Our Hideous Progeny

This book is such a smart novel. It draws its inspiration from Frankenstein, and although it is very different from the original (with its likable lesbian protagonist), it loses none of the original novel’s gothic themes and atmosphere.

The story moves quickly yet manages to convey rich language and explore complex themes. 

I had, how shall we say? managed expectations starting this book. A Frankenstein sequel? Really? But “pleasantly surprised” turned out to be an understatement.

I appreciated that the protagonist, Mary, battles misogyny in 1850s academia in a way that never feels forced or preachy. And the whole undercurrent of the discovered secret proved to be an enticing way to move the story forward. I’ve read some bad Frankenstein spin-offs, but this one kept my interest and did so with a risky approach to language that paid off.

Here is another period piece, set in the 1850s and inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

Our Hideous Progeny is a Gothic, magical novel that begs to be brought (no pun intended) to life. It’s a rich, delicious adventure through time and across several countries while Mary, the name of the main character, tracks down the secrets of her great uncle, Victor Frankenstein, in an effort to build back some of the money lost by her husband, Henry, a gambler.

Like the series, Lessons in Chemistry (also an adaptation) and others, there is a feminist current running through the book, which… show more.