Fewcreaturesofhorrorhaveseizedreaders’imaginationsandheldthemforsolongastheanguishedmonsterofMaryShelley’sFrankenstein.ThestoryofVictorFrankenstein’sterriblecreationandthehavocitcausedhasenthralledgenerationsofreadersandinspiredcountlesswritersofhorrorandsuspense.Consideringthenovel’senduringsuccess,itisremarkablethatitbeganmerelyasawhimofLordByron’s.“Wewilleachwriteastory,“Byronannouncedtohisnext-doorneighbors,MaryWollstonecraftGodwinandherloverPercyByssheShelley.ThefriendsweresummeringontheshoresofLakeGenevainSwitzerlandin1816,ShelleystillunknownasapoetandByronwritingthethirdcantoofChildeHarold.Whencontinuedrainskeptthemconfinedindoors,allagreedtoByron’sproposal.Theillustriouspoetsfailedtocompletetheirghoststories,butMaryShelleyrosesupremelytothechallenge.WithFrankenstein,shesucceededadmirablyinthetaskshesetforherself:tocreateastorythat,inherownwords,“wouldspeaktothemysteriousfearsofournatureandawakenthrillinghorror--onetomakethereaderdreadtolookround,tocurdletheblood,andquickenthebeatingsoftheheart.“
