Expected Publication Date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: Balzer + Bray (Harper)
Format: ARC
Page Count: 320 pages
Source: ALA
From award-winning author Stephanie Hemphill comes the fascinating story of Mary Shelley, a brilliant teenager who wrote one of the greatest literary masterpieces of all time: Frankenstein.
An all-consuming love affair.
A family torn apart by scandal.
A young author on the brink of greatness.
Hideous Love is the fascinating story of Gothic novelist Mary Shelley, who as a teen girl fled her restrictive home only to find herself in the shadow of a brilliant but moody boyfriend, famed poet Percy Shelley. It is the story of the mastermind behind one of the most iconic figures in all of literature: a monster constructed out of dead bodies and brought to life by the tragic Dr. Frankenstein.
Mary wrote Frankenstein at the age of nineteen, but inspiration for the monster came from her life-the atmospheric European settings she visited, the dramas swirling around her, and the stimulating philosophical discussions with the greatest minds of the period, like her close friend, Lord Byron.
This luminous verse novel from award-winning author Stephanie Hemphill reveals how Mary Shelley became one of the most celebrated authors in history.
Despite from seeing some not-so-good reviews, I loved Hideous Love! The beautiful writing, the engaging arc, and the tragic and achingly stunning story of Mary Shelley all worked together flawlessly for me - I really, really enjoyed this book!
I'm just going to go ahead and state the obvious Goodreads has shown me: Hideous Love didn't receive the best of reviews from my friends. But it was one of my most anticipated books of fall, so I knew I had to give it a shot; and in the end, I'm so thrilled I did! This, to me, is the best example of trying something for yourself before you knock it. I thought that the writing was masterfully done. While it is a slower-paced novel, I was so hooked and engrossed by Mary Shelley's story and the twist that Hemphill spun on it. The fact that Hideous Love was told in verse was superb; it fit the story so seamlessly, and I fell in love with this book so much. Beautiful, enthralling, and fantastic!
Like I said before, Hideous Love is a slow-build kind of book. It took me a couple of pages for me to get into the groove of the story, but it wasn't long before I caught myself sinking deep into this rich and fascinating world. If something happened to Mary, I ached for it. If she succeed, I cheered her on. I absolutely love it when an author can make me connected to a character like that, much less an actual person. What's weird is that I didn't enjoy Frankenstein at all, but I loved the story that was based off of the author! If you're in the mood for a wonderful historical that will have you falling in love with the characters and captured by the writing, definitely give Hideous Love a try!
Stephanie Hemphill, why don't you just rip my heart out. The ending of Hideous Love is what made the book for me. Hemphill just reflected the scenario of Mary Shelley's pain and struggles so incredibly, and I felt a better understanding for Mary after this novel. And though I've said that Hideous Love is a slow-build book, it's not boring by any means. The pacing fit the story so well - whether it was her family or Mary's writing, she goes through many hardships, and Stephanie Hemphill brought that essence of obstacles to Hideous Love so well. Highly recommended!
Overall, Hideous Love is a slow-paced, brilliant book that enthralled me and made me feel a connection to the characters I haven't felt in a very long time. Hideous Love is lovely!
M Y R A T I N G
I'm just going to go ahead and state the obvious Goodreads has shown me: Hideous Love didn't receive the best of reviews from my friends. But it was one of my most anticipated books of fall, so I knew I had to give it a shot; and in the end, I'm so thrilled I did! This, to me, is the best example of trying something for yourself before you knock it. I thought that the writing was masterfully done. While it is a slower-paced novel, I was so hooked and engrossed by Mary Shelley's story and the twist that Hemphill spun on it. The fact that Hideous Love was told in verse was superb; it fit the story so seamlessly, and I fell in love with this book so much. Beautiful, enthralling, and fantastic!
Like I said before, Hideous Love is a slow-build kind of book. It took me a couple of pages for me to get into the groove of the story, but it wasn't long before I caught myself sinking deep into this rich and fascinating world. If something happened to Mary, I ached for it. If she succeed, I cheered her on. I absolutely love it when an author can make me connected to a character like that, much less an actual person. What's weird is that I didn't enjoy Frankenstein at all, but I loved the story that was based off of the author! If you're in the mood for a wonderful historical that will have you falling in love with the characters and captured by the writing, definitely give Hideous Love a try!
Stephanie Hemphill, why don't you just rip my heart out. The ending of Hideous Love is what made the book for me. Hemphill just reflected the scenario of Mary Shelley's pain and struggles so incredibly, and I felt a better understanding for Mary after this novel. And though I've said that Hideous Love is a slow-build book, it's not boring by any means. The pacing fit the story so well - whether it was her family or Mary's writing, she goes through many hardships, and Stephanie Hemphill brought that essence of obstacles to Hideous Love so well. Highly recommended!
Overall, Hideous Love is a slow-paced, brilliant book that enthralled me and made me feel a connection to the characters I haven't felt in a very long time. Hideous Love is lovely!
M Y R A T I N G
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