Her Lost Words

Description

From A Vindication of the Rights of Woman to Frankenstein, a tale of two literary legends—a mother and daughter—discovering each other and finding themselves along the way, from USA Today bestselling author Stephanie Marie Thornton.
 
1792. As a child, Mary Wollstonecraft longed to disappear during her father’s violent rages. Instead, she transforms herself into the radical author of the landmark volume A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, in which she dares to propose that women are equal to men. From conservative England to the blood-drenched streets of revolutionary France, Mary refuses to bow to society’s conventions and instead supports herself with her pen until an illicit love affair challenges her every belief about romance and marriage. When she gives birth to a daughter and is stricken with childbed fever, Mary fears it will be her many critics who recount her life’s extraordinary odyssey…
 
1818. The daughter of infamous political philosopher Mary Wollstonecraft, passionate Mary Shelley learned to read by tracing the letters of her mother’s tombstone. As a young woman, she desperately misses her mother’s guidance, especially following her scandalous elopement with dashing poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Mary struggles to balance an ever-complicated marriage with motherhood while nursing twin hopes that she might write something of her own one day and also discover the truth of her mother’s unconventional life. Mary’s journey will unlock her mother’s secrets, all while leading to her own destiny as the groundbreaking author of Frankenstein.
 
A riveting and inspiring novel about a firebrand feminist, her visionary daughter, and the many ways their words transformed our world.“A stunning homage to two legendary women writers—Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley—Her Lost Words is a poignant and page-turning work of historical fiction. Stephanie Marie Thornton’s ability to bring historical women to life for the reader is unparalleled as she chronicles their passions, struggles, and legacy with impeccable research and emotional resonance. An extraordinary read!”
—Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author of Our Last Days in Barcelona

“A  beautifully crafted, spellbinding, heartbreaking tale of a mother and daughter whose paths tragically cross for only a handful of days—but who share the same passion, creativity, and thirst for understanding the depths of the human heart. This novel is a masterpiece I won’t forget, an ode to motherhood, to love, and to two brilliant women who changed the world with their words. One of the best historical fiction books of the year, and one that I’ll be thinking about for a long time to come.”
—Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars

“Stephanie Thornton delivers a stunning historical fiction with lyrical prose and vivid description that reveals the lives of Mary Shelley and her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft – both women of talent and intellect who seek equal rights in a world dominated by men. Set amid a cast of literary names we all recognize and love, Her Lost Words, is sure to be a reader favorite.”
—Madeline Martin, New York Times bestselling author of The Librarian Spy

“I could not turn these pages fast enough! The dual tales of Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley are brilliantly interwoven by Thornton, whose prose sparkles with wit and wisdom about literature, romance, and family. The Marys are heroines for their time and ours, remarkable women with independent hearts and minds, true inspirations to anyone who dreams of making the world a better place.”
—Kerri Maher, national bestselling author of The Paris Bookseller

“Stephanie Thornton once again delivers a compelling story of two women ahead of their time, bound by their words and their blood. Though Mary Shelley lost her mother Mary Wollstonecraft at birth, she had her feminist writings to sustain and shape her. One would be hard pressed to find two stronger or more significant female writers and both are brought back to life with elegant prose and wisdom under Thornton’s skillful hand, making her one of my favorite historical novelists.”  
—Renée Rosen, USA Today bestselling author of The Social Graces

“Immersive, elegant, engaging–readers will savor the details of this fascinating account of the making of two brave, brilliant women–mother and daughter–who defy the odds as authors and early feminists.”
—Heather Webb, USA Today bestselling author of Strangers in the Night

“What a vibrant, immersive portrait of two brilliant women! Both highlights as well as humanizes the Marys’ extraordinary achievements. A timely inspiration.”
—Evie Dunmore, USA Today bestselling author of Portrait of a Scotsman

“A novel that explores the relationship between mothers and daughters and the human condition, Thornton grips our hearts with prose on love and loss, grief and survival, and the power of art and expression to heal our very souls. An extremely moving and enlightening novel that is an absolute must read!” 
—Eliza Knight, USA Today bestselling author of The Mayfair Bookshop

“An extraordinary work of historical fiction, weaving together the journeys of two brilliant thinkers and writers who lived and wrote with a daring that was centuries ahead of their time…. Thornton never disappoints, with that perfect blend of fine scholarship and creative flair that brings her characters, their work, their loves, and their losses vividly to life.”
—Christine Wells, author of Sisters of the Resistance

“A powerful and sympathetic account of two extraordinary women who fought to influence how 18th century politics and society regarded the roles of women. Stephanie Thornton doesn’t merely breathe life into Mary Wollstonecraft and her daughter Mary Shelley, she brings them blazing onto the page with all their ideals, flaws, and passions. No matter where the chapters are set – in England, Italy, or the terrors of the French Revolution — this masterful narrative is hard to put down.”
—Janie Chang, bestselling author of Dragon Springs Road and The Library of Legends

Praise for the novels of Stephanie Marie Thornton

“Thornton is a rare talent who always pairs fast-pace writing with excellent research, and A Most Clever Girl is a fascinating true Cold War story by a gifted storyteller.”
—Stephanie Dray, New York Times bestselling author of The Women of Chateau Lafayette

“Take a firecracker of a plot and add to it the true story of a female double agent and the result is one explosive and unforgettable story. Elizabeth Bentley is a complicated and absorbing woman and her life as a spy for both the Russians and the Americans makes for a fascinating tale, told with immense skill by Stephanie Marie Thornton.”
—Natasha Lester, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Seamstress

“Thornton’s novel hews closely to the factual details of Elizabeth’s life but adds the emotional underpinnings that make her more than a lurid headline.…The wily Elizabeth snatches center stage and propels readers through the Red Scare and the opening years of the Cold War. Even though fictional, Thornton’s interpretation rings true and tragic.”
―Library Journal

“Twisty and well plotted, A Most Clever Girl…unravels the threads of love, espionage and complicated friendships in postwar New York.”
—Shelf Awareness

“And They Called It Camelot is the book club pick of the year. Stephanie Marie Thornton brings an American icon to life: Jackie the debutante, the First Lady, the survivor who at last becomes the heroine of her own story.”
—Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Huntress

“Stephanie Thornton has compellingly and sympathetically humanized an American icon. Well researched and beautifully written, And They Called It Camelot is compulsively readable historical fiction!”
—Laura Kamoie, New York Times bestselling co-author of My Dear Hamilton

“In her rich, fascinating account of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis’ life, author Stephanie Marie Thornton effortlessly transports us back in time….A powerful and uplifting portrayal.”
—Woman’s World

“This book grabbed me from page one and wouldn’t let me go. A multi-dimensional imagining of the trials and triumphs of Jaqueline Bouvier Kennedy, And They Called It Camelot will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about this remarkable First Lady. Full of glamour, scandal, and heartache, this is a novel you will want to discuss with all of your friends.”
—Kerri Maher, Author of The Paris Bookseller

“Students of history will appreciate Thornton’s exacting research and convincing portrayal of the first lady and style icon, and Kennedy aficionados will feel as if they have an unparalleled access to Camelot. Thornton’s magnificent portrayal of Onassis will delight fans of Kennedy-related fiction.”
—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

 “And They Called It Camelot is a sumptuous, propulsive, scandal-filled peek behind the curtain of American royalty. Thornton gives the reader a fascinating look at the masks worn by those who live in the public life. One might not agree with all of Jackie’s choices, but the force of her instinct for survival cannot be denied.”
—Erika Robuck, National bestselling author of Hemingway’s Girl

“Her Jackie steps out of the pages a convincing, three-dimensional character, complete with contradictions and self-doubt. It’s like reading her private diary – witty, warm and full of color. The shining heart of the novel is her love for (and frustration with) Jack, who is described as a golden figure, so sexy any of us would swoon at his feet. Their attraction is tangible and sizzling hot. All the way through, Stephanie’s writing is vivid, with lots of memorable images (like those lemon-lipped Rah-Rah Sisters!). I’m going to have to go back and read it all again in a few weeks.”
—Gill Paul, Author of The Lost Daughter

“Tackling a larger-than-life person such as Jackie Kennedy is a daunting undertaking, and Stephanie Marie Thornton handles that challenge splendidly. Thornton’s decision to have Jackie narrate her own story lends an intimate feel to the tale…a fascinating and personal portrait of one of America’s most iconic women.”
—Bookreporter

“As juicy and enlightening as a page in Meghan Markle’s diary.”
—InStyleStephanie Marie Thornton is a high school history teacher and lives in Alaska with her husband and daughter.Reader’s Guide
Her Lost Words by Stephanie Marie Thorton 
Discussion Questions:

1.   Mary Wollstonecraft styles herself as a revolutionary, even traveling to Paris to witness the French Revolution firsthand while others are fleeing. How did her early life experiences shape her character and bring her to that point?

2.   Mary Shelley—then Godwin—is so young when she decides to elope with Percy Shelley. Why do you think she made this fateful decision? Was it the right choice for her to make?

3.   Mary Wollstonecraft and William Godwin experienced the opposite of love at first sight—loathing at first sight—when they met at Johnson’s dinner party before Mary’s departure to Paris. What experiences most changed them in the intervening years so they could become friends and then lovers after Mary’s return to London?

4.   Claire Clairmont and Percy Shelley reputedly had a very close relationship, which often caused friction between Claire and Mary. What did you think of their unique living arrangement, both before and after Claire met Lord Byron?

5.   Mary Wollstonecraft railed against women losing themselves to love in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, but then finds herself in the same situation with Gilbert Imlay. What lessons did she learn from that relationship, and how did they guide her relationship with William Godwin?

6.   William Godwin—a liberal philosopher in his own right—plays a huge role in Mary Wollstonecraft’s later life. How did her death shape his relationship with Mary Shelley?

7.   Lord Byron is an example of the type of man Mary Wollstonecraft warned about in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman—the domineering sort who saw women only as trinkets and who was protected by the law when it came to property rights, divorce, and custody of children. How did Percy and Mary Shelley try to circumvent him? Was there anything they should have done differently?

8.   While Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley take center stage in this novel, other women from history had important roles as well. How would the story—and both Mary Wollstonecraft’s and Mary Shelley’s lives—have been different without Théroigne de Méricourt, Maria Reveley, and Jane and Claire Clairmont?

9.   The title of the novel is Her Lost Words. Whom do you think this applies to more: Mary Wollstonecraft or Mary Shelley?US