Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.
If you would like to join in, please feel free to enter your link, link back to this post, and then spend some time visiting some of the other posts.
This week’s neglected book
Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein by Anne Eekhout Published by HarperCollins on October 3, 2023
Genres: Fiction / Literary
Length: 10 hours 57 minutes
Pages: 320
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
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“A beautiful, hallucinatory dream of a novel.” –J.M. Miro, Author of the National Bestseller Ordinary Monsters
“A fantastically moody, unsettling novel."–Sarah Waters, New York Times bestselling author of The Paying Guests and Fingersmith
A "bold ... hypnotic" (The New Yorker) reimagining of Mary Shelley’s youth, vividly exploring innocence, young love, gothic mystery and the roots of her literary masterpiece, Frankenstein.
Switzerland, 1816. A volcanic eruption in Indonesia envelopes the whole of Europe in ash and cloud. Amid this “year without a summer,” eighteen-year-old Mary Shelley and her lover Percy Bysshe Shelley arrive at Lake Geneva to visit Lord Byron and his companion John Polidori. Anguished by the recent loss of her child, Mary spends her days in strife. But come nightfall, the friends while away rainy wine-soaked evenings gathered around the fireplace, exchanging stories. One famous evening, Byron issues a challenge to write the best ghost story. Contemplating what to write, Mary recalls another summer, when she was fourteen…
Scotland, 1812. A guest of the Baxter family, Mary arrives in Dundee, befriending young Isabella Baxter. The girls soon spend hours together wandering through fields and forests, concocting tales about mythical Scottish creatures, ghosts and monsters roaming the lowlands. As their bond deepens, Mary and Isabella’s feelings for each other intensify. But someone has been watching them—the charismatic and vaguely sinister Mr. Booth, Isabella's older brother-in-law, who may not be as benevolent as he purports to be…
With gripping mastery and verve, Anne Eekhout brings to life a defining moment in Mary Shelley’s youth: the creative wellspring for one of the most original, thrilling, and timeless pieces of literature ever written. Provocative, wonderfully atmospheric and pulsing with emotion, Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein is a hypnotic ode to the power of imagination.
Translated from the Dutch by Laura Watkinson
Why did I add Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein to my bookshelf?
I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of this book and was excited because it sounded like something that I would like. The reviews are not as favorable as I would have hoped but I know that doesn’t mean that I won’t enjoy it. I do hope to give it a go just as soon as I have the time.
What are your thoughts? Have you read this book? Would you recommend it?
OOh interesting! That’s a new to me one! I am still hoping to read Frankenstein one of these days as well! I think it might be one of the last original classics on my TBR pile! Hope you enjoy this one once you get to read it!
This sounds pretty good. Thanks for introducing me to it!
I haven’t but it does sound interesting. Hopefully you’ll enjoy it much more than some of the other reviewers.
This sounds like it could be a really interesting read! I read a biography of Mary Shelley years ago and quite enjoyed it. She led a fascinating life.
I haven’t read this but how fun this probably is.