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A sumptuous gothic adventure story with echoes of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
A twisted, upside-down creation myth, Mary Shelley's chilling Gothic tale lays bare the dark side of science, and the horror within us all. Their quest takes them to the wilds of Scotland; to Henry’s intriguing but reclusive sister, Maisie; and to a deadly chase with a rival who is out to steal their secret. Author: McGill, C. https://libro. Mary is the great-niece of Victor Frankenstein. fm/thefeministbookshop The 1850s is a time of discovery and London is ablaze with the latest scientific theories and debates, especially when a spectacular new exhibition of dinosaur sculptures opens at the Crystal Palace. This is how Christopher learns that his grandfather is the guardian of one of the ways between the non-magical world and a place called the Archipelago: a cluster of magical islands, where all the creatures we tell of in myth live and breed and thrive alongside humans.
- 4 x 15.
- 4 x 3.
- 0
- Dimensions (cm): 23.
Reviews
Bookmadlibrarian
As an art historian in a former life, I adored the way the author delved into the world of Victorian pleoart- the way McGill details Mary’s work was fascinating. I found the premise intriguing and was excited to see McGill’s take on a classic.
Hayley Westwood
Mary is a fierce and stubborn protagonist whose ambitions to be a renowned scientist in her own right was beautifully developed by the author and she is the standout character for me. Mary’s tragic history and its connection to the monster was heartbreaking and handled perfectly by the author. Henry is an infuriating character; dim witted and determined to annoy everyone in the scientific world, he drove me demented on many an occasion while reading this book! If you enjoy refreshing takes on classics, make sure to check it out!
This is SUCH an interesting take on the traditional story of Frankenstein, the characterisation is fantastic, and the novel is bursting with so many well-considered and complex themes and topics. It is a rare gem of a story, that surprised me with how much was contained within, and I loved every moment of it. 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for the arc.
Our Hideous Progeny is a Gothic story that will make you question who is the true monster like Shelley’s book before it. I hope McGill intends to write more in the future as I would absolutely love to read more of their work.
As the mother of a dinosaur fanatic, the “monster” - the reanimated plesiosaur- was a tragic figure within the story and Mary’s bond with the creature was another element that stood out for me. ! Our Hideous Progeny is out now. Shelley’s Frankenstein is one of my favourite books and I thoroughly enjoyed McGill’s expansion of the Frankenstein story in Our Hideous Progeny.
The queer angle within this story was beautifully written and gave a whole new dimension to the story, particularly Mary’s struggle to deal with her feelings for Maisie and what society expected of her. The misogyny of Victorian society was another theme discussed by McGill and I found this to be another interesting element of the story. I highly recommend Our Hideous Progeny to anyone who enjoys gothic fiction, historical fiction and/or science fiction. I really am excited to see what McGill writes next.
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