Module 6 Review - Mary's Monster

 

Bibliographic Information

Judge, Lita. 2018. MARY’S MONSTER: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein. New York: Roaring Brook Press. ISBN: 978-1626725003

Plot Summary

Pairing free verse with over three hundred pages of black-and-white watercolor illustrations, Mary’s Monster is a unique and stunning biography of Mary Shelley, the pregnant teenage runaway who became one of the greatest authors of all time.

Legend is correct that Mary Shelley began penning Frankenstein in answer to a dare to write a ghost story. What most people don't know, however, is that the seeds of her novel had been planted long before that night. By age nineteen, she had been disowned by her family, was living in scandal with a married man, and had lost her baby daughter just days after her birth. Mary poured her grief, pain, and passion into the powerful book still revered two hundred years later, and in Mary's Monster, author/illustrator Lita Judge has poured her passion into a gorgeous book that pays tribute to the life of this incredible author.

Critical Analysis

I began this book not knowing what to expect. Having read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in a college course, I thought this book would be somewhat close to that. Instead, I was transported to the 1800s and told a hauntingly beautiful story through free verse and black-and-white illustrations. Mary’s Monster begins with young Mary describing how her mother died giving birth to her, and how life has never been the same since. Her life seems to move from one tragedy to the next, with very few spots of joy in between. The haunting illustrations help bring her story to life, and give the reader a glimpse into the heart of Mary. The art and poetry together make the book intense and engaging, helping readers understand the challenges Mary faced. The novel focuses on the isolation and rejection that Mary often felt, from the difficult relationship with her stepmother to then falling pregnant while young and unmarried. As someone who has read Frankenstein, you can see the parallels between Mary’s life and the monster that she would later create. 

One of the largest trigger warnings I can give for this book is the deaths of Mary’s children. My heart broke for Mary and I cried along with her as she laid her children to rest. I did not know that Mary Shelley had lived these tragedies, and knowing that she was still a teenager while facing these terrible things makes it all the more heartbreaking. These painful experiences had a deep impact on her, and the book suggests that they influenced the dark and tragic tone of Frankenstein. Judge shows that Mary’s suffering helped shape her creativity and the powerful themes in her novel. The book also touches on the "madness" of the creative process and how writing Frankenstein was a way for Mary to deal with her grief and pain, just like Victor Frankenstein's obsession with creating life. Lita Judge did an excellent job showcasing Mary’s tragic story in a powerful and visually striking way, giving readers a deep understanding of how Mary Shelley created Frankenstein and the challenges she faced along the way.

Awards Won & Review Excerpt(s)

*A 2019 NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book

*A 2019 Amelia Bloomer Project Book

*“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

Connections

*Write diary entries from Mary Shelley's perspective, detailing her experiences with pregnancy, loss, and the challenges of being a young woman in a tumultuous relationship with Percy Bysshe Shelley.

*Create a detailed character sketch of the Creature from Frankenstein, focusing on his emotions, desires, and motivations, considering how they might mirror Mary Shelley's own experiences.

*Investigate the key characteristics of the Romantic literary movement and how they are reflected in "Frankenstein."