My Imaginary Mary

My Imaginary Mary by Cynthia Hand is a young adult fantasy novel published by HarperCollins Publishers on July 11, 2023. This 496-page book presents a unique narrative centered around Mary Shelley, who grapples with her legacy while living above her father’s bookstore. As she seeks inspiration for her own extraordinary work, she navigates her feelings for the enigmatic Percy Shelley. The story intertwines with Ada Lovelace, who, despite her own challenges in a male-dominated field, is determined to bring her mechanical creation, Pan, to life.
Readers will find a blend of historical and fantastical elements as Mary and Ada discover their fae heritage, granting them the power to manifest their imaginations into reality. Their collaboration leads to the creation of a sentient being, which draws the attention of a relentless mad scientist. This narrative explores themes of love, creativity, and the struggles faced by young women in a historical context, making it a captivating read for those interested in fantasy and romance.
Official synopsis Publisher
It’s aliiiiiiiive! The New York Times bestselling authors of My Lady Jane present an electric, poetic, and (almost) historical tale of the one and only Mary Shelley–perfect for YA fantasy and romance readers.
Mary may have inherited the brilliant mind of her late mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, but she lives a drab life above her father’s bookstore, waiting for an extraordinary idea that’ll inspire a work worthy of her parentage–and impress her rakishly handsome (and super-secret) beau, Percy Shelley.
Ada Lovelace knows a thing or two about superstar parents, what with her dad being Lord Byron, the most famous poet on Earth. But her passions lie far beyond the arts–in mechanical engineering, to be exact. Alas, no matter how precise Ada’s calculations, there’s always a man willing to claim her ingenious ideas as his own.
Pan, a.k.a. Practical Automaton Number One, is Ada’s greatest idea yet: a machine that will change the world, if only she can figure out how to make him truly autonomous . . . or how to make him work at all.
When fate connects our two masterminds, Mary and Ada learn that they are fae–magical people with the ability to make whatever they imagine become real. But when their dream team results in a living, breathing, thinking PAN, Mary and Ada find themselves hunted by a mad scientist who won’t stop until he finds out how they made a real boy out of spare parts.
With comic genius and a truly electrifying sense of adventure, Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows continue their campaign to turn the classics on their head in this YA fantasy that’s ideal for fans of Frankenstein and The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue.
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