Bibliography
Judge, Lita. (2018). MARY’S MONSTER: LOVE, MADNESS, AND HOW MARY SHELLEY CREATED FRANKENSTEIN. Roaring Brook Press: New York.
ISBN: 978-1-62672-500-3.
Plot Summary
A free verse biography of Mary Shelley's life and the process by which she came up with Frankenstein is titled MARY'S MONSTER: LOVE, MADNESS, AND HOW MARY SHELLEY CREATED FRANKENSTEIN. The watercolor paintings in black and white draw attention to the unfortunate and challenging life she led. The poems are written from Mary's perspective and are an honest expression of her feelings. The narrative describes how she employed these catastrophes to gradually produce the Frankenstein monster over time.
Critical Analysis
This book is a superb free verse account of Mary Shelley's life in the 1800s. The setting for the story is numerous nations throughout Europe. In her book Lita Judge describes the many catastrophes Mary endured, beginning with the death of her mother the day after she was born. To emphasize the several sad moments in Mary's life, Judge chose stunning, melancholy black and white watercolor drawings. Her portrayal of Frankenstein was not the normal monster I am accustomed to seeing. In one illustration, I saw a striking resemblance between Frankenstein's visage and Mary's unhappy husband. He was a sad addition to Mary's losses. He set out on his sailboat in terrible weather and drowned at sea.
Mary endured numerous traumatic experiences during her life, including a tough stepmother, the death of her first child, ridicule from both society and her family, and many others. The novel shows that Judge did extensive study on Mary's life, and the book is concluded with a paragraph detailing each relevant individual and what happened to them. More information on Mary's life that isn't presented in the book can be found in the Author's Note. It is quite fascinating and provides a more accurate portrait of Mary Shelley the individual, the author, and the spurned woman. I got the impression at the end of the book that she was an early adopter. Young adult readers aged 15 and up should read the book.
Review Excerpts
“Readers will be enthralled by the dark and exacting verse, beautifully accompanied by haunting black-and-white watercolor spreads. . . A must-purchase.” ―School Library Journal, starred review “[T]his is a stirring, impeccably researched portrait of a remarkable woman and her literary 'progeny.' Much like Mary, Judge forges a Creature all her own.” ―Booklist “Darkly evocative . . . Students of literature will appreciate the powerful poetry that brings life to Mary Shelley's story the way that Shelley herself breathed life into her novel of a scientist who animates a corpse.” ―Kirkus Reviews “A godsend for high school students approaching the Romantics with skepticism (and for teachers charged with demonstrating their relevance) . . . A booktalk-ready title with broad YA appeal.” ―The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books “Impressive.” ―Horn Book “Fans of [Mary Shelley] will be enamored with the effort put into this artistic portrayal.” ―VOYA “Both timely and terrifying, Mary’s Monster revives an origin story too seldom told. Mary Shelley lives again in this arresting hybrid of a graphic novel in verse.” ―Gregory Maguire, New York Times–bestselling author of Wicked “Mary's Monster is extraordinary in both art and language. The reader is swept up by its passion, its sadness, and the incredible strength of its protagonist. Stunning, heartbreaking, and beautiful.” ―Kristin Cashore, author of the Graceling Realm series
Connections
*A study of the poets' works discussed in the book.
*A study of Mary Shelley’s life
*A study of poetry or free verse writing
Other Books
Shelley, Mary W. (2022). Frankenstein: The Original 1818 Edition. Booklover’s Library Classics. ISBN: 978-1915582225.
Shelley, Percy B. (1993). Shelley: Poems. Everyman’s Library.
ISBN: 978-0679429098
Byron, Lord G. Gordon. (1994). Byron. Everyman’s Library.
ISBN: 978-0679436300
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