Requiem for the Author of Frankenstein

A novel by Molly Dwyer “A marvel. Gothic romance, feminist history, philosophical mystery-it’s perfect for those of us who love to think as much as we love a good story. Molly Dwyer brings Mary Shelley and her circle so alive it makes me wonder if they ever died.” -Jean Hegland, author of Into the Forest and Windfalls Nearly 190 years after its publishing debut, Frankenstein remains one of the world’s most popular horror stories, continually inspiring fresh interpretations for the stage and screen. Yet, beyond this iconic novel, the author of Frankenstein, Mary Shelley, is largely unknown and underappreciated. As a writer, Molly Dwyer was drawn to this real-life character-the brilliant daughter of a pioneer feminist, Mary Wollstonecraft, and an anarchist philosopher, William Godwin, who became the scandalous lover and devoted wife of a noted Romantic poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and then became a young widow and courageous single mother. After a decade of immersion in research, a dream inspired Dwyer to celebrate the spirit and true legacy of Mary Shelley in a spellbinding, romantic historical novel, REQUIEM FOR THE AUTHOR OF FRANKENSTEIN (Lost Coast Press; February 29, 2008; $19.95). Set simultaneously in the 21st and 19th centuries, REQUIEM FOR THE AUTHOR OF FRANKENSTEIN revolves around Anna Trevor, a 37-year-old literary scholar / waitress reeling from the death of her four-year-old son. Recently divorced from the man she blames, along with herself, for Michael’s drowning, Anna pounces on the chance to leave Boston for a change of scenery across the pond. Thanks to a surprise invitation to present a paper on Mary Shelley, which she wrote way back in her grad school days, at a “Shakespeare’s Sisters” conference near Hampstead, she will finally get to meet the British branch of her family tree. A distant cousin who happens to run a B&B nearby welcomes Anna to be her guest. Even though she keeps telling herself that it’s simply a coincidence, Anna can’t shake the sense that she’s being summoned to England for a mission. It’s a suspicion confirmed on a nightly basis by her intense dreams-dreams in which she feels wide awake and aware of experiencing life as Mary Shelley. On her first night at home in England, Anna learns of a fragile ancestral tie to the Shelleys. Percy Florence, the only of Mary Shelley’s four children to survive past early childhood, had an adopted daughter, Bessie, who married into the Trevor clan. More interesting, however, is the claim that Bessie entrusted one of Anna’s living relatives with papers that her grandmother Mary never made public. Before getting over her jet lag, Anna heads off for the stately home of the formidable 94-year-old Auntie Frances in the hopes of uncovering a literary treasure: secrets from the pen of Mary Shelley that have been sealed in the cellar of Manesbrook Manor for 75 years. Keeping the suspense mounting and the surprises coming, REQUIEM FOR THE AUTHOR OF FRANKENSTEIN unfolds Anna’s quest while revealing Mary’s past. Intriguingly, the lives of these kindred women connect through striking parallels, meaningful coincidences, and vivid dreams. In the process, Anna’s search becomes about finding peace of mind over her son’s tragic death and a reason to go on living. The author of Frankenstein, a passionate, smart, and strong woman who survived more than her share of tragedies and losses, becomes her inspiration and guide. Full of lessons for Anna and revelations for all readers, Mary’s life reflects the challenges of: o Forfeiting her adored father’s approval and financial security for a life marked by gossip and uncertainties as the mistress of a free-thinking, free-loving married poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and the mother of an illegitimate son. o Knowing when to trust her stepsister, the calculating yet vulnerable Claire Clairmont, and the brilliant, self-assured, self-centered men who dominate her life-especially Shelley’s closest friend and fiercest rival, Lord Byron. o Maintaining faith in her intelligence and ability as a writer, regardless of what a sexist society thinks, and believing in Shelley’s philosophy, that “with love, to divide is not to take away,” even when he takes another woman into his bed. Along with bringing a large cast of colorful Romantic characters fully to life, Dwyer accurately captures the landscape of their story-from the dirty, scary streets of downtown London to the scenic countryside of Pisa and Lerici, the Italian fishing village where Percy Shelley happily lived before his fateful drowning accident. In the end, Anna makes peace with her son Michael’s death and finds unexpected passion with a charming Scotsman. True to its title, REQUIEM FOR THE AUTHOR OF FRANKENSTEIN sheds light on the revolutionary life and achievements of Mary Shelley-a gifted writer and independent woman far ahead of her time. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Molly Dwyer has taught English composition, creative writing, and literature, privately and in college communities, for fifteen years. She studied literature at Oxford University and creative writing with England’s Avon Project, as well as trained with the National Writing Project. After completing her Ph.D., she worked for three years as co-director of Satyana Institute’s Gender Reconciliation Project in Boulder, Colorado. Molly lives on the northern California coast and is currently working on her second novel. She devotes her free time to practicing piano and spoiling her Maine Coon cats, Pele and Selene. A Few Intimate Facts and Provocative Speculations About the Author of Frankenstein MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT GODWIN SHELLEY o Mary was seventeen when she “eloped” with Percy Bysshe Shelley, a rising young poet with a pregnant wife. The couple ran away to Switzerland, taking Mary’s younger stepsister, Jane (a/k/a Claire) Clairmont , along for the adventure. Six weeks later when the trio returned to England, Mary’s adored father, the radical philosopher William Godwin, refused her entrance to his house and contact with her older half-sister, Fanny. o Mary was Percy’s mistress for more than two years before she became Mrs. Shelley. She also had two illegitimate children. The first, a girl, died ten days after her birth. The second, a boy, William, affectionately known as Willmouse, lived until age four. The marriage was motivated in part by Percy Shelley’s hopes to secure custody of his two legitimate sons by his first wife, Harriet-shortly after she committed suicide. His petition was denied by the courts. o Mary was used as a sexual pawn by Claire Clairmont and Lord Byron. Claire lured the famous poet and infamous womanizer into her bed with not only the promise of meeting her stepsister, but also the assurance that Mary could be enticed into his bed as well. When Claire became pregnant, Byron accused her of sleeping with his friend and rival, Shelley, then pressured her to have an abortion and, when she failed to comply, renounced her. o Mary was a victim of melancholy-serious depression, with suicidal impulses-aggravated the deaths of her children and her husband’s passion for practicing his free love philosophy. Percy Shelley likely had affairs with both Claire and a nursemaid for the family. One of these women may have given birth to a child in Naples, Italy, registered as his daughter. o Mary may have had an affair with Byron. Not long before her husband drowned, Mary suffered a miscarriage and nearly bled to death. Shelley saved her life. Yet, speculation persists that the child she lost was not Shelley’s but Byron’s. o Mary defended Byron after his death from not only Lady Byron’s accusations of infidelity, but also attacks on his moral character by a trailblazing American woman, Harriet Beecher Stowe. The author of Frankenstein risked her legacy as a feminist for a cad in real life, despite his ideals. https://videos.whiteblox.com/gnb/secure/play
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