Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley was an English author. She was born in London in 1797. She wrote Frankenstein when she was just 18 years old. This novel is considered the first true science fiction story and is still famous today.

Early Life

Shelley's mother was a famous writer about women's rights. Her father was a philosopher. Mary loved reading and writing from a young age. She ran away with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley when she was just 16.

Big Achievements

In 1816, during a rainy vacation with friends, they challenged each other to write ghost stories. Mary came up with the idea for Frankenstein. The novel was published in 1818 and was a huge success. It explored big ideas about science, creation, and responsibility.

Fun Facts

• Shelley was inspired to write Frankenstein by a nightmare she had.
• She published the book anonymously at first because she was a woman.
• She was only 18 when she started writing Frankenstein.

Did You Know?

Shelley's Frankenstein raised questions about science and ethics that are still relevant today. As scientists work with things like genetic engineering and artificial intelligence, people still talk about the warnings in her novel.