6W Mary Shelley. London: Everyman’s Library, 1973 Notes Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, first published in 1818, is the groundbreaking novel by Mary Shelley that helped define both Gothic fiction and early science fiction. The story follows Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who becomes obsessed with discovering the secret of life and ultimately creates a living being from assembled parts. Horrified by his own creation, he abandons it, setting in motion a tragic chain of events as the creature, rejected by society, seeks understanding and ultimately revenge. Through its haunting narrative, the novel explores themes of ambition, isolation, responsibility, and the ethical limits of scientific pursuit. Mary Shelley (1797–1851), the daughter of philosopher William Godwin and writer Mary Wollstonecraft, wrote Frankenstein at a remarkably young age during a period of intellectual and creative exchange among writers including Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron. The novel originated from a storytelling challenge during a summer in Switzerland and quickly grew into a work of lasting significance. Revised in 1831 for a later edition, Frankenstein has endured as a powerful reflection on creation and consequence, remaining one of the most influential and widely read works in modern literature. Description Purple/blue canvas binding with gilt lettering to spine and original jacket in blue with black lettering and illustration to upper cover. Chipping to points and wear to head and foot of spine of dust wrapper. Blue top edge.
