Non-Fiction Book Review - 'She Made a Monster: How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein' by Lynn Fulton (Writer), Felicita Sala (Illustrator)

I finally got around to reading this.

I reread another Mary Shelley biographical picture book, 'Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein', in preparation for reviewing 'She Made a Monster: How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein'. Incidentally, both were published in 2018, in celebration of the original 'Frankenstein' novel's 200th anniversary.

All I have to say is that they are very similar conceptually, and have differing art styles, but I think both of them are good, and effective in achieving their goals of telling Mary's story, showcasing her personality as an aspiring writer and dreamer - and a feminist, her mother's daughter - and using art to create a gothic and grotesque atmosphere; linking her to her inspiration and creation of her monster novel, 'Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'.

'She Made a Monster' is more ghostly, gloomy, and crafted like a haunted house story than 'Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein'. There are actual pages that are like jump scares - and they work, especially if you happen to be reading at night!

'She Made a Monster' is Mary's horror night at the big house on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland - the darkness, the thunder and lightning, the candles, the ghosts, the ravens, the monster in her dreams - and you are living it with her.

Ghoulish, ethereal, entertaining, and as informative as can be, 'She Made a Monster: How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein' retells a frightening yet inspiring and life-changing night in Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's life. Read it and 'Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein' if you are a fan of 'Frankenstein', gothic horror, and women writers in history.

Keep writing stories, everyone. You never know if they will change the world.

Favourite quotes:



'When she was older, she read everything her mother had written: stirring words of democracy and the rights of women, words that sparked courage and inspiration in many, but anger and outrage in many others.'


'She wanted to prove that her mother was right! A woman's writing could be just as important as a man's.'


'"[...] what would happen to that 'lifeless matter' once someone had given it life?" The men did not seem to care. They only asked if something could be done--never if it should.'


'There was no monster.
There was only her imagination.
Her heart pounded, but she was happy.

She had found her story.'



Happy Late Halloween.

Final Score: 4/5