The Determined Heart: The Tale of Mary Shelley and Her Frankenstein by Antoinette May: A Book Review

The Determined Heart: The Tale of Mary Shelley and Her Frankenstein
Author: Antoinette May
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Release Date: 2015
Pages: 412
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: The Determined Heart reveals the life of Mary Shelley in a story of love and obsession, betrayal and redemption.

The daughter of political philosopher William Godwin and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary Shelley had an unconventional childhood populated with the most talented and eccentric personalities of the time. After losing her mother at an early age, she finds herself in constant conflict with a resentful stepmother and a jealous stepsister. When she meets the Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, she falls deeply in love, and they elope with disastrous consequences. Soon she finds herself destitute and embroiled in a torturous love triangle as Percy takes Mary’s stepsister as a lover. Over the next several years, Mary struggles to write while she and Percy face ostracism, constant debt, and the heartbreaking deaths of three children. Ultimately, she achieves great acclaim for Frankenstein, but at what cost?

My Review: The Determined Heart is about the life of Mary Shelley. Mary is the daughter of two famous literary writers, William Godwin, a philosopher, and Mary Wollstonecraft, who wrote A Vindication of The Rights of Woman. Mary meets a married man and poet named Percy Bysshe Shelley. Soon they run away with Mary’s stepsister, Claire. Eventually, Mary becomes the author of Frankenstein. This historical novel chronicles Mary’s tortuous relationship with Percy as well as her tragedies and triumphs, along with how she was inspired to write Frankenstein.

After reading a biography of Mary Shelley, I learned that her life was full of drama and scandal. I was glad that there was a historical fiction novel based upon on her life because I knew she was a fascinating subject. Mary Shelley is portrayed as a sympathetic figure and often vulnerable. She is romantic and dreams of a world that is free of societal norms and where women have equal rights. When she meets Percy Shelley, she realizes that he shares her ideals.They fall in love and Mary sacrifices everything to be with him--her father and her reputation just to be with Shelley.

Yet, Mary is not really happy. She is snubbed from society by having an affair with a married man, and Percy ignores her. He has an affair with Mary’s stepsister, Claire, and he even persuades his best friend to have an affair with Mary. This is because he believed in the idea of free love where he did not have to conform to society. While Mary loves him, she finds that she is trapped. With her father disowning her, and her reputation tarnished, she has no choice but to stick with Shelley. She is forced to live in debt and put up with her husband’s infidelities. She also yearns to be a writer, but she has no ideas in mind until one day she is inspired to write Frankenstein.

Overall, I felt this novel to be an in-depth psyche of Mary Shelley. This book chronicles the ups and downs of a struggling writer. It is about two people who try to break away from the rules of society. I thought the novel was beautifully-written and the characters were fleshed out and very human. The Determined Heart tells the tale of a strong woman who faced tragedy and obstacles as well as her accomplishments. I recommend this book to anyone interested in Romantic poets, Frankenstein, and Mary Shelley.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn: A Book Review

The Rose Code Author: Kate Quinn Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Harper Collins Release Date: 2021 Pages: 635 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: 1940, Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire. Three very different women are recruited to the mysterious Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Vivacious debutante Osla has the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses – but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, working to translate decoded enemy secrets. Self-made Mab masters the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and the poverty of her East-End London upbringing. And shy local girl Beth is the outsider who trains as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts. 1947, London. Seven years after they first meet, on the eve of the royal wedding between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, disaster threatens. Osla, Mab and Beth are estranged,

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki: A Book Review

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post Author: Allison Pataki Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Ballantine Release Date: February 15, 2022 Pages: 381 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Mrs. Post, the President and First Lady are here to see you. . . . So begins another average evening for Marjorie Merriweather Post. Presidents have come and gone, but she has hosted them all. Growing up in the modest farmlands of Battle Creek, Michigan, Marjorie was inspired by a few simple rules: always think for yourself, never take success for granted, and work hard—even when deemed American royalty, even while covered in imperial diamonds. Marjorie had an insatiable drive to live and love and to give more than she got. From crawling through Moscow warehouses to rescue the Tsar’s treasures to outrunning the Nazis in London, from serving the homeless of the Great Depression to entertaining Roosevelts, Kennedys, and Hollywood’s biggest stars, Marjorie Merriweath

Interview with Ezra Harker Shaw

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Ezra Harker Shaw. Ezra Harker Shaw is the author of the upcoming novel, The Aziola's Cry , which will be released on May 7, 2024. Ezra Harker Shaw gives us insights into the lives of two legendary figures, Percy and Mary Shelley. These two lovers lived a life of literature and love while being on the run from a world that has often misunderstood them! Thank you, Ezra Harker Shaw! What drew your interest in the love story of Mary and Percy Shelley? When I was about sixteen years old, I lived in Dublin. I'd dropped out of school and I was drifting without any real direction in my life. I used to wander down Nassau street in the mornings on my way to the internet cafe where I would write to my friends and work on stories. There was a lovely little bookshop I often used to pop into, and one day, quite on a whim, I bought a thin Dover Thrift edition of Percy Shelley's poems for 2€. Over the years I kept dipping into it: I

History from a Woman's Perspective- A Book Blog

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