Title: Our Hideous Progeny
Author: C.E. McGill
Genre: Historical Fantasy / Horror
Publisher: Doubleday
Pages: 400
Release Date: 4 May 2023
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Hello fellow book lovers! I'm back with a review for Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill. A richly detailed, compelling and deliciously gothic feminist exploration of ambition, obsession, betrayal and love that I couldn’t get enough of!
Synopsis
Mary is the great-niece of Victor Frankenstein. She knows her great uncle disappeared in mysterious circumstances in the Arctic but she doesn't know why or how...
The 1850s is a time of discovery and London is ablaze with the latest scientific theories and debates, especially when a spectacular new exhibition of dinosaur sculptures opens at the Crystal Palace. Mary, with a sharp mind and a sharper tongue, is keen to make her name in this world of science, alongside her geologist husband Henry, but without wealth and connections, their options are limited.
But when Mary discovers some old family papers that allude to the shocking truth behind her great-uncle's past, she thinks she may have found the key to securing their future... Their quest takes them to the wilds of Scotland, to Henry's intriguing but reclusive sister Maisie, and to a deadly chase with a rival who is out to steal their secret...
Review
I loved every second of this! It’s such an electrifyingly creative and wholly original take on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and I genuinely couldn’t put it down.
The writing is lush and beautifully atmospheric, as intricately woven as the stitches that adorn Shelley's eponymous ‘creature’, which I felt definitely showcases the gothic/horror genre to perfection!
I was in absolute awe of just how immersive the descriptions were and loved that it really delves into the inequalities of the Victorian era and the classist, sexist and racist attitudes which were prevalent and still very much relevant today.
I adored Mary, who’s character takes inspiration from not one but three impressive women of the 19th C: Mary Shelley, Mary Anning (the self-taught palaeontologist who found the first Ichthyosaur fossil) and Mary Somerville (one of the first women admitted into the Royal Astronomical Society), and really enjoyed discovering just how much of their stories connected to our refreshingly bold and sharp-tongued protagonist—especially Mary Anning, who seemed to have to the most in common with our plesiosaur-obsessed MC.
With what we see of Mary’s childhood and isolated upbringing with her grandmother (a woman who seemed to despise Mary simply for existing) I couldn’t help but be endeared to her (and root for her to succeed.)
I was less enamoured of her husband (or any of the male characters aside from Mr. Jamsetjee who was such a sweetheart) though the realism and accuracy to the contemporary attitudes of the day were spot on and really highlighted how remarkably strong Mary (and others like her) had to be to persevere in such a harsh, discriminatory environment.
The pace was quite slow to begin however, it definitely helped to build up that tense, anticipatory feeling that gothic fiction is known for—and by the half way point the pace really kicked into gear and ‘things’ got super interesting.
If you love dark, gothic-esque historical fiction, queer horror, justifiably angry women or Silvia Moreno-Garcia then you absolutely must check this out, it’s fantastic!
Also, a massive thank you to Izzie Ghaffari-Parker and Doubleday books for the wonderful proof.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
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