Published: 2023
Series: N/A
Author: Stephanie Marie Thornton
Illustrator: N/A
Genres: Historical fiction, feminism, British literature, women’s literature
Audience (Grade Levels): Adult
Number of Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 Stars)
Goodreads Link: Her Lost Words
Triggers: Poverty, death, loss of a child
Review By: Sarah Williams
Publisher’s Summary:
From A Vindication of the Rights of Woman to Frankenstein, a tale of two literary legends—a mother and daughter—discovering each other and finding themselves along the way, from USA Today bestselling author Stephanie Marie Thornton.
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As a child, Mary Wollstonecraft longed to disappear during her father’s violent rages. Instead, she transforms herself into the radical author of the landmark volume A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, in which she dares to propose that women are equal to men. From conservative England to the blood-drenched streets of revolutionary France, Mary refuses to bow to society’s conventions and instead supports herself with her pen until an illicit love affair challenges her every belief about romance and marriage. When she gives birth to a daughter and is stricken with childbed fever, Mary fears it will be her many critics who recount her life’s extraordinary odyssey…
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The daughter of infamous political philosopher Mary Wollstonecraft, passionate Mary Shelley learned to read by tracing the letters of her mother’s tombstone. As a young woman, she desperately misses her mother’s guidance, especially following her scandalous elopement with dashing poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Mary struggles to balance an ever-complicated marriage with motherhood while nursing twin hopes that she might write something of her own one day and also discover the truth of her mother’s unconventional life. Mary’s journey will unlock her mother’s secrets, all while leading to her own destiny as the groundbreaking author of Frankenstein.
A riveting and inspiring novel about a firebrand feminist, her visionary daughter, and the many ways their words transformed our world.
Review:
I was drawn to this book because of the two main characters, Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley. I taught the work of Wollstonecraft in my Women’s Literature course before, and our Honors 9 teacher uses Frankenstein, so there were ties to the curriculum for me. I was hoping that this book would be a good companion piece for the texts these two women had published.
The book alternates between the perspectives of the two women, giving you a picture of their lives and relationship without them directly interacting. There was a lot of factual information used to write the book, although it is not a biography. The author does include an author’s note section which was helpful, especially in clarifying why she left out some of the details that I knew about their lives. The text is long, over 400 pages, so she had to pick and choose a lot to make the story interesting and not overwhelming. As she states, she hopes readers will understand that “in order to tell the tales of these two trailblazing women” (418) she did not include all the information. I personally did not mind this, as the focus on the two women and their connection was so interesting that missing information did not bother me. I liked knowing that if I wanted to find it I could, but I did not expect this book to be a history text but rather a good historical fiction.
I do, though, struggle with alternating perspectives and time periods. If I had to read this again I might follow one story all the way through and then start over with the other one. I think I would enjoy it more if Mary Wollstonecraft’s story had been told in its entirety and then that of her daughter, which would improve the flow for me. The story is set in England at first, then moves to places in Europe. There are many characters whose names I recognized – Shelley, Byron, Thomas Paine, and Robespierre are just some of them. Having these real characters included also adds to the story’s realistic portrayal of the two Marys and allows readers to more easily connect to the time period since it is not a modern day setting.
Overall this story was filled with a lot of historical information, but also fictional conversations and events. There is pain, sadness, death, but also hope and success. The text has the author’s note and a reader’s guide included, which did help me to more clearly understand the stories. If you choose to read this I recommend setting aside a chunk of time as it is long. I do plan to use excerpts from it with my Women’s Literature class, and will share it with the Honors 9 teacher so she can use excerpts with her students if she wishes to. Overall it was a worthwhile read that did hold my interest and attention until the end despite my knowing a lot about both women.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- Women’s Literature: Acts as a fantastic companion text to enhance student engagement with A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.
- English Language Arts (Honors 9 / High School): Provides deep background context for students reading Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
- European & World History: Integrates historical figures such as Thomas Paine and Maximilien Robespierre alongside the events of the French Revolution.
Extension Activity / Library Application:
- Curricular Excerpt Analysis: High school educators can pull specific biographical chapters or conversations from the novel to use as introductory contextual hooks before teaching Frankenstein or feminist philosophy.
- “Fact vs. Fiction” Literary Discussion: Have students utilize the book’s comprehensive author’s note and reader’s guide to research which timelines and events the author omitted or modified for pacing, examining how a novelist shapes historical reality into a compelling narrative.
Diversity & Representation:
While the historical setting focuses primarily on two white historical figures, the novel brings vital diversity and representation to the forefront by highlighting women’s history. It serves as an exploration of gender equity, focusing intensely on two groundbreaking, trailblazing female pioneers who successfully leveraged their writing to challenge societal limitations and combat the domestic hardships imposed on women during their era.
Readalikes:
- Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Her Daughter Mary Shelley by Charlotte Gordon
- The Monsters: Mary Shelley and the Curse of Frankenstein by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler
- Mary’s Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein by Lita Judge
