Romantic Outlaws

AS READ ON BBC RADIO 4
NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD WINNER

Mary Wollstonecraft, an English feminist, is most famous for her seminal work, The Vindication of the Rights of Woman, a cornerstone of feminist literature that champions women's rights and equality. Her daughter, Mary Shelley, achieved lasting fame as the author of Frankenstein, a novel that has become a defining piece of classic literature, exploring the depths of human ambition and the ethical dilemmas of creating life.

The narratives of these two pioneering women are seamlessly interwoven in Romantic Outlaws, exploring not only their literary achievements but also their personal lives. Both Wollstonecraft and Shelley led lives marked by passionate relationships, intellectual fervour, and brave defiance against societal norms. Despite living in different eras, their experiences with love, loss, and the struggle for recognition as single mothers and exiles are hauntingly similar.

This vivid account takes readers on a journey across revolutionary France and Victorian England, portraying the societal challenges and triumphs that shaped the worlds of Wollstonecraft and Shelley. With eloquent prose, Gordon captures the essence of these revolutionary women, offering unparalleled insights into their shared legacy of literary and feminist accomplishments.

Romantic Outlaws is more than a biography; it is an exploration of the indomitable spirit and enduring influence of Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley. Their lives, though separated by time, converge in this compelling narrative, leaving readers with a profound understanding of their impact on literature and women's rights.