Maurice, or the Fisher's Cot - Softcover

Shelley, Mary

3.57

278 ratings by Goodreads

9780140276770: Maurice, or the Fisher's Cot

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0140276777 ISBN 13: 9780140276770

Publisher: Penguin, 1999

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A long-lost story for children never previously published - it tells the story of a young boy who runs away and is adopted by a Devon fisherman. It was written for the young daughter of Lady Mountcashell who had eloped to Italy under scandalous circumstances like Mary herself. Claire Tomalin unravels the story of the two families and their extraordinary place in English history. "Claire Tomalin outlines the story brilliantly, setting Mary Shelley's unpretentious tale in its fascinating context" Suzy Feay, Independent on Sunday "Claire Tomalin's introduction is full, readable and brilliant" - Jane Gardam, Spectator

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Review:

This is the long-lost story by Mary Shelley recently discovered in a Tuscan country house. Written for Laurette, the 11-year-old daughter of Mary Shelley's friend and fellow exile in Italy, Lady Mountcashell, Mary sent a copy to her father, writer and publisher William Godwin in London. Deemed too short for publication, the manuscript disappeared and was presumed lost.

It was written in 1820, two years after the publication of Frankenstein, when Mary Shelly was still only 22, but had already borne Percy Shelley four children, seen three of them die and was sunk in depression. Below the surface simplicity and attractiveness of this story there runs a deep current of melancholy.

Set on the Devon coast near Torquay, it begins with a funeral and tells of a boy who has lost his parents and of a father whose son has been abducted. This edition includes the text in full, including a number of deletions, changes and errors made by the author, and a long introduction by Claire Tomalin--author of a major biography of Mary Shelley's mother--which discusses the literary and psychological significance of this story. (Ages 9 years+)

Synopsis:

A long-lost story for children by the author of "Frankenstein", written in 1820, but never before seen or published. In November 1997, "The Times" announced that the story - known about but believed to have been destoryed - had in fact been discovered in Tuscany. The story was written for the 11-year-old daughter of Lady Mountcashell, a close friend of Mary and her husband Percy Shelley during their exile in Italy. The story is about a boy who runs away from his presumed parents, is adopted by an old fisherman and lives in a cottage near Torquay.

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