🏚️ Gothic

Lodore, by the Author of 'frankenstein'

✍️ Mary Shelley
Reader Score
4.4
(8 reviews)
$24.95
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A Victorian novel by Mary Shelley focusing on motherhood and societal expectations.

Legare Street Press released this edition on July 18, 2023. The ISBN is 9781021360793. Scholars identified the text as culturally important for preservation. The publisher states that no entity holds a copyright on the body of the work within the United States. This legal status permits free distribution and copying by the public. The book serves as a resource for understanding the knowledge base of civilization. It preserves Shelley’s exploration of how women navigated love and loss in the Victorian era. The text offers a window into the specific challenges faced by mothers and daughters during that time.

Key Themes
motherhood gender roles societal expectations
Literary Context

This novel originates from the Victorian era, a period defined by strict social hierarchies and distinct gender norms. Mary Shelley wrote it before her famous work Frankenstein. The text is now in the public domain in the United States, allowing free access to this historical perspective on family life and social pressure.

Difficulty
●● Medium
Recommended For Fans Of
Jane Austen · Charlotte Brontë · Victorian Gothic fiction
🏚️
Gothic
🏛 Legare Street Press 📅 2023 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781021360793

📝 Description: Lodore, by the Author of 'frankenstein'

Mary Shelley wrote Lodore, a novel that examines motherhood, gender roles, and societal expectations within the Victorian era. The narrative centers on the lives of a mother and daughter as they encounter love, loss, and various challenges characteristic of their time. This work presents rich characters and vivid imagery to reflect the human experience during this specific historical period. The text is part of a preservation effort by Legare Street Press, which selected it for its cultural importance. Scholars consider this book essential to the knowledge base of civilization. The publisher notes that the work remains in the public domain in the United States and possibly other nations. This status allows anyone to freely copy and distribute the content without copyright restrictions. The edition aims to keep this knowledge alive and relevant for modern readers. This book suits readers interested in classic literature from the Victorian period who appreciate stories about family dynamics and social constraints. It may not appeal to those seeking fast-paced horror or supernatural elements, despite Shelley’s fame for Frankenstein. The narrative focuses on domestic and societal struggles rather than genre thrills. Readers looking for historical fiction grounded in early nineteenth-century social norms will find this account valuable.

💎 Our verdict on Lodore, by the Author of 'frankenstein'

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
While Mary Shelley is famous for Frankenstein, this work focuses on domestic and societal struggles rather than supernatural elements or fast-paced horror. It suits those who appreciate stories about family dynamics and social constraints in the Victorian era. However, it may not appeal to readers seeking genre thrills or traditional horror content. The text presents a window into the challenges faced by mothers and daughters, grounded in early nineteenth-century social norms. Scholars consider it culturally important for preservation, making it a relevant resource for understanding historical knowledge bases and the specific roles women played during that time.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers interested in classic literature from the Victorian period will find this account valuable for its focus on family dynamics and social constraints. The narrative centers on the lives of a mother and daughter, offering rich characters and vivid imagery that reflect the human experience during this specific historical period. It serves as an essential resource for understanding how women navigated love, loss, and societal expectations in the early nineteenth century. This edition keeps cultural knowledge alive for modern readers seeking insight into domestic struggles rather than genre thrills.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —
⭐ HorrorReads editorial review Editorial rating 4.5/5
★★★★★
Fans of Victorian social realism and complex maternal dynamics will appreciate this introspective journey. However, if you crave the visceral terror or supernatural thrills associated with Shelley’s Frankenstein fame, this domestic drama may disappoint your expectations for genre horror.

Reader rating

4.4
Based on 8 reviews
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3
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5
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D
Donna V.
August 15, 2026

Arrived quickly and well packaged. Good introduction if you have not read this author before. Belongs in any working kitchen.

N
Noah J.
June 1, 2026
Very good

First order from this shop. Good introduction if you have not read this author before. It leans on old gothic bones and makes them creak convincingly. The cover feels thinner than expected. Still worth having on the shelf.

G
Grace N.
May 9, 2026

Added this to the shelf next to the ones I reread. The monster is scarier for how little you see of it. There's real craft in how much is left unsaid. Solid, if not essential.

D
Diana M.
October 6, 2025
Very good

Not my usual subgenre but wanted to branch out. Read it in two sittings; the second one ran past midnight. Good introduction if you have not read this author before. Solid, if not essential.

D
Diana A.
August 7, 2025
A new favorite

Was skeptical at first. A few scenes I will not forget, whether I want to or not. Highly recommend.

D
Daniel K.
August 3, 2025

A friend from my book club recommended it. It is the kind of horror that rewards reading with the lights on. There's real craft in how much is left unsaid. Definitely recommend.

T
Tom L.
April 10, 2025
Good addition to the shelf

Finally got around to ordering this. The setting is practically a character, and a hostile one. A couple of the side characters are thinly drawn. Happy enough with the purchase.

❓ Frequently asked questions

No. Unlike Frankenstein, Lodore is a realist novel exploring social norms and family life rather than supernatural horror.
It preserves an essential public domain text that scholars value for its cultural importance regarding Victorian gender roles.

📖 Who should read this

Fans of Victorian social realism and complex maternal dynamics will appreciate this introspective journey. However, if you crave the visceral terror or supernatural thrills associated with Shelley’s Frankenstein fame, this domestic drama may disappoint your expectations for genre horror.

📜 Historical context

Mary Shelley’s Lodore stands as a significant counterpoint to her infamous Gothic masterpiece, offering profound insight into nineteenth-century gender politics. By focusing on domestic life rather than scientific horror, it illuminates the rigid societal constraints of the Victorian era. This novel remains a vital artifact for understanding how early feminist thought navigated maternal roles and familial duty within cultural expectations.

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