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Our Hideous Progeny

by C. E. McGill

Science, family secrets, and a Gothic chase in Victorian Britain

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Awards & Recognition

  • Award recognition

    Triangle Publishing finalist for Debut Fiction

    Finalist for Debut Fiction

  • Critical praise

    Publishers Weekly starred review

    Starred review praising the novel as an immersive blend of historical and science fiction and an incisive explor...

AlbakiReads Editorial

Science, family secrets, and a Gothic chase in Victorian Britain

Set amid the scientific debates and public spectacles of 1850s London, the novel follows Mary, a geologist’s wife and great-niece of Victor Frankenstein, as she seeks a place in a world of science that limits her prospects. Old family papers hint at the truth behind her great-uncle’s disappearance in the Arctic, and Mary and her husband pursue the secret as a possible route to professional and financial security. Their search reaches Scotland, brings them into contact with Henry’s reclusive sister, Maisie, and draws a rival into the pursuit. The story joins a Frankenstein family mystery to questions of women’s access to science, ambition, and queer love.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • For readers interested in Gothic fiction with historical and speculative elements.
  • For readers drawn to stories about women navigating barriers in science.
  • For readers interested in Frankenstein-inspired fiction, family mysteries, and queer themes.

Themes

Women in scienceAmbition and professional constraintsFamily secretsQueer loveGothic mystery

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

"A gripping Gothic tale of grief and ambition, passion and intrigue." -- Jess Kidd, author of The Night Ship

"An immersive blend of historical and science fiction brims with surprises and dark delights. . . . An incisive exploration of women's rights within the field of science. . . . Readers will revel in Mary's personal and scientific discoveries and root for her to succeed in an unfair world." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

A LAMBDA Literary finalist for Lesbian Fiction

A Triangle Publishing finalist for Debut Fiction

It is not the monster you must fear, but the monster it makes of men . . .

Mary is the great-niece of Victor Frankenstein. She knows her great uncle disappeared under mysterious circumstances in the Arctic, but she doesn't know why or how. . . .

The 1850s are 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 is keen to make her name in this world of science alongside her geologist husband, Henry--but despite her sharp mind and sharper tongue, without wealth and connections their options are limited.

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 her and Henry's professional and financial 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.

A queer, feminist masterpiece inspired by Mary Shelley's classic, Our Hideous Progeny is a sumptuous tale of ambition and obsession, of forbidden love and sabotage and a twisty Gothic adventure that may forever change your view of human nature.

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