Understanding Frankenstein

Understanding Great Literature

by Don Nardo

After this Gothic horror novel appeared in 1818, it sent chills down readers' spines. And most people were astounded to learn that it had been written by a teenaged girl. Mary Shelley was no ordinary girl, however. This information-packed companion to the novel chronicles her turbulent life, explains the sources of her ideas, and then examines the plot, characters, and themes of this classic and still influential work.

112 pages, Hardcover

First published January 20, 2003

About the author

Don Nardo (born February 22, 1947) is an American historian, composer, and writer. With close to four hundred and fifty published books, he is one of the most prolific authors in the United States, and one of the country's foremost writers of historical works for children and teens.