Book Beginnings + Friday 56: Shade: The Complete Trilogy: A Re-Imagining of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein by Merrie Destefano

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two.

This week I'm featuring Shade: The Complete Trilogy: A Re-Imagining of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein by Merrie Destefano.

About the Book

A holiday in Switzerland is supposed to lift Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin’s spirits. She wants to forget the past and have fun. In fact, everyone in her party is running away from one indiscretion or another—from her fiancé Percy Shelley to Lord Byron to Mary’s stepsister, Claire. But from the moment Mary arrives at Byron’s villa, she knows something is wrong. He rushes her indoors and forbids all of them to go out at night, claiming that the horrible weather has driven wild animals down from the mountains.

The only person who doesn’t seem to be running away from anything is a handsome, young Italian doctor, John Polidori. Instead, he is fervently pursuing local folk legends and a new scientific theory that claims people can be raised from the dead.

But it’s not until they all challenge one other to write ghost stories that the real danger begins. In a nightmare, Mary envisions a patchwork man animated by Galvanism and she begins writing Frankenstein. Likewise, fueled by local legends, John writes The Vampyre—one of the first vampire stories ever written.

What neither one of them knows is that they are conjuring a dark evil. Before long, all of their lives will be in danger—for neither of these characters are imaginary. Far from it.

Book Beginning

I was cursed from the moment I met him.

Friday 56

I wrote through the night, although there wasn't much left to this night. My story bled from my fingers, one black word at a time until many pages were filled with my curving script. I had to lose myself. I had to focus on the troubles of my patchwork man and forget about everything else.

Name one book that gets you in the mood for Halloween.

I'd say any book that has a bit of a spooky-vibe will get me in the mood for Halloween. But if I had to choose just one, it'd be Dracula by Bram Stoker. Can't beat that one!

What have you been reading lately?