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Mary's Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein
A young adult biography of Frankenstein's profound young author, Mary Shelley, coinciding with the 200th anniversary of its publication, told through free verse and 300+ full-bleed illustrations.
Mary Shelley first began penning Frankenstein as part of a dare to write a ghost story, but the seeds of that story were planted long before that night. Mary, just nineteen years old at the time, had been living on her own for three years and had already lost a baby days after birth. She was deeply in love with famed poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, a mad man who both enthralled and terrified her, and her relationship with him was rife with scandal and ridicule. But rather than let it crush her, Mary fueled her grief, pain, and passion into a book that the world has still not forgotten 200 years later.
Dark, intense, and beautiful, this free-verse novel with over 300 pages of gorgeous black-and-white watercolor illustrations is a unique and unforgettable depiction of one of the greatest authors of all time.
Mary Shelley first began penning Frankenstein as part of a dare to write a ghost story, but the seeds of that story were planted long before that night. Mary, just nineteen years old at the time, had been living on her own for three years and had already lost a baby days after birth. She was deeply in love with famed poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, a mad man who both enthralled and terrified her, and her relationship with him was rife with scandal and ridicule. But rather than let it crush her, Mary fueled her grief, pain, and passion into a book that the world has still not forgotten 200 years later.
Dark, intense, and beautiful, this free-verse novel with over 300 pages of gorgeous black-and-white watercolor illustrations is a unique and unforgettable depiction of one of the greatest authors of all time.
312 pages, Hardcover
First published January 30, 2018
63 people are currently reading
12283 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 915 reviews
March 16, 2018
Read this in one sitting. It's a gorgeous graphic/verse biographical novel about the life of Mary Shelley. It was fascinating learning more about the author of Frankenstein, which is one of my favourite books of all time. I knew she must have been an unconventional person to write as a woman in the time she did, but I could never have guessed what she went through in her life.
The haunting black and white illustrations really suit the telling of Shelley's tale, too - a gothic biography for the author of one of the most influential gothic novels.
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December 17, 2025
Deliciously macabre and beautifully haunting.
Opening this book feels like stepping into a haunted house or an eerie forest. The illustrations are dark and gorgeous, and the poems touched my soul. I feel that I understand the world that Mary Shelley created much better than before.
I recently watched Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, which I believe is the best adaptation of Mary’s novel. The movie differs from the book in many ways, but I appreciate that it offered a new perspective on the story. When I discovered there was a graphic novel about Mary and her Frankenstein, I knew I had to read it.
She conceived me,
I took shape like an infant,
not in her body, but in her heart,
growing from her imagination
till I was bold enough to climb out of the page
and into your mind.
Now Mary is the ghost
whose bones have turned to dust
and it is I who live on.
Mary's life was darker and crazier than the plot of her famous novel. Her mother died eleven days after giving birth to her, she had a wicked stepmother, she fell in love with a married man when she was a teenager, had an affair with him, his wife Harriet took her own life, Mary's sister Fanny took her own life, three of Mary's four children did not survive past infancy, and to top it all off, her husband drowned when his sailboat sank. In many ways, Mary lived her own gothic novel.
Mary was always destined for greatness. How could she not be, with both of her parents, William and Mary, being writers and philosophers? Instead of writing a typical, boring biography (let's be honest, most biographies are boring), Lita Judge chronicled Mary’s life from birth to death in a poetic manner, accompanied by gothic-style illustrations.
Banished,
outcast,
rejected
forever.
There is a special curse
reserved for girls
who dare to run away
without a wedding ring.
I feel sympathy for Mary. Yes, she made mistakes, but she was just a teenager. The man who seduced her was Percy Bysshe Shelley, an English writer from a wealthy family. He abandoned his first wife, Harriet, who was pregnant with his child (Harriet was only sixteen when she eloped with Percy). He later seduced Mary, who was also sixteen when they ran away together. He got Mary pregnant while he was still married to Harriet, which ruined Mary's reputation and led to her being shunned by her family. Harriet took her life. Percy married Mary and—quelle surprise—had an affair with her stepsister.
Lord Byron also plays a significant role in this story. Although I had heard of him, I had no idea he was so chaotic and wild. It's so unfair that men like Percy and Lord Byron could have numerous scandals and do as they pleased, while Mary couldn't even walk the streets of London after the drama with Percy unfolded.
I get the sense that Mary never felt like she belonged, especially during her younger years, much like Frankenstein. She never experienced a mother’s love and felt alienated in her own home because of her stepmother. She worshipped her father and longed for his approval, just as Frankenstein longed for his creator. Getting entangled with a forbidden man, being shunned by society, experiencing the deaths of her beloved sister and three infant children—Mary’s monster takes on a whole new meaning. In some ways, Mary is the Creature; in other ways, she is Victor.
I keep writing until my pen scratches pain as loud as screams.
But it is no longer my own voice I hear.
It is the Creature's.
His voice calls out to me,
Now, Mary,
You begin to see.
Opening this book feels like stepping into a haunted house or an eerie forest. The illustrations are dark and gorgeous, and the poems touched my soul. I feel that I understand the world that Mary Shelley created much better than before.
I recently watched Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, which I believe is the best adaptation of Mary’s novel. The movie differs from the book in many ways, but I appreciate that it offered a new perspective on the story. When I discovered there was a graphic novel about Mary and her Frankenstein, I knew I had to read it.
She conceived me,
I took shape like an infant,
not in her body, but in her heart,
growing from her imagination
till I was bold enough to climb out of the page
and into your mind.
Now Mary is the ghost
whose bones have turned to dust
and it is I who live on.
Mary's life was darker and crazier than the plot of her famous novel. Her mother died eleven days after giving birth to her, she had a wicked stepmother, she fell in love with a married man when she was a teenager, had an affair with him, his wife Harriet took her own life, Mary's sister Fanny took her own life, three of Mary's four children did not survive past infancy, and to top it all off, her husband drowned when his sailboat sank. In many ways, Mary lived her own gothic novel.
Mary was always destined for greatness. How could she not be, with both of her parents, William and Mary, being writers and philosophers? Instead of writing a typical, boring biography (let's be honest, most biographies are boring), Lita Judge chronicled Mary’s life from birth to death in a poetic manner, accompanied by gothic-style illustrations.
Banished,
outcast,
rejected
forever.
There is a special curse
reserved for girls
who dare to run away
without a wedding ring.
I feel sympathy for Mary. Yes, she made mistakes, but she was just a teenager. The man who seduced her was Percy Bysshe Shelley, an English writer from a wealthy family. He abandoned his first wife, Harriet, who was pregnant with his child (Harriet was only sixteen when she eloped with Percy). He later seduced Mary, who was also sixteen when they ran away together. He got Mary pregnant while he was still married to Harriet, which ruined Mary's reputation and led to her being shunned by her family. Harriet took her life. Percy married Mary and—quelle surprise—had an affair with her stepsister.
Lord Byron also plays a significant role in this story. Although I had heard of him, I had no idea he was so chaotic and wild. It's so unfair that men like Percy and Lord Byron could have numerous scandals and do as they pleased, while Mary couldn't even walk the streets of London after the drama with Percy unfolded.
I get the sense that Mary never felt like she belonged, especially during her younger years, much like Frankenstein. She never experienced a mother’s love and felt alienated in her own home because of her stepmother. She worshipped her father and longed for his approval, just as Frankenstein longed for his creator. Getting entangled with a forbidden man, being shunned by society, experiencing the deaths of her beloved sister and three infant children—Mary’s monster takes on a whole new meaning. In some ways, Mary is the Creature; in other ways, she is Victor.
I keep writing until my pen scratches pain as loud as screams.
But it is no longer my own voice I hear.
It is the Creature's.
His voice calls out to me,
Now, Mary,
You begin to see.
January 27, 2022
A million freaking stars! I loved it so much!! And the illustrations are perfect!!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mary is dead
nearly two hundred years
Her corpse rests within her grave,
but her spirit whispers
eternally through me,
her creature.
It is I
who keep her faith alive.
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
March 24, 2018
Just. So good. You guys. So good.
I knew about Mary Shelley and Percy, and Frankenstein and blah blah blah. But I didn't KNOW. I didn't understand what it was really like for her. And the pictures were gorgeous and unsettling, and the poems telling her story were heartbreaking. The whole thing is just heartbreaking.
So well done. Author's note, bibliography, even a list of the works mentioned in the book, that they were reading themselves. So good.
I knew about Mary Shelley and Percy, and Frankenstein and blah blah blah. But I didn't KNOW. I didn't understand what it was really like for her. And the pictures were gorgeous and unsettling, and the poems telling her story were heartbreaking. The whole thing is just heartbreaking.
So well done. Author's note, bibliography, even a list of the works mentioned in the book, that they were reading themselves. So good.
March 15, 2018
I probably liked this work so much because I know nothing about Mary Shelley and maybe because I can never objectively tell if someone’s free verse poetry is good or not, but the art is gorgeous and moody, and Mary’s life story is fascinating, sad and a tad sordid.
January 16, 2024
Read this again and there's nothing I can really add to my previous review...
My first encounter with Frankenstein & the creature he created was watching the classic 1931 Universal film starring Boris Karloff on TV as a teenager. It was only many years later that I read the novel & found it quite different, though equally as entertaining, as the film.
The book Mary's Monster caught my attention after reading a review on Goodreads (Thanks, Mel) & what a great read it has been.
Lita Judge took five years to write & illustrate this book & it's superb. Her illustrations are outstanding & while part of the book is fictional much of it is based on extensive research, including Mary Shelley's journals.
The life of Mary Shelley is a tragic one, but her determination is quite incredible. I have to admit that I found this book even more fascinating than any version of Frankenstein in print or on screen.
This was a perfect week to read Mary's Monster, having just returned from the city of Bath & the excellent attraction Mary Shelley's House of Frankenstein. This permanent exhibition is a wonderful tribute to Mary Shelley & Frankenstein. You can find details at www.houseoffrankenstein.com.
My first encounter with Frankenstein & the creature he created was watching the classic 1931 Universal film starring Boris Karloff on TV as a teenager. It was only many years later that I read the novel & found it quite different, though equally as entertaining, as the film.
The book Mary's Monster caught my attention after reading a review on Goodreads (Thanks, Mel) & what a great read it has been.
Lita Judge took five years to write & illustrate this book & it's superb. Her illustrations are outstanding & while part of the book is fictional much of it is based on extensive research, including Mary Shelley's journals.
The life of Mary Shelley is a tragic one, but her determination is quite incredible. I have to admit that I found this book even more fascinating than any version of Frankenstein in print or on screen.
This was a perfect week to read Mary's Monster, having just returned from the city of Bath & the excellent attraction Mary Shelley's House of Frankenstein. This permanent exhibition is a wonderful tribute to Mary Shelley & Frankenstein. You can find details at www.houseoffrankenstein.com.
October 8, 2019
I read this book twice in one sitting and by the time I was done tears were streaming down my face!
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley is one of the strongest women I have ever read about. And through it all she is still remembered and will be forever immortalized through her masterpiece. For all the hurt that she felt, for everything she had lost, for all the pain she had to endure... her work, her Adonis, her magnum opus is still being rewritten, televised, immortalized on the silver screen, and celebrated over 200 years later. Her story is not only a cautionary tale for society but is also debated in classrooms and even science labs to this very day.
While this book doesn't go truly into depth of her life, it paints such a clear picture of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley that by the end of the book your heart seems to be bleeding for the character that you have just read about and for the monster that she had created which was, indeed, herself incarnate.
The illustrations give you a clear and precise picture of both Mary and her monster as well as the world that Mary struggles to live in. The artwork is beautiful and the fact that it is black and white yet looks like watercolor paintings give the book a Gothic yet classic feel. They complement the book in such a way that I don't think any other artwork or photographs could possibly have done.
This book made me feel things that I haven't felt in over a decade. This book made me feel alive as if I were a young aspiring writer again. Back when I believed that love was the only thing worth living for and that poetry could change the world. And here I see that Mary made that all true. Lita Judge's writing of Mary paints such a true and deep portrait of her that I connected to Mary in a way that is unprecedented. I felt it so deep in my soul that I feel that I need to pick up a pen and start writing again and that more needs to come out or else I will simply burst. I feel as if I want to use this book as a teddy bear to hug at night when I go to sleep I love it so much. To put it bluntly, this book has inspired me!
I would go on but I think I've said enough. This book is more than worth a read.
I highly recommend this book.
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley is one of the strongest women I have ever read about. And through it all she is still remembered and will be forever immortalized through her masterpiece. For all the hurt that she felt, for everything she had lost, for all the pain she had to endure... her work, her Adonis, her magnum opus is still being rewritten, televised, immortalized on the silver screen, and celebrated over 200 years later. Her story is not only a cautionary tale for society but is also debated in classrooms and even science labs to this very day.
While this book doesn't go truly into depth of her life, it paints such a clear picture of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley that by the end of the book your heart seems to be bleeding for the character that you have just read about and for the monster that she had created which was, indeed, herself incarnate.
The illustrations give you a clear and precise picture of both Mary and her monster as well as the world that Mary struggles to live in. The artwork is beautiful and the fact that it is black and white yet looks like watercolor paintings give the book a Gothic yet classic feel. They complement the book in such a way that I don't think any other artwork or photographs could possibly have done.
This book made me feel things that I haven't felt in over a decade. This book made me feel alive as if I were a young aspiring writer again. Back when I believed that love was the only thing worth living for and that poetry could change the world. And here I see that Mary made that all true. Lita Judge's writing of Mary paints such a true and deep portrait of her that I connected to Mary in a way that is unprecedented. I felt it so deep in my soul that I feel that I need to pick up a pen and start writing again and that more needs to come out or else I will simply burst. I feel as if I want to use this book as a teddy bear to hug at night when I go to sleep I love it so much. To put it bluntly, this book has inspired me!
I would go on but I think I've said enough. This book is more than worth a read.
I highly recommend this book.
November 12, 2019
This was a beautiful and fascinating book. The drawings were haunting and really added to the atmosphere. The few parts from the "voice" of Mary's creature was one of my favorite parts and one of the many parts I re-read before moving on.
It was a very hard one to put down and I was cursing I was at work while reading the majority of this.
I'm sure a couple of my friends were amused I kept sending them pictures of some of these pages :).
I only knew a few things about Mary Shelley before starting this. Some things in her life surprised me and I wanted to go back and kick a few people on her behalf (plus society's attitude back then to say the least). You can see the events throughout her life that planted the seeds and shaped how she wrote the novel so many of us are still fascinated by today.
Frankenstein has been on my to-read list for a long time, I may just have to bump it up after this and drag a certain friend into buddyreading with me if possible hehe.
Mary Shelley is one person I would love to go back in time to meet and sit down with. It would definitely be an interesting day.
Very glad I picked this up from Ollie's, money well spent!
It was a very hard one to put down and I was cursing I was at work while reading the majority of this.
I'm sure a couple of my friends were amused I kept sending them pictures of some of these pages :).
I only knew a few things about Mary Shelley before starting this. Some things in her life surprised me and I wanted to go back and kick a few people on her behalf (plus society's attitude back then to say the least). You can see the events throughout her life that planted the seeds and shaped how she wrote the novel so many of us are still fascinated by today.
Frankenstein has been on my to-read list for a long time, I may just have to bump it up after this and drag a certain friend into buddyreading with me if possible hehe.
Mary Shelley is one person I would love to go back in time to meet and sit down with. It would definitely be an interesting day.
Very glad I picked this up from Ollie's, money well spent!
Read
May 16, 2018A YA nonfiction biography in verse with illustrations. This was absolutely fabulous -- a deep dive into the life of young Mary Shelley, prior to the publication of Frankenstein until the few years after. In other words: her teenage years, when she was sent away from home, fell in love with an abusive partner, became pregnant, and then wrote a classic work of literature.
Judge uses art to add to the Gothic mood of the book and to good effect. The use of verse was surprising but also effective, given that Shelley's story is tied up with so many of the well-known Romantic Poets of the time. Clever.
Great backmatter in the book, with a timeline, short "what happened to them" updates (though I wanted one on young Percy), and an author's note that addresses some of the things readers might find surprising in the book. I'd always heard about the Lord Byron bet that sparked the creation of Frankenstein. That's...not entirely wrong, but it's also not entirely correct. That mythology serves to weaken the amount of work and effort Shelley had put into this story before writing it, thereby taking the agency of her creation from her hard work.
Judge uses art to add to the Gothic mood of the book and to good effect. The use of verse was surprising but also effective, given that Shelley's story is tied up with so many of the well-known Romantic Poets of the time. Clever.
Great backmatter in the book, with a timeline, short "what happened to them" updates (though I wanted one on young Percy), and an author's note that addresses some of the things readers might find surprising in the book. I'd always heard about the Lord Byron bet that sparked the creation of Frankenstein. That's...not entirely wrong, but it's also not entirely correct. That mythology serves to weaken the amount of work and effort Shelley had put into this story before writing it, thereby taking the agency of her creation from her hard work.
February 7, 2018
Brilliant work of art!
October 9, 2019
❝ Mi concepì. Presi forma come un neonato, non nel suo corpo, ma nel suo cuore, mi sviluppai nella sua immaginazione finché trovai il coraggio di uscire dalla pagina e di entrare nella vostra mente. ❞
Mary e il mostro di Lita Judge è la biografia di Mary Shelley, la sua ribellione contro la società, il desiderio di parità e di potersi esprimere liberamente. Parla della storia tormentata con Percy e dell’esilio da parte della famiglia. È un racconto illustrato in versi liberi, senza dialoghi e in prima persona, per una immedesimazione completa. Una meravigliosa graphic novel che mostra come è nato il genio, come l’incredibile scrittrice sia giunta all’idea di uno dei classici più fenomenali del XIX secolo, ma è anche portavoce del femminismo. E dalla nota dell’autore si capisce quanto l’illustratrice provi ammirazione verso Mary e verso quello che rappresenta. Da amante di Mary Shelley e Frankenstein, un altro pezzo da collezione.
Mary e il mostro di Lita Judge è la biografia di Mary Shelley, la sua ribellione contro la società, il desiderio di parità e di potersi esprimere liberamente. Parla della storia tormentata con Percy e dell’esilio da parte della famiglia. È un racconto illustrato in versi liberi, senza dialoghi e in prima persona, per una immedesimazione completa. Una meravigliosa graphic novel che mostra come è nato il genio, come l’incredibile scrittrice sia giunta all’idea di uno dei classici più fenomenali del XIX secolo, ma è anche portavoce del femminismo. E dalla nota dell’autore si capisce quanto l’illustratrice provi ammirazione verso Mary e verso quello che rappresenta. Da amante di Mary Shelley e Frankenstein, un altro pezzo da collezione.
February 8, 2021
Dark. Haunting. Fraught. Fascinating. Mesmeric. Breathtaking.
A symphony of words and art combine on the page to tell the remarkable story of Mary Shelley, and in the hands of the author-illustrator, I am stunned. I don't have words enough to express the depth of my admiration and fervor to urge all who have even the vaguest interest in Mary or her story about Dr. Frankenstein and the creature brought to life and abandoned to his doom and sorrows to read Mary's Monster.
Mary's Monster is about Mary herself. A pregnant teenager, facing enough obstacles in life to fell a giant. Yet she continues, and continues to this day. Her story is worth knowing, and of all the bios, articles, historical notes and sections dedicated to her, this book - in a YA ? Juvenile category - is simple, in contemporary words, spread out upon evocative artwork. Poignant, powerful in its presentation and voice (hers and the monster's, along with a few significant others), set against breathtaking watercolors. . . all of somber tone, chilly, damp and eerie. They are glorious.
*There are very adult themes in Mary's life, including a number of suicides. Please be aware of this before reading, gifting or sharing with others.*
Find this book. Check it out. It is not long. I've been through it 3 times in the last 24 hours. But it has changed how I think about this book and this woman forever. Thank you, Lita Judge! Your book is extraordinary.
A symphony of words and art combine on the page to tell the remarkable story of Mary Shelley, and in the hands of the author-illustrator, I am stunned. I don't have words enough to express the depth of my admiration and fervor to urge all who have even the vaguest interest in Mary or her story about Dr. Frankenstein and the creature brought to life and abandoned to his doom and sorrows to read Mary's Monster.
Mary's Monster is about Mary herself. A pregnant teenager, facing enough obstacles in life to fell a giant. Yet she continues, and continues to this day. Her story is worth knowing, and of all the bios, articles, historical notes and sections dedicated to her, this book - in a YA ? Juvenile category - is simple, in contemporary words, spread out upon evocative artwork. Poignant, powerful in its presentation and voice (hers and the monster's, along with a few significant others), set against breathtaking watercolors. . . all of somber tone, chilly, damp and eerie. They are glorious.
*There are very adult themes in Mary's life, including a number of suicides. Please be aware of this before reading, gifting or sharing with others.*
Find this book. Check it out. It is not long. I've been through it 3 times in the last 24 hours. But it has changed how I think about this book and this woman forever. Thank you, Lita Judge! Your book is extraordinary.
October 28, 2018
HEART POUNDING AGAINST RIBS
Cold sweat drips down my spine
and I am seized by a wakeful dream.
I see a pale student of unhallowed arts
kneeling beside the thing
he has put together.
A hideous phantasm of a man
with watery eyes and blackened lips
stirs with motion.
Happy serendipity: I had the urge to read Frankenstein this week, and right beside it on the library shelf was Mary's Monster; a YA graphic novel/free verse biography of Mary Shelley. Despite that sort of thing not normally catching my fancy, this book's gorgeous and haunting cover called out to me – and I couldn't be more delighted to have followed up the classic novel with this inspired account of its author. From the black ink wash illustrations that so perfectly capture the moody material to the just-enough biographical information to fill in Shelley's life and literary inspiration, author/illustrator Lita Judge has created something very special here.
Mary Shelley's mother died soon after giving birth to her, and although her father had once been a loving soul, his second marriage to a neighbourhood scold turned Mary's formerly happy home into a miserable one. And despite both of her parents notoriously having been promoters of free love, when the sixteen-year-old Mary began an affair with the married Percy Bysshe Shelley, her father utterly disowned her. The book recounts the couple's dead babies, fickle Percy's affairs, Mary's need to be constantly supporting her partner's art (while neglecting her own), and various family squabbles and tragedies along the way. When Lord Byron famously challenged the members of their group to each write a truly scary tale, the seed was planted for Mary to make something out of the men's discussions on galvanism and reanimation; a writing process that took months to complete. When she did finally finish her manuscript for Frankenstein, every bit of it was informed by her personal struggles:
In an author's note at the end, Judge writes, “I represented the details of Mary's life by weaving the actual events (as documented in her journals, copious letters, and later biographies) with the themes she and Shelley wrote about in their creative work”. With an extensive bibliography and pages of footnotes linked with her illustrations, I have no doubt that Judge has crafted a careful biography in so seemingly simple a format. Further, I was struck by Judge's endnote that Mary had been dismayed by talk of scientists attempting to create life in the lab, “She had seen fathers reject their children, and to her it suggested that evil will reign in a world where life is created by men alone.” I didn't pick up on the fact that Frankenstein's monster was motherless (as Mary herself was), and from the text of the novel, I didn't get this as a major theme:
Science gives us the ability to pull back the skin of life
and reveal the truth of things. It allows us to understand
the mysteries of mountain-making and falling stars.
But knowledge isn't meant to be held as a weapon
in a battle to defy our fates and manipulate life over death.
Evil lodges too easily in men's hearts.
What will happen if they assume the power
to create life?
A few illustrations and quotes don't really do justice to the informative and moving biography that Lita Judge has crafted here; I enjoyed every bit of it. And especially in tandem with reading Frankenstein itself, this was an utterly fascinating experience.
September 20, 2018
I have been handing out so many five star reviews this year, maybe I'm going soft.
But, this book pretty much was designed to ring my bell: a graphic novel, about one of my Victorian obsessions, Mary Shelley, with melancholy and truly gorgeous black and white watercolor illustrations by the author.
The standing figure is supposed to be Lord Byron. But does he look familiar? Perhaps it's the resemblance to a contemporary wordsmith?
Oh Percy. I am so happy to have you as my bess friend and I luff Mary's stepsister so much.
Byron didn't love Mary's stepsister, although he did father a child with her and then take it away. Which brings me to my next point.....
...which is that I am here to dash any romantic notions you have about the Romantic Generation's poets. Maybe you aren't surprised that Byron was a dick, but Shelley? He was kind of a dick too. When Mary Shelley was 16, he romanced her with assurances that his current wife didn't love him (even though she was pregnant by him) and Mary alone understood him. Living in an unhappy home with her once-beloved and now distant father and her evil stepmother, Mary runs away with Shelley to Europe, with her stepsister Claire tagging along.
The union is not a happy one. Mary will bear 4 children and only one will live to adulthood. By the age of 17 she'll have buried her first child. Shelley--self-absorbed, inconstant, and moody--will begin an affair with Claire, before she tries unsuccessfully to win Byron's affections. By 24, Mary Godwin Shelley will be a widow, with a trail of tragedy behind her. But she'll enjoy the success of her first and faraway most well-known novel, Frankenstein, and will live out her later years continuing to write, but also serving as the editor and custodian of Percy Shelley's artistic legacy.
She will never remarry.
Lita Judge, a children's book author and illustrator, explains in the appendix she was inspired by reading Mary Shelley's journals when she was recovering from an autoimmune disease that left her temporarily blind and bed-ridden. Mary Shelley was what Little Edie Beale would have called a "staunch character."
There is a wealth of biographical information here, delivered in free verse bite-sized bits. Normally I would balk at a novel in verse, because frankly my attention span is not that sophisticated. But the text is still accessible (and quite lovely):
Shelley holds on to his belief that art
can lift the world out of despair,
but I am no longer moored by his faith that poetry and politics
are of greater importance than relationships between people.
I have no more dreams
to soar alongside his.
My soul is anchored
under the wide, bare sands of the Venetian Lido,
where we must bury our second daughter, Clara,
without a tombstone,
because Shelley is in a hurry
to move on.
(ARGH!! You are an asshole, Percy!)
This book really set and settled within me. I loved it and I'll think I'll carry it with me for the unforeseeable future.
But, this book pretty much was designed to ring my bell: a graphic novel, about one of my Victorian obsessions, Mary Shelley, with melancholy and truly gorgeous black and white watercolor illustrations by the author.
The standing figure is supposed to be Lord Byron. But does he look familiar? Perhaps it's the resemblance to a contemporary wordsmith?
Oh Percy. I am so happy to have you as my bess friend and I luff Mary's stepsister so much.
Byron didn't love Mary's stepsister, although he did father a child with her and then take it away. Which brings me to my next point.....
...which is that I am here to dash any romantic notions you have about the Romantic Generation's poets. Maybe you aren't surprised that Byron was a dick, but Shelley? He was kind of a dick too. When Mary Shelley was 16, he romanced her with assurances that his current wife didn't love him (even though she was pregnant by him) and Mary alone understood him. Living in an unhappy home with her once-beloved and now distant father and her evil stepmother, Mary runs away with Shelley to Europe, with her stepsister Claire tagging along.
The union is not a happy one. Mary will bear 4 children and only one will live to adulthood. By the age of 17 she'll have buried her first child. Shelley--self-absorbed, inconstant, and moody--will begin an affair with Claire, before she tries unsuccessfully to win Byron's affections. By 24, Mary Godwin Shelley will be a widow, with a trail of tragedy behind her. But she'll enjoy the success of her first and faraway most well-known novel, Frankenstein, and will live out her later years continuing to write, but also serving as the editor and custodian of Percy Shelley's artistic legacy.
She will never remarry.
Lita Judge, a children's book author and illustrator, explains in the appendix she was inspired by reading Mary Shelley's journals when she was recovering from an autoimmune disease that left her temporarily blind and bed-ridden. Mary Shelley was what Little Edie Beale would have called a "staunch character."
There is a wealth of biographical information here, delivered in free verse bite-sized bits. Normally I would balk at a novel in verse, because frankly my attention span is not that sophisticated. But the text is still accessible (and quite lovely):
Shelley holds on to his belief that art
can lift the world out of despair,
but I am no longer moored by his faith that poetry and politics
are of greater importance than relationships between people.
I have no more dreams
to soar alongside his.
My soul is anchored
under the wide, bare sands of the Venetian Lido,
where we must bury our second daughter, Clara,
without a tombstone,
because Shelley is in a hurry
to move on.
(ARGH!! You are an asshole, Percy!)
This book really set and settled within me. I loved it and I'll think I'll carry it with me for the unforeseeable future.
September 3, 2018
Mary’s Monster by Lita Judge is a book that defies category. This is too bad, because it will get categorized anyway, which means many people will miss it. I can’t express how sad this is, because Mary’s Monster is an otherworldly great book! If you were to ask me what type of book, well…that’s where things get confusing. It was announced in Publishers Weekly as a free verse and fully illustrated YA. Unfortunately, knowing this may turn you away, if that isn’t the kind of thing that sounds interesting to you, which would be a terrible misfortune. Personally, I don’t know what it is: fictionalized biography, graphic novel, dark children’s book? I only came across it because of my own personal obsession with Mary Shelley. But I do know I love it!
On the surface it is a biography of Mary Shelly told from her point of view in prose and poetry with illustrations on every page. But that says nothing! There is a magic about this book that draws you in from the first pages. Frankenstein’s monster reads you into the story, then Mary takes over her own tale. I’m well acquainted with Mary Shelley’s biographical particulars, and they are here with one-hundred percent accuracy, but it is the way Mary tells her tale that is so compelling. She pulls no punches and makes no attempt to paint herself as an angel. This is Mary Shelley, warts and all!
The illustrations are dark and gothic, like her famous novel. The text is sparse as you’d expect for a young persons’ book, but in no way immature; this is compelling for adults without a doubt. The rhythm of text and illustrations is fast and immersive; you are deep within this book before you come up to take a breath. One moment you’ll find your brow furrowed in concern at some of her actions, and the next moment your heart will be aching for this bruised and battered young woman.
When she finally reveals that her famous monster is indeed based on herself, you will be certain without a doubt of the truth of this statement. You will also marvel how this very personal creation of an impossibly young woman could have lasted over two-hundred years and spawned the entire genre of modern science fiction. Bringing Mary to life in this way is a masterwork by Lita Judge. I don’t care what type of book you normally read, you’ll love Mary’s Monster!
On the surface it is a biography of Mary Shelly told from her point of view in prose and poetry with illustrations on every page. But that says nothing! There is a magic about this book that draws you in from the first pages. Frankenstein’s monster reads you into the story, then Mary takes over her own tale. I’m well acquainted with Mary Shelley’s biographical particulars, and they are here with one-hundred percent accuracy, but it is the way Mary tells her tale that is so compelling. She pulls no punches and makes no attempt to paint herself as an angel. This is Mary Shelley, warts and all!
The illustrations are dark and gothic, like her famous novel. The text is sparse as you’d expect for a young persons’ book, but in no way immature; this is compelling for adults without a doubt. The rhythm of text and illustrations is fast and immersive; you are deep within this book before you come up to take a breath. One moment you’ll find your brow furrowed in concern at some of her actions, and the next moment your heart will be aching for this bruised and battered young woman.
When she finally reveals that her famous monster is indeed based on herself, you will be certain without a doubt of the truth of this statement. You will also marvel how this very personal creation of an impossibly young woman could have lasted over two-hundred years and spawned the entire genre of modern science fiction. Bringing Mary to life in this way is a masterwork by Lita Judge. I don’t care what type of book you normally read, you’ll love Mary’s Monster!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2018
Whew. I felt so many emotions as I read this book. I kept thinking, "My goodness, my students are going to love this book." I was fortunate to receive two copies of this book in the mail, and those two copies have passed from student's hand to student's hand. The book doesn't even make its way back up to my desk before another student snags it. This book defies genre sorting. It's nonfiction, it's horror, it's romance, it's an illustrated book in verse. I've already added it to my book list to teach next semester in my Adolescents' Literature course.
Students will read this book and want immediately to read Frankenstein. The book reads fairly quickly because it contains verse and illustrations, but readers will struggle not to pause for several minutes to enjoy the beautiful illustrations on the pages.
I'm most excited about the classroom potential for this book. It offers so much to talk about regarding characterization, mood, and poetry. But it also offers a beautiful bridge to read with Frankenstein. I thought I knew a lot about Mary Shelley's life, but this book told me so much more about it. Reading her story on these pages made me feel as if I was experiencing her life alongside her. If you haven't read this book yet, I recommend it highly.
More tools for teachers: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=1...
Students will read this book and want immediately to read Frankenstein. The book reads fairly quickly because it contains verse and illustrations, but readers will struggle not to pause for several minutes to enjoy the beautiful illustrations on the pages.
I'm most excited about the classroom potential for this book. It offers so much to talk about regarding characterization, mood, and poetry. But it also offers a beautiful bridge to read with Frankenstein. I thought I knew a lot about Mary Shelley's life, but this book told me so much more about it. Reading her story on these pages made me feel as if I was experiencing her life alongside her. If you haven't read this book yet, I recommend it highly.
More tools for teachers: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=1...
December 12, 2021
I can’t believe I never wrote a review for this, it’s one of my all time favorites and I recommend it to just about anyone.
Just so you’re aware this book deals with difficult subject matter, Mary Shelley’s life was filled with abuse, loss, depression, and other painful circumstances. It is a biography so this cannot be helped, but if you’re someone who does not like dark subject matter, then don’t seek this out because it is very sad & heartbreaking.
This book is about the life of Mary Shelley, and how she ended up creating Frankenstein. The story is told in free verse poems. You could probably read the entire story in one sitting. If you’re someone who isn’t too keen on poetry, do not fret, the poetry is very accessible. The things that Mary Shelley went through are absolutely devastating, the story had me in tears because I could not imagine living through the tragedies she did. When the writing is done so well and beautiful artwork accompanies it, well I was in shambles. I had to read this for a course on YA literature and it’s stuck with me ever since. It doesn’t matter if you’re not a fan on Frankenstein, this book is phenomenal regardless, in fact it may even make you a fan of Frankenstein. If you are a fan of Frankenstein, then this is a must read.
Why it is so great
- the art. the artwork in this book is haunting, beautiful, eerie, just alive. the book feels alive to me
- the writing. it’s lyrical, descriptive, challenging, and mystical.
- what you learn from it. the details of Mary Shelley’s life are devastating but offer essential lessons. it’s details of her life but also it feels like talking to a friend, learning something much more than just someone else’s story.
To me this has no flaws. I love it so much and it deserved a little spiel.
Just so you’re aware this book deals with difficult subject matter, Mary Shelley’s life was filled with abuse, loss, depression, and other painful circumstances. It is a biography so this cannot be helped, but if you’re someone who does not like dark subject matter, then don’t seek this out because it is very sad & heartbreaking.
This book is about the life of Mary Shelley, and how she ended up creating Frankenstein. The story is told in free verse poems. You could probably read the entire story in one sitting. If you’re someone who isn’t too keen on poetry, do not fret, the poetry is very accessible. The things that Mary Shelley went through are absolutely devastating, the story had me in tears because I could not imagine living through the tragedies she did. When the writing is done so well and beautiful artwork accompanies it, well I was in shambles. I had to read this for a course on YA literature and it’s stuck with me ever since. It doesn’t matter if you’re not a fan on Frankenstein, this book is phenomenal regardless, in fact it may even make you a fan of Frankenstein. If you are a fan of Frankenstein, then this is a must read.
Why it is so great
- the art. the artwork in this book is haunting, beautiful, eerie, just alive. the book feels alive to me
- the writing. it’s lyrical, descriptive, challenging, and mystical.
- what you learn from it. the details of Mary Shelley’s life are devastating but offer essential lessons. it’s details of her life but also it feels like talking to a friend, learning something much more than just someone else’s story.
To me this has no flaws. I love it so much and it deserved a little spiel.
August 13, 2023
This is a truly stunning book. It was the previous reviews which explained that this is a graphic novel that drew me to it. I know a little about Mary Shelley, although I didn’t know about her childhood and parents, who were considered groundbreaking in their day. Of course, her turbulent relationship and subsequent marriage, to Percy Shelley is well documented and I knew about her step sister, but the extent to their relationship and lives were unknown to me.
I love her novel, Frankenstein and its origins and social commentary, so this book about the woman who conceived it, is a fabulous discovery. What a find!
I love her novel, Frankenstein and its origins and social commentary, so this book about the woman who conceived it, is a fabulous discovery. What a find!
August 19, 2018
Wow!!!una biografia illustrata di Mary Shelley, di come la sua vita dolorosa e piena di difficoltà l'ha portata a scrivere il suo grande capolavoro!
Io di lei non conoscevo praticamente nulla ma questo è un ottimo punto di partenza,offre tantissimi spunti di riflessione e l'autrice ha fatto davvero un grande lavoro di ricerca basandosi su diari e lettere della stessa Mary, l'idea di mettere tutto in forma di poesie accompagnate da bellissime illustrazioni è stata un idea geniale!
Questo è un volume che va assaporato con calma, soffermandosi su ogni singola pagina,ogni frase.
Io di lei non conoscevo praticamente nulla ma questo è un ottimo punto di partenza,offre tantissimi spunti di riflessione e l'autrice ha fatto davvero un grande lavoro di ricerca basandosi su diari e lettere della stessa Mary, l'idea di mettere tutto in forma di poesie accompagnate da bellissime illustrazioni è stata un idea geniale!
Questo è un volume che va assaporato con calma, soffermandosi su ogni singola pagina,ogni frase.
May 14, 2018
The publisher describes this book as a biography but it is more accurately an illustrated historical novel in verse, and a stunning, hauntingly evocative one at that.
April 10, 2025
I adore a gloomy, unearthly atmosphere, and this graphic novel, told in shades of striking gray, with sparing haunting prose, delivered the gothic chill I was looking for.
Mary's Monster tells the story of Mary Shelley's life and her literary creation, Frankenstein.
The author did an excellent job bringing this story to life with the beautiful illustrations and "just enough" placement of text. I had a terrific time revisiting Mary Shelley's story here and felt that the images crafted a tremendously moving and immersive read.
I especially loved the very last few pages!!! beautiful! Mary's story is so sad and dark and full of fraught, devastating moments, but I admire her deeply for her brilliance (the work she crafted) and for her perseverance despite the hardships she endured.
Mary's Monster tells the story of Mary Shelley's life and her literary creation, Frankenstein.
The author did an excellent job bringing this story to life with the beautiful illustrations and "just enough" placement of text. I had a terrific time revisiting Mary Shelley's story here and felt that the images crafted a tremendously moving and immersive read.
I especially loved the very last few pages!!! beautiful! Mary's story is so sad and dark and full of fraught, devastating moments, but I admire her deeply for her brilliance (the work she crafted) and for her perseverance despite the hardships she endured.
October 1, 2024
Biografia molto romanzata della vita di Mary Shelly, che si focalizza principalmente sulla sua storia d'amore con Percy.
Ho imparato molto sulla sua famiglia d'origine, ma non il volume non si focalizza più di tanto sulla genesi di Frankenstein e la cosa mi ha deluso un po'.
Ho imparato molto sulla sua famiglia d'origine, ma non il volume non si focalizza più di tanto sulla genesi di Frankenstein e la cosa mi ha deluso un po'.
March 15, 2018
Haunting and breathtakingly gorgeous.
January 31, 2019
A graphic memoir in verse about Mary Shelley’s early life and her most famous creation - Frankenstein’s monster. Beautiful, poignant and inspiring.
November 4, 2023
I loved every minute of this book. The illustrations were incredible. The story of Mary Shelley's life was heartbreaking but her strength was inspiring. Highly recommend
April 11, 2021
A haunting biographical novel in verse that illuminates the life of Mary Shelley and "argues" that her creation of the Monster was a result of the trials she faced.
January 21, 2020
"Mary's Monster" is a fascinating and heartbreaking account of Mary Shelley's early life leading up to, and slightly surpassing the publication of her timeless horror classic. Lita Judge keeps the reader engaged by utilizing an innovative storytelling approach that pairs dramatic gray-scale watercolor illustrations with a first person narrative written entirely in free verse. The ability to be privy to Mary's inner thought processes while simultaneously observing her outer reactions makes it easy to quickly establish an intimate psychological connection with this extraordinary young woman. The text is closely inspired by, and remains faithful to the real-life diaries Mary left behind.
The book begins by emphasizing the pivotal role that Mary's father plays in the formation of his daughter's progressive world view and non-traditional value set, imbuing a belief system that heavily influences her writing and cements "Frankenstein"'s place in western culture. We witness the abuse Mary suffers at the hands of her step-mother and celebrate with her when she achieves independence at the age of 16 by eloping with the idealistic Shelley, an aspiring poet. Most importantly, we share in Mary's anger and despair as she experiences betrayal, shattered dreams, and the loss of loved ones.
All these life-altering events come together to serve an unexpected purpose in the creation of one of literature's most iconic creatures. Mary uses the memory of every excruciating emotional upheaval she has endured as inspiration for the character of Frankenstein's monster. The monster yearns for love but is driven to a vengeful, murderous existence as a consequence of man's failed attempt to dominate and control his surroundings. Mary completes the novel with a restored sense of self worth and desire to help humanity. She discovers the strength within to continue writing and publishing her ideas for the benefit of others, a passion she maintains until her death.
"Mary's Monster" also contains a very useful index at the back with a list of the author's sources. This book does a great job at showcasing this remarkable woman's most notable achievements and experiences, but the index provides a valuable resource for those wishing to delve even deeper into Shelley's life.
**WARNING** This title is listed as YA, but mild sexual content, drug references (opium), and certain mature themes including suicide may make it inappropriate for younger readers.
The book begins by emphasizing the pivotal role that Mary's father plays in the formation of his daughter's progressive world view and non-traditional value set, imbuing a belief system that heavily influences her writing and cements "Frankenstein"'s place in western culture. We witness the abuse Mary suffers at the hands of her step-mother and celebrate with her when she achieves independence at the age of 16 by eloping with the idealistic Shelley, an aspiring poet. Most importantly, we share in Mary's anger and despair as she experiences betrayal, shattered dreams, and the loss of loved ones.
All these life-altering events come together to serve an unexpected purpose in the creation of one of literature's most iconic creatures. Mary uses the memory of every excruciating emotional upheaval she has endured as inspiration for the character of Frankenstein's monster. The monster yearns for love but is driven to a vengeful, murderous existence as a consequence of man's failed attempt to dominate and control his surroundings. Mary completes the novel with a restored sense of self worth and desire to help humanity. She discovers the strength within to continue writing and publishing her ideas for the benefit of others, a passion she maintains until her death.
"Mary's Monster" also contains a very useful index at the back with a list of the author's sources. This book does a great job at showcasing this remarkable woman's most notable achievements and experiences, but the index provides a valuable resource for those wishing to delve even deeper into Shelley's life.
**WARNING** This title is listed as YA, but mild sexual content, drug references (opium), and certain mature themes including suicide may make it inappropriate for younger readers.
February 27, 2021
I read this wonderful book in one sitting. It contains many facts that I did not know about Mary Shelly, the author of Frankenstein. Pregnant at the age of sixteen, her father and step mother insisted that she leave their house. The father of her child was the poet Percy Shelly. A romantic, he stole her heart, but as she traveled with him, she began to realize how emotionally unstable he was.
Through the many indiscretions, outbreaks of insanity, and the constant need to flee from his massive debts, the situation was never stable. Still, she loved him and continued to be with him.
Throughout the years, she met other poets, including Lord Byron, also a person of ill repute and emotional instability, and like Shelly, he was filled with ideas that were not grounded in a life of stability and conformity.
As she aged and overcame adversity, she became stronger. Weaving the tale of Byron who was insistent that man could be recreated by providing an electric current to the dead body, she made her own thoughts, and developed her own ideas for what would become the masterful Frankenstein
Women receiving little, if any recognition, she had to look on as her book became a play and reached increasing audiences, people did not know that it as a woman who wrote about a man made with various parts, and stitched together.
The book is the story of how Mary overcame adversity and poured her pain and grief into making a masterpiece. Published in 1811, her creative book is still a very well-known tale and holds the interest of thousands.
Illustrated with black, grey and white illustrations, this is an incredible story of a tale longing to be told.
Five Stars!
Through the many indiscretions, outbreaks of insanity, and the constant need to flee from his massive debts, the situation was never stable. Still, she loved him and continued to be with him.
Throughout the years, she met other poets, including Lord Byron, also a person of ill repute and emotional instability, and like Shelly, he was filled with ideas that were not grounded in a life of stability and conformity.
As she aged and overcame adversity, she became stronger. Weaving the tale of Byron who was insistent that man could be recreated by providing an electric current to the dead body, she made her own thoughts, and developed her own ideas for what would become the masterful Frankenstein
Women receiving little, if any recognition, she had to look on as her book became a play and reached increasing audiences, people did not know that it as a woman who wrote about a man made with various parts, and stitched together.
The book is the story of how Mary overcame adversity and poured her pain and grief into making a masterpiece. Published in 1811, her creative book is still a very well-known tale and holds the interest of thousands.
Illustrated with black, grey and white illustrations, this is an incredible story of a tale longing to be told.
Five Stars!
November 12, 2022
"She conceived me,
I took shape like an infant,
not in her body, but in her heart,
growing from her imagination
till I was bold enough to climb out of the page
and into your mind."
Frankenstein was that novel I slogged through in high school and now love as an adult. I think that if I had been giving Lita Judge's fictional biography to read alongside Shelley's classic a teenager, I would have appreciated it and related to it much more.
I have always been in awe of Mary Shelley's brilliance, resolve, and defiance of social conventions. Lita's Judge's beautiful illustrations, powerful free verse, perfectly integrated political, literary, and cultural allusions, and careful research do the mind and heart of Mary Shelley justice. This is a heartbreaking and lovely testament to the healing power of art, to writing as an act of progeny, and to the immortality of literature.
I took shape like an infant,
not in her body, but in her heart,
growing from her imagination
till I was bold enough to climb out of the page
and into your mind."
Frankenstein was that novel I slogged through in high school and now love as an adult. I think that if I had been giving Lita Judge's fictional biography to read alongside Shelley's classic a teenager, I would have appreciated it and related to it much more.
I have always been in awe of Mary Shelley's brilliance, resolve, and defiance of social conventions. Lita's Judge's beautiful illustrations, powerful free verse, perfectly integrated political, literary, and cultural allusions, and careful research do the mind and heart of Mary Shelley justice. This is a heartbreaking and lovely testament to the healing power of art, to writing as an act of progeny, and to the immortality of literature.
March 13, 2018
So...I loved this.
Mary's Monster is a brief look into the tragic, tortured life of Mary's Shelley. What makes this story really stand out is the way it's told - in verse from Mary's POV, accompanied with sweeping black-and-white illustrations. I can honestly say I don't think I've read another book quite like this one.
I'll definitely be doing a full review of this gem, aiming for April 2018.
Mary's Monster is a brief look into the tragic, tortured life of Mary's Shelley. What makes this story really stand out is the way it's told - in verse from Mary's POV, accompanied with sweeping black-and-white illustrations. I can honestly say I don't think I've read another book quite like this one.
I'll definitely be doing a full review of this gem, aiming for April 2018.
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