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Vindication
"A sexy, irreverent romp of a novel...an exuberant ride through a heady and experimental time."― Harper's Bazaar In this electrifying novel, Frances Sherwood re-creates the life and times of Mary Wollstonecraft, the trailblazing English feminist. Abetted by an unruly intelligence and an unquenchable romanticism, Sherwood's Mary survives a brutal childhood to carve a courageous but always uncertain path for herself in a world of men. Rich historical settings from the chaos of Revolutionary Paris to the Bedlam insane asylum are the backdrop for the complex tale of her intellectual and emotional passions, lovers and friends, motherhood and marriage. Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. A New York Times Notable Book. Reading group guide included.
450 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
7 people are currently reading
373 people want to read
About the author
Frances Sherwood
16 books16 followersFrances Sherwood is an American writer, novelist, and educator. Sherwood has published four novels and one book of short stories. Her 1992 novel, Vindication, was nominated for the National Book Critics Circle Award. It has been translated into twelve languages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
October 7, 2011
It's eighteen years since I read this book, and I dreamed of it last night! In this anxiety dream, I was at an Oxford college, only to listen to other people, and was asked to step in at short notice and give a lecture on Mary Wollstonecraft, author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman and, as the cover blurb of Frances Sherwood's novel has it, 'the mother of the future Mary Shelley.'
In my dream, I could either search out the college manager, Titan Zoldi, who would point me in the right direction for a bit of quick research, or I could go home for my notes, and be paid expenses of 24 pence per mile.
I did neither, but began to talk about this book, and to say how faithful it was to Mary Wollstonecraft's life, and that you could have a pencil in hand and note all the major incidents. (Probably I would have said more, such as it being a pleasure to read and full of telling details, but the cat woke me, asking to go out).
The book has five sections, each centring on a person important in Wollstonecraft's life: Fanny, childhood friend; Joseph Johnson, mentor and publisher; Henry Fuseli, artist, painter of nightmares, and love object; Gilbert Imlay, faithless lover and father of Mary's daughter, Fanny (who inherited her mother's stays, marked with the intials MW, and who, tragically, later committed suicide); and, lastly, William - William Godwin, Mary's husband.
What else can you do about a book that comes to you in a dream, except highly recommend it.
In my dream, I could either search out the college manager, Titan Zoldi, who would point me in the right direction for a bit of quick research, or I could go home for my notes, and be paid expenses of 24 pence per mile.
I did neither, but began to talk about this book, and to say how faithful it was to Mary Wollstonecraft's life, and that you could have a pencil in hand and note all the major incidents. (Probably I would have said more, such as it being a pleasure to read and full of telling details, but the cat woke me, asking to go out).
The book has five sections, each centring on a person important in Wollstonecraft's life: Fanny, childhood friend; Joseph Johnson, mentor and publisher; Henry Fuseli, artist, painter of nightmares, and love object; Gilbert Imlay, faithless lover and father of Mary's daughter, Fanny (who inherited her mother's stays, marked with the intials MW, and who, tragically, later committed suicide); and, lastly, William - William Godwin, Mary's husband.
What else can you do about a book that comes to you in a dream, except highly recommend it.
November 14, 2011
This is one of the best books I've ever read. I think that you'll enjoy it if you like historical fiction. I mean, I don't want to vouch for the validity or the accuracy of her potrayals. However, I found this plot and the characters very enjoyable. Sorry to be vague. I haven't read it for more than ten years and I need to reread it soon.
June 25, 2007
This was really fun. Sometimes historical fiction works. It does here. Mary Wollstonecraft brought to life. Vindication of the Rights of Women was a much better read after I read this. If academia could do a better job of setting the stage for great literature more people would appreciate it!
April 21, 2013
I wonder if it is a peculiarly American trait to want our heroes to be perfect? We have no state religion and so we have taken as our gods those men and women who stand for the virtues we admire and forget about the less heroic parts of their characters.
As someone who has an interest in feminism and women's history, I was vaguely aware that Mary Wollstonecraft, in the late 1700s, wrote one of the first treaties about the rights of women, but I didn't have any real idea of her life beyond that. I imagined her to be someone eminently sensible who went through life fighting for a cause.
As brought to life in this book of historical fiction, however, Wollstonecraft was not at all sensible. She loved fine clothes and splurged on fanciful shoes even when she couldn't afford them. Her early dreams were only about being "famous", some 18th century Kardashian. And most surprising of all, she falls repeatedly, hopelessly in love with men who do not value her and who drive her to suicide attempts and a stint in Bedlam. After visiting her married lover at his house and being rejected she lies down on his lawn until she is awoken to the words: "Mistress Wollstonecraft, we are the Lunacy Committee from Bedlam Infirmary, I am Dr. Munro, and you are a dangerous and incurable lunatic".
As someone who is used to a more modern version of feminism, Wollstonecraft's actions were a bit difficult to wrap my head around. It is only towards the end of the book, when she is being discussed by two friends who talk about how one minute she is happy and chattering a mile a minute, the next she is in the depths of despair and of the pendulum swings of her moods that it is clear that her erratic behavior is caused at least in part by a bi-polar disorder.
However, despite all of this, I found much to admire in the author's version of Wollstonecraft. She did not back down from a life of writing just because it was difficult and unexpected of a woman. She was able to choose this unusual life despite the fact that she was raised in a violent home by a father who issued regular beatings and a mother who seemed bothered by the presence of some many daughters and not enough sons. Wollstonecraft's ideas that women should be considered rationale beings and allowed to pursue all manner of employment is the corner stone of our modern view of women.
In addition to recommending this book to those interested in women's history, I would also recommend it to those interested in history more generally. The author does a really fantastic job of capturing details of the period, such as the fact that lower class women were sewn into their clothing and only removed them to bathe twice a year. I learned a lot in addition to being entertained.
As someone who has an interest in feminism and women's history, I was vaguely aware that Mary Wollstonecraft, in the late 1700s, wrote one of the first treaties about the rights of women, but I didn't have any real idea of her life beyond that. I imagined her to be someone eminently sensible who went through life fighting for a cause.
As brought to life in this book of historical fiction, however, Wollstonecraft was not at all sensible. She loved fine clothes and splurged on fanciful shoes even when she couldn't afford them. Her early dreams were only about being "famous", some 18th century Kardashian. And most surprising of all, she falls repeatedly, hopelessly in love with men who do not value her and who drive her to suicide attempts and a stint in Bedlam. After visiting her married lover at his house and being rejected she lies down on his lawn until she is awoken to the words: "Mistress Wollstonecraft, we are the Lunacy Committee from Bedlam Infirmary, I am Dr. Munro, and you are a dangerous and incurable lunatic".
As someone who is used to a more modern version of feminism, Wollstonecraft's actions were a bit difficult to wrap my head around. It is only towards the end of the book, when she is being discussed by two friends who talk about how one minute she is happy and chattering a mile a minute, the next she is in the depths of despair and of the pendulum swings of her moods that it is clear that her erratic behavior is caused at least in part by a bi-polar disorder.
However, despite all of this, I found much to admire in the author's version of Wollstonecraft. She did not back down from a life of writing just because it was difficult and unexpected of a woman. She was able to choose this unusual life despite the fact that she was raised in a violent home by a father who issued regular beatings and a mother who seemed bothered by the presence of some many daughters and not enough sons. Wollstonecraft's ideas that women should be considered rationale beings and allowed to pursue all manner of employment is the corner stone of our modern view of women.
In addition to recommending this book to those interested in women's history, I would also recommend it to those interested in history more generally. The author does a really fantastic job of capturing details of the period, such as the fact that lower class women were sewn into their clothing and only removed them to bathe twice a year. I learned a lot in addition to being entertained.
July 29, 2008
so... we'll assume that you've read Vindication of the Rights of Women by Mary Wollstonescraft... because if we didn't... we'd have to slap you upside the head... which would probably hurt... a lot... because i wear some heavy rings. and after we assume that you've read Vindication of the Rights of Women, we'll assume that you're an intelligent, and open minded individual, who is well read, and knows a little something-something about literature, history, feminism, and love. so assuming these things... you should enjoy this book.
May 12, 2007
Close competition with In the Fall for my most favorite fiction book. Early feminist writer Mary Wollstonecraft, the mother of Frankenstein author Mary Shelly, had an adventurous and atypical life for an 18th century woman reporting on the French revolution, being imprisoned because she demanded equal treatment under the law and bearing a child out of wedlock. Wollstonecraft finally settled down and had her 2nd child, Mrs. Shelly, and yet~~~
October 8, 2010
Every paragraph of this novel was sodden with detail....John Irving wrote in A Prayer for Owen Meany that great writing zooms in and out, focusing on detail as well as the big picture and Frances Sherwood has created a vibrant account of all the details that create the larger picture. Vindication has awoken in me a desire to read biographies of all kinds beginning with Mary Wollstonecraft.
August 30, 2013
Loved this story. Based on the life of Mary Wollenstonecraft. She was a maverick and unconventional in her tome. I Love her spirit and strength of vision. Her adventures and struggles were totally unforeseen. But she is brave and a survivor and remains true to herself and beliefs as she meets up with other intellects and characters and is challenged again and again.
October 24, 2007
One of my favorite books--beautifully drawn historical fiction about the life of Mary Wollstonecraft, early feminist and mother of Mary Shelley, she of Frankenstein fame. You will not believe the life this woman led!
February 17, 2009
An historical novel that is so alive you feel as though you've a seat at the dining room table where both eating and urinating are going on at the same time. If you love literature, you'll enjoy the long deceased writers who appear.
August 19, 2008
Such an interesting life and what a pioneer! This book made me want to know more about Mary Wollstonecraft--and find out how much of this story was true.
March 19, 2009
A beautifully written historical novel about Mary Wollstonecraft's turbulent life as a woman, feminist, and radical writer.
January 9, 2010
I really enjoyed this fictionaled novel based on the life of Mary Wollstonecraft, whose writings were important to my own development as a feminist.
October 17, 2017
Mary Wollstonecraft is an impressive writer so I was interested to read about her life. Unfortunately, this book is fiction and the author makes it clear that she has taken liberties with the facts, so it's not clear if her personal story is as horrible as it sounds. The way this book is written, it implies that Mary did not have the courage of her convictions and was emotionally, physically, and sexually abused by men even though she was intellectually brilliant and could hold her own with these men in any kind of philosophical or political conversation.
I'm sure that Mary was traumatized by her early family history and was vulnerable to these men as an adult but this book does not ring true because in this version of events, Mary shows no awareness of the inconsistency between her opinions/values and her actions in relationships. I believe that a woman of her intelligence would have at the very least felt quite conflicted about these relationships.
So this story is fascinating but there is a missing psychological piece that prevented me from liking the book more than I did. The author recognizes Mary's special connection to her friend Fanny, but when it comes to the men, there is an implausible disconnect.
I'm sure that Mary was traumatized by her early family history and was vulnerable to these men as an adult but this book does not ring true because in this version of events, Mary shows no awareness of the inconsistency between her opinions/values and her actions in relationships. I believe that a woman of her intelligence would have at the very least felt quite conflicted about these relationships.
So this story is fascinating but there is a missing psychological piece that prevented me from liking the book more than I did. The author recognizes Mary's special connection to her friend Fanny, but when it comes to the men, there is an implausible disconnect.
July 6, 2019
After reading and enjoying the author's "Book of Splendor," I decided to give her critically-acclaimed first novel a shot. Got to page 297 or so, realized I really did not give a fig for Mary. The person who could write norm-shattering feminist books thinks it's fine to be beaten and abused...well, that's nice, but not someone I can relate to. At all. A boring story about a boring person, who, we are told, is not the historical Mary. So what is the point? Strange book.
March 23, 2009
I loved this book. As a historical fiction it was really well written. It prompted me to read a biography of Mary Wollstoncraft...She truly was a pioneer for womens rights...but of course it got her in all manner of trouble. Best known for her treatise Vindication of the Rights of Women...she's also Mary Shelly's mother.
July 29, 2007
I had to force myself to finish this book, and skimmed the last fourth of it. Mary Wollstonecraft, at least in this author's version, is one of the most obnoxious heroines I have ever had the displeasure of coming across.
December 9, 2019
The sort of book that just knocks you out and I've read a lot of books over the past 5 decades so this is not an easy task. Only a handful of novels truly stand out for me and this is certainly one. I read this about 20 years ago and can still recall how amazing it is today - it is that good.
July 21, 2021
Sometimes, one reads a (sort of) biography about a writer, and said book makes you want to read the writer's own works - not because the biography was bad, but because it portrayed a remarkable person and did so well. This is one such biography, even if it is more of a novel
May 21, 2021
Some really beautiful writing, but the protagonist's self-hate was just too dark for me.
It was hard to read.
It was hard to read.
September 23, 2020
This book was such a disappointment. It read a bit like Dickens writes Alice in Wonderland. The sentences, for the most part were choppy and often non-sensible. A lot of time was spent detailing Mary’s affairs, right down to a list of the positions used by one lover. I felt this book highlighted her weaknesses, with little attention given to her strengths. Her writing of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman was glossed over, her other works mentioned in passing. For what I had expected, it was a huge disappointment. Having read a biography of Mary, this author seems to have taken poetic license to the extreme. She seems to have mostly borrowed the name Mary Wollstonecraft for her main character then built an entirely fictional life around her. If one is expecting a grounding in facts, rather than embellished fantasies, this book would certainly disappoint and mislead.
January 1, 2017
Literary fiction about a literary and philosophical icon/iconoclast. At times a bit too wordy for my taste, but I'll bet Mrs. Wollstonecraft would approve. Having read one other book by the author, I expected it to be a bit wordier than sparse, repetitive fiction; without the wordiness, the drama would have been far diminished. (And now my review is too wordy!) I love a book that makes me want to learn more about a topic or an era, and this fits that bill. It even worked in a bit of The French Revolution, which was a serendipitous theme in my 2016 reading.
February 27, 2010
This book is absolute drek, from beginning to end. It was forced on me by a former college friend, who'd studied English, and I politely read it and returned it to her without telling her how absolutely vile it was. I still need to read a proper biography of Mary Wollstonecraft to (hopefully) purge the gross image I had of her after reading this, but I think I am half afraid that her real life could actually have been as bad as it was portrayed in this fictionalized biography.
April 7, 2009
A fictionalized biography of Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary Shelley's Mom. I didn't connect with Mary, just couldn't get emotionally engaged. However, I remember that the depiction of the foul smelling and unhygenic nature of life in 18th century England ... and one haunting, never to be forgotten instance of foul smelling and unhygenic sexual abuse. Yuck.
August 21, 2007
this novel introduced me to the guilty pleasure genre of "historical fiction." it's a romp through mary wollstonecraft's life-and boy oh boy did it make rebellion feminist style look tasty. even imprisonment and mysoginist lovers sounded strangely sexy.
December 2, 2007
A fanciful novel based on the life of Mary Wollstonecraft - full of sex and preachy interludes on the subject of feminism. At first it was very interesting, but then the theme became tiresome.
Read
July 20, 2008It's been quite some years since I have read this book, but I was really pleased with it. It's about Mary Shelley's (who wrote Frankenstein) mother.
Want to read
September 29, 2010NO
December 27, 2011
Favorite books of 1994...
January 7, 2014
Could not finish it- made my stomach turn. Was not connecting to the protagonist. Sorry
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews