Love, Sex, and Frankenstein

A Novel

By: Caroline Lea

Narrated by: Florence Howard

Villa Diodati, Lake Geneva, 1816: the dark summer that birthed a monster.

Eighteen-year-old Mary Shelley has fled London with her lover, Percy Shelley, and her sister, Claire. Tormented by Shelley's betrayals, haunted by the loss of their baby, and suspicious of her sister's intentions, Mary seeks a refuge.

But Lord Byron's villa, lying under ominous, ash-shrouded skies, feels more like a trap. When Byron suggests each guest write a supernatural tale, Mary is as drawn to the challenge as she is, unexpectedly, to Byron himself.

And so an idea begins to form in her mind . . . It spills out of her in thick, black ink. A thing given life by her imagination.

Day and night, it possesses her. Her heart, her desires.

But is she in control, or is it?

In this hauntingly evocative feminist retelling, Caroline Lea delves into the female rage, creative madness and steamy scandal that bore the world's most famous work of gothic fiction.

©2025 Caroline Lea (P)2025 Tantor Media

Wonderful story

It’s an interesting story and background story about Mary Shelly life up to the writing and creation of her book Frankenstein. Including her relationship with her sister, family, Barron and Shelly. Very absorbing.

Disappointment

I really loved Frankenstein and found it fascinating that a women wrote it. The vision I had of all of them living together writing, talking, reading each other's work. But never intentioned anything like this story. Couldn't wait for it to end!

Breathtaking

This was an incredible gothic read. The author really painted a vivid picture of her Mary. Beautiful performance by the narrator as well.

Gripping portrayal of a woman awakening to her own genius

I’m a huge Mary Shelley fan and scholar of Romanticism and was worried that I’d be disappointed. I was definitely not. Fabulous storytelling with engaging narration.

Well written

A bit on the romance novel side but still so well written that it pulled me along