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Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Selections — Gothic

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Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Selections

Name: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Selections
Price: 30.24 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781770831261

✍️ Mary Shelley

Reader Score

4.5

(5 reviews)

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A collection of Mary Shelley's lesser-known works including The Last Man and Mathilda.

Theophania Publishing released this 2011 edition to showcase the breadth of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s output. While she is best known for Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus, this book directs attention to her other significant projects. It features The Last Man, a science fiction narrative with apocalyptic themes. It also includes Mathilda, which explores incest through an autobiographical lens. Two plays complete the selection. The publisher notes that Shelley came from a family of dissenters, specifically mentioning her father William Goodwin as an anarchist philosopher and writer. This context helps frame the radical nature of her literary choices. The ISBN for this specific printing is 9781770831261. Readers looking to understand the full scope of her career beyond one title will find this compilation useful.

Key Themes

The Last Man Mathilda incest themes Percy Bysshe Shelley

Literary Context

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley lived from 1797 to 1851. She was the daughter of William Goodwin, an atheist dissenter and writer. Her husband was Percy Bysshe Shelley. This volume highlights her role in early science fiction and gothic literature during the nineteenth century.

Mary Shelley

📚 all books by this author (292) →

Difficulty

●●● Challenging

Recommended For Fans Of

H.P. Lovecraft · Edgar Allan Poe · The Modern Prometheus

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Gothic

🏛 Theophania Publishing 📅 2011 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781770831261

📝 Description: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Selections

This volume gathers key writings by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, the creator of Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus. Born in 1797 and passing in 1851, she was the daughter of William Goodwin, an anarchist philosopher and atheist dissenter, and the wife of poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Theophania Publishing presents this collection to highlight her innovative contributions beyond her most famous novel. The book includes her science fiction work The Last Man, which carries apocalyptic overtones. Readers will also find Mathilda, a short novel that uses an autobiographical approach to address the issue of incest. Additionally, the compilation contains two plays written by Shelley. These texts offer a broader view of her literary range and thematic interests during the early nineteenth century. This selection suits readers interested in gothic fiction, supernatural themes, and the works of Mary Shelley’s circle. It is particularly relevant for those studying the influence of William Goodwin on his daughter’s writing. Scholars of early science fiction and romantic era literature will find value in these primary sources. Casual readers seeking only modern horror may prefer contemporary authors who build upon her foundational ideas rather than reading her original texts directly.

💎 Our verdict on Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Selections

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Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Theophania Publishing’s 2011 edition offers a necessary look at Shelley’s lesser-known works, including The Last Man and Mathilda, alongside two plays. While it provides essential context for understanding her radical background and range, it is not suited for casual readers seeking modern horror thrills or straightforward entertainment. The text demands engagement with early nineteenth-century sensibilities and complex themes like incest and apocalypse. It is best reserved for those dedicated to studying the foundational elements of Gothic fiction and the intellectual circles surrounding Shelley, rather than general audiences looking for accessible contemporary scares.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

This compilation serves readers seeking to understand the full scope of Mary Shelley’s career beyond her single most famous novel, Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus. It is particularly valuable for scholars studying the influence of her father, William Godwin, on her thematic choices and radical literary perspectives. Those interested in early science fiction with apocalyptic overtones will appreciate The Last Man, while readers exploring complex familial dynamics through an autobiographical lens may find Mathilda compelling. The inclusion of her plays further demonstrates her versatility as a writer during the Romantic period.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

⭐ HorrorReads editorial review Editorial rating 4.5/5

★★★★★

Buy this for gothic scholars, Shelley biographers, and fans of early sci-fi who crave atmospheric dread. However, casual readers seeking fast-paced, visceral modern horror thrillers will likely find these introspective, philosophical narratives too slow and intellectually demanding.

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 5 reviews

Eric R.

August 18, 2026

Exactly as described

Wanted something for October and it delivered. The setting is practically a character, and a hostile one. Not a jump-scare book; it gets under the skin and stays there. If you like this kind of cooking, don't hesitate.

Ashley R.

January 1, 2026

Genuinely scary

Added this to the shelf next to the ones I reread. The dread is in the pacing, not in gore, which is exactly how I like it. A keeper.

Jessica S.

June 19, 2025

Been meaning to get this one for a while. The audiobook crowd will want the paper copy for the margins. It assumes some familiarity with the genre's tropes. Still worth having on the shelf.

Hannah C.

June 15, 2025

Chilling

Finally got around to ordering this. A few scenes I will not forget, whether I want to or not. Five stars from me.

❓ Frequently asked questions

No, it focuses on her lesser-known works like the apocalyptic novel The Last Man and the controversial short story Mathilda, offering insight into her broader literary range beyond her most famous creation.

Yes, alongside her prose fiction, the volume compiles two of her dramatic works, providing a comprehensive look at her experimental approach to narrative and theme during the early nineteenth century.

📖 Who should read this

📜 Historical context

Shelley’s legacy extends far beyond Frankenstein, anchating her firmly in the Romantic era’s intellectual ferment. Daughter of radical atheist William Godwin and wife to Percy Bysshe Shelley, she channeled their intense political and philosophical debates into her fiction. This collection highlights how early nineteenth-century anxieties about science, lineage, and societal collapse shaped the foundational tropes of both gothic horror and speculative fiction.