses of her time.
My Ranking: 5 Stars
October 1, 2015
This is early 19th century Mary Shelley that we are talking about, the author of Frankenstein. I hope that you have read that classic, please spare me movie adaptations or rewrites. One has to read Frankenstein before embarking on a journey to know Mary Shelley.
Suzanne Burdon, the author has given the characters a voice of their own, albeit a bit modernized to suit the readers today. She writes a story within a story, an autobiography that Mary herself hopefully would have approved of.
It began as a dare to write about ghost stories, Mary's talent for story weaving shone as she scandalizes the literary world with her daring pursuits. We knew that Mary's life was not easy: elopement and living in condemnation, and fighting with her step sister for the affections of her beau and husband (later) Percy Shelley.
The pace was slow, as if the author tries to build a momentum that would later rock the readers as Mary navigates her way through her life as someone who dares to disobey the norms of society
Where there lessons? Plenty, one of which is to stay true to yourself. As Frankenstein was sewn together by a mad scientist, we as authors should steal some of the ideals and values Mary had, hopefully it will make us better writers.
Suzanne Burdon, the author has given the characters a voice of their own, albeit a bit modernized to suit the readers today. She writes a story within a story, an autobiography that Mary herself hopefully would have approved of.
It began as a dare to write about ghost stories, Mary's talent for story weaving shone as she scandalizes the literary world with her daring pursuits. We knew that Mary's life was not easy: elopement and living in condemnation, and fighting with her step sister for the affections of her beau and husband (later) Percy Shelley.
The pace was slow, as if the author tries to build a momentum that would later rock the readers as Mary navigates her way through her life as someone who dares to disobey the norms of society
Where there lessons? Plenty, one of which is to stay true to yourself. As Frankenstein was sewn together by a mad scientist, we as authors should steal some of the ideals and values Mary had, hopefully it will make us better writers.
January 25, 2016
The life and creativity of Mary Shelley continues to fascinate long after her death. In this version of her life, we are given a close glimpse into the people that helped shape her destiny - how the death of her writer mother impacted her, how her love for Percy Bysshe sucked her into a lower status and a bit of a debauched social life, her relationship with Lord Byron, and the responsibility she carried for her step-sister Claire Clairmont. Her loves, her sources for inspiration, and her talents are highlighted in wonderful detail.
The book's pace is slow, but it is a biographical and is to be expected because of the research and details that have been included. Mary was not afraid to break with convention and face scandal. I think it is this that fascinates readers because she is of the Victorian era with strict morals and social norms. If you're looking for an accurate, rich, and descriptive biography about Shelley, then this is the book to read! Very well done!
Thank you to the author and publisher. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The book's pace is slow, but it is a biographical and is to be expected because of the research and details that have been included. Mary was not afraid to break with convention and face scandal. I think it is this that fascinates readers because she is of the Victorian era with strict morals and social norms. If you're looking for an accurate, rich, and descriptive biography about Shelley, then this is the book to read! Very well done!
Thank you to the author and publisher. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2014
This book is a terrific read. I have bought numerous copies as gifts for family and friends. If it wasn’t based on real people and actual events, it would make a wonderful work of fiction. But it is about real people who lived extraordinary lives. It only takes a couple of chapters of important scene setting to get going and then it takes off.
The story is told beautifully and makes for riveting reading. The characters jump off the page and the descriptions of locations and settings are captivating. The characters have so much of interest to say and it is if the author had a tape recorder hidden away with the Shelley entourage – such is the texture and intricacy of the dialogue.
Not being one to love historical books, I found this book absolutely charming and engaging. I have no doubt the author spent a lot of time researching the background and characters as one feels transported back to another era.
The story is told beautifully and makes for riveting reading. The characters jump off the page and the descriptions of locations and settings are captivating. The characters have so much of interest to say and it is if the author had a tape recorder hidden away with the Shelley entourage – such is the texture and intricacy of the dialogue.
Not being one to love historical books, I found this book absolutely charming and engaging. I have no doubt the author spent a lot of time researching the background and characters as one feels transported back to another era.
December 15, 2014
Fascinating insight into the world of Mary Shelly, author of Frankenstein. She ran away with Percy Bysshe Shelley, the famous poet, who was married at the time with children. Her step-sister Claire also ran away with them. Claire was also in love with Shelley and this caused friction between the two sisters. Claire had a child with Lord Byron, another famous poet and they all lived in Italy. Mary lost two children and her writing kept her sane. The scandals and intrigues of the time have nothing on the Bold and the Beautiful! Suicides, debt collectors, etc. etc.
July 20, 2014
This is a really enjoyable read. Mary Shelley had a really interesting life and this book brings it all to life - the elopement with Shelley when only 16, their bohemian life, Shelley's idealism and Mary's writing of Frankenstein. The book is well researched and gives you real insight into her life and times. And then there's the conflict with Claire, the step-sister who accompanies Mary and Shelley; this relationship adds another whole dimension to the story.
March 8, 2015
I reallly really enjoyed this book. It's beautifully written. I read Frankenstein prior to reading this so I would not be in the dark about some of the content but I need not have. It would not have been necessary, but I'm glad I did because I did enjoy Frankenstein.
I loved Shelley and Mary, hated Claire (detestable Claire) as well as Mary's dad and step mum. To know that it was a true story made it so much more enjoyable of course. Absolutely lovely, sad and poetic.
I loved Shelley and Mary, hated Claire (detestable Claire) as well as Mary's dad and step mum. To know that it was a true story made it so much more enjoyable of course. Absolutely lovely, sad and poetic.
October 14, 2014
I found this book inspirational. The research the author put in to piecing together the endless letters, journals etc. to work our the story of this ménage et Percy Shelley, Mary Shelly and her half-sister Claire Clairmont. It also brought insight into the philosophies around at the time and the challenge of actually embracing radical social ideas and trying to live them.
November 29, 2015
Very interesting fictional account of Mary Shelley's life from the time she met her to-be husband Percy Shelley in 1814 until his death in 1822. She wrote and published Frankenstein during this time. See my full review here: Almost Invincible
July 18, 2014
I found the book very well written and researched which made it easy to get lost in Mary and Percy's real life dramas. Lovers of biographies and historicals will enjoy this easy to read novel. http://www.kees2create.com.au/the-oth...
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November 12, 2015Beautifully written and well researched. A wonderful story of Mary Shelley
January 19, 2023
A book I read ages ago, however, goodreads didn't update my tracker when I recorded it as READ
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews