An incredibly well written imagining and account of Mary Wollstonecraft's life, from birth — telling the story of all she had to overcome in order to become who she was — and all she had to do to give her daughter, Mary Shelley, the same. A must read for lovers of feminist prose!

"I will tell you the moments that begin and end me, because we are made of them all, strung like pearls in time, searching, always, for where the new circle begins its turn, the place of our next becoming where the line becomes an arc and curves."

I have conflicting feelings about this historical fiction novel highlighting the life and death of Mary Wollstonecraft, philosopher and mother of the famous novelist Mary Shelley.

On the one hand, I adored the beginning of this story. Meeting Mary, learning about her family and childhood, seeing her come into her own and try to find her way as a female thinker in a profoundly misogynistic time was fascinating, and the prose was superb.

I was also drawn in by her discovery of first love, somewhat obscured for a time due to its sapphic nature, and her relationships with her siblings, friends, and mentors.

But as the narrative progressed, the plot slowed down significantly, hitting the same thematic notes repeatedly with minimal progression. Mary herself stagnates then regresses, transforming from a confident and independent woman into an insecure shell of her former self, pining for first a male colleague and then her husband - listless and without direction. By this point in the novel, Mary seems like a completely different person as she loses her passion and fire - dependant, pleading, desperate - becoming the very archetype of the woman she'd (rather harshly, in my view) railed against for a lifetime. I wouldn't have minded this change if it had been part of the larger narrative or an impetus for character development, but though Mary came to understand what it was to exist as the type of woman she once judged so gleefully, she never came to the realization that women are valuable as thinkers and human beings regardless of their personality, wardrobe, or mannerisms. For an apparently brilliant and thoughtful woman, she doesn't learn despite her experiences, and it's incredibly frustrating to read. She's "not like other girls," even when she becomes one of them in every way.

And so, despite the beautiful writing and interesting subject matter, I struggled to like Mary as a protagonist. She's dealing with a lot of internalized misogyny and is the kind of feminist that pushes the narrative that women must become more like men to be worthy of respect rather than equal as they are in all their variety - even those who want to get married and wear pretty dresses.

I'm glad to have learned about Mary Wollstonecraft (I would like to read her biography in the future), but ultimately found this book disappointing.

The audiobook narration was well done, and I thank Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.




Trigger/Content Warnings: domestic abuse, child abuse (physical and emotional), alcoholism, marital rape, animal cruelty and death, suicide attempts, depression, vomit, death due to infection during childbirth

A Long overdue review.

Special thanks to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to experience this excellent novel.

*full disclaimer. I am a reader. Not a writer.

Love and Fury made the top 20 cut for 2021. I thoroughly enjoyed this book along with Mary Wollstonecraft. I went from knowing nothing about her to loving her. You know an author’s done a great job when as soon as you close a book you find yourself on Google looking for more. That’s exactly what Samantha Silva did for me.

She pulled no punches when telling her tale; keeping it real when discussing lives of women in the 18th century. I for one am glad I was only with them in spirit.

I’m a sucker for great characters and multiple point of views and it’s done artfully in this novel. Both sad and beautiful, I connected with the main characters on an emotional and intellectual level. I was invested in Mrs B & Mary’s lives from start to finish and was bummed when it eventually came to an end.

The book was well written AND well read, so kudos to the narrator.

LOVE AND FURY is a deeply feminist story that centers around Mary Wollstonecraft, the mother of Mary Shelley. In truth, I didn't know much about the woman in this book, but reading the fictional version of her makes me want to learn more. Silva creates such a wonderfully written tale that is both heartfelt and powerful by simply opening up one woman's life for her readers.

Love and Fury by Samantha Silva (and fantastically narrated) reintroduced me to Mary Wollstonecraft in greater depth than I'd ever encountered. I'd read A Vindication of the Rights of Woman in college, but I didn't know much more about the author and her daughter, author Mary Shelley.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* 4.5 really interesting read! Tbh i didn't really know anything of her before so im on the hunt for nonfictions on her!

I am drawn to books with strong female characters, and when I read the blurb that Mary Wollstonecraft was one of the first feminists, I was drawn to read this book, especially knowing it is based on an actual person. The book does a good job of portraying the constraints women faced during that period and how Mary constantly fought against those constraints. It also did a good job of portraying her forward thinking capabilities and her unconventional thoughts and life. I did appreciate learning about her. It did feel like a well-researched book. Many are giving this book high marks, but unfortunately, I just wasn’t as enamoured with the book as others. I’m not really sure why, but by the end I just felt like I was ready to be done with it. I probably won’t be personally be recommending it, but based on the ratings by others, I feel that if you are interested in feminism and historical fiction, you might be interested in reading this.

I did listen to the audio version and felt the reader did a fine job.

4.5 Stars!

I couldn't get enough of this biographical novel! I knew a little about Mary Wollstonecraft having read about her in college but the basic plot of her life was unknown to me, other than the fact that she is the mother of Mary Shelley. I enjoyed the structure of the book immensely! Mary Wollstonecraft is telling her newborn daughter about her life as she slowly dies after a difficult birth with chapters from the point of view of the midwife, Mrs. B, are mixed in.

Ell Potter was a wonderful narrator and brought Samantha Silva's lyrical writing to life. I immediately want to research everything there is to know about this progressive and influential woman.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio-arc!

In the past month I've been luckier in my audio book choices than in my print endeavours. This was a fascinating if sad story about the mother, a feminist in her own right, of the author of Frankenstein. Mary Wollstonecraft is about to give birth to her daughter Mary, and her midwife, Mrs. B., in an effort to take her mind off her travails, tells her to narrate her story to her about to be born child. In alternating chapters we hear from the midwife and we learn of Mary's story.

Knew little of her life, such a sad one, full not pain and anguish, cruelty, but despite this she found ways, and a few good men to advise and educate. She died singling, but despite such a short life, she accomplished much. Women had so few choices then, depended on the providence of their husbands, stuck so often in miserable lives, unable to support themselves and their children, if they should leave. Mary learned from her mother's life and vowed to never marry. Although near the end of her life, she does marry, this book explains why she made this choice. A story that needed to be told.

Wonderfully written and narrated by Ell Potter.

In "Love and Fury," Samantha Silva brings Mary Wollstonecraft and her work as a philosopher, writer and political and social activist to vivid life. The novel begins on August 30, 1797, as midwife Mrs. Blankensop is summoned to attend the labor of Mary Wollstonecraft with the baby who would later become Mary Shelley, author of "Frankenstein." Over the course of the next 11 days, as the health of both mother and child hangs in the balance, Wollstonecraft narrates her life story for her newborn daughter, whom she calls "Little Bird." Alternating with these biographical sections are those detailing Mrs. B's fight to keep Mary and her baby alive with whatever crude medical interventions were available at the time.

I liked the structure of this book--the way Mary Wollstonecraft's memories provided a panorama of the philosophical and political currents of the time while the quotidian details of Mrs. B's sections conveyed a palpable sense of life in the late 18th century--and would have enjoyed it had it been entirely fiction, but the fact that Silva is shedding light on the life of a woman whose accomplishments deserve to be better known made it utterly fascinating. It did veer a tiny bit into melodrama for me every once in a while, and I felt like the ending was somewhat abrupt, but these are small quibbles on what was a very rewarding read. (Or, more accurately, a rewarding listen as I am reviewing the audiobook--additional kudos go to narrator Ell Potter for a fantastic job of virtually inhabiting "Love and Fury.".)

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ARC of this title in return for my honest review.

A few years ago I read Silva's debut novel Mr Dickens and His Carol but I hadn't seen anything else from her since. I actually had just checked to see if I had missed something when I got an email stating she had a new book coming out. I immediately requested the audiobook even though I didn't know who Mary Wollstonecraft but I loved how she brought Dickens alive.

Love and Fury is set during the 11 days following the birth of Wollstonecraft's daughter who would eventually become Mary Shelley the author of Frankenstein. During these 11 days in August 1797, Wollstonecraft told her life story to her "little bird".

I don't usually read stories set in the 1700s, but as it was more focused on the life of Mary Wollstonecraft the time period wasn't super important - yes, there were some historical events that shaped Wollstonecraft's worldview, but it could have easily been the story of a woman in the 1960s and 1970s. This actually makes a lot of sense as Mary Wollstonecraft is thought to be the founder of the feminist movement. Her views on women's rights and role in society were way ahead of her time.

I found the story interesting and I admit I went to the Wikipedia entry for Mary Wollstonecraft about halfway through the book to see how much was known truth and speculations. Because she was a woman in the 18th century there is definitely speculation on her life in literary/historical record. But Silva stuck with what is considered largely fact (this is helped by the fact that her husband William Godwin had her memoir published after her death). If Mary had lived a century earlier she would have probably been thought a witch. She was outspoken and lived a life that would have been considered scandalous in 18th century.

If you enjoy biographical fiction and want to learn about a woman who is not widely known today though her thoughts and views have influenced much of society, then I recommend picking up Love and Fury.

Silva and the narrator Ell Potter were able to transport me to Mary's bedside and through her life. I could have easily been Parthenia Blenkinsop, the midwife who tended to Mary as she told her life story. The audiobook was that immersive of an experience.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Wednesday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2021/06/2-audiobooks-for-fans-of-historical.html

This story of Mary Wollstonecraft enlightens the reader about the struggles of women's repression in the 18th century. From her roots as the second of seven children led by an abusive father who squandered his fortune and her inheritance, she learned early that her only advocate for equality was herself. She fought back from oppression and encouraged her sister, in a problematic marriage suffering from postpartum depression, to do the same. Eliza's escape, orchestrated by Mary, ended in dire circumstances when she was cut out of her baby's life. Mary formed a bond with Fanny Blood, whose family were close friends, and shared her views on equality. Together, they created a progressive school for girls. However, Fanny soon gave into convention and married for security to move to a warmer climate in hopes it would cure her tuberculosis. Mary left the school, forcing its early closure, to care for Fanny. Her early death left Mary devastated but inspired to carry on with their work.

Mary herself vowed not to marry after witnessing its devastating effects that made most women of her time subservient or worse. This conviction led to affairs with Henry Fuseli and Gilbert Imlay, the latter producing her daughter Fanny, named after her beloved friend. The affair with Imlay led to a suicide attempt when he ended the relationship. Mary also witnessed the French Revolution firsthand, with its many contradictions in pursuit of freedom. Mary's challenging experiences with oppressive men and contrite women who merely endured their plight led to outstanding works that started the push to end the status quo. These include her Vindication for the Rights of Men and Vindication for the Rights of Women, groundbreaking essays that still inspire today.

The transitions in the chapters between Mrs. B (the midwife at the birth of Mary's second child, the author Mary Shelley) and Mary's narrating what she wants her newborn to know (little bird) could be smoother because the reader is confused as Silva jumps back and forth regularly throughout the book. The final chapter's relation of her marriage with Godwin is abrupt and missing specifics of their closeness, especially compared to the moving detail written about the rest of her life.

Ell Potter's narration of the book is exceptional while showcasing a meaningful history of an amazing woman. Overall, Silva is a master at bringing Mary's inner struggles and resolve to light in this beautifully written book. I highly recommend it!

I received this book as a NetGalley ARC in exchange for an honest review. I am relatively new to the audiobook format, much preferring active reading, and some have been less than satisfying. Not so with Silva's Love and Fury. A fictional biography or perhaps autobiography since she tells her own life story, of the famous/infamous Mary Wollstonecraft, this novel is absolutely captivating. The author follows the familiar trajectory of Wollstonecraft's tragic life: her unhappy childhood in a large, impoverished family with a brutish alcoholic father and a battered and withdrawn mother; her chafing, from an early age, against the patriarchal conventions that so restricted women of her time, especially regarding their inadequate schooling and the strict commitment to marriage as their only possible vocation that left them with few options for survival outside of early marriages that allowed them little scope for mutual affection, attraction, or even respect. Wollstonecraft's mother and sister, both brutalized by cruel husbands, whom she attempts to "save" with sorry results, exemplify women's subjugation. Her refusal to abide by social conventions, and her keen intellect, reasoning and writing skills, set her outside "society" but also introduced to the lively, revolutionary, intellectuals who were the early Romantics. But even among the like-minded, a seemingly fearless yet emotionally vulnerable Wollstonecraft would suffer at the hands of men she hoped would anchor her. Silva's writing is lyrical, and she intersperses "Mary W's" recounting of her life story with the observations of the fictive, empathic, prescient midwife Mrs. B., who attends "Mary W." as she gives birth to her daughter Mary, the future Mary Shelley, and in its sad aftermath. The narrator is also remarkable, capturing the different voices and emotional cadences. I loved this novel, and this recording.

Love and Fury: A Novel of Mary Wollstonecraft by Samantha Silva
Narrated by: Ell Potter
Publication Date: May 25, 2021
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Description from NetGalley…
“August, 1797. Midwife Parthenia Blenkinsop has delivered countless babies, but nothing prepares her for the experience that unfolds when she arrives at Mary Wollstonecraft’s door.

Over the eleven harrowing days that follow, as Mrs. Blenkinsop fights for the survival of both mother and newborn, Mary Wollstonecraft recounts the life she dared to live amidst the impossible constraints and prejudices of the late 18th century, rejecting the tyranny of men and marriage, risking everything to demand equality for herself and all women.

She weaves her riveting tale to give her fragile daughter a reason to live, even as her own strength wanes. Wollstonecraft’s urgent story of loss and triumph forms the heartbreakingly brief intersection between the lives of a mother and daughter who will change the arc of history and thought.”
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Thank you to @netgalley @macmillan.audio @flatiron_books for the ALC in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts…
I really wanted to like this novel. After all this was a retelling of Mary Wollstonecraft’s life. She was known as an influential thinker, considered by some as the first feminist and the mother of the author Mary Shelley. The book was about Wollstonecraft’s eventful life that showed how she reclaimed her voice and how her goal was to pass this on to all daughters for generations to come, starting with hers. The narrator was okay, I think it would be better as a physical book because of Silva’s descriptive narrative.

So beautifully written that I wanted to savor it. The narrator did an excellent job of bringing Mary's voice to life. I did feel the ending was a little abrupt. I was hoping to hear how Mary and Godwin met up again and how they developed their relationship. Overall an excellent read!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced listening copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fantastic novel. I've always been interested about Wollstonecraft after studying her in my Romantic Lit course in university, but I never though of turning to fiction. I have to admit, I couldn't really stand Mary for the first 30% of the book- her heart was always in the right place, but she charged headfirst into everything, and hurt a lot more people than necessary. However, I think it speaks to Silva's writing talent that I couldn't stop listening, even though the FMC drove me up a year. I think that Mary's chapters are stronger than Mrs. B's (her midwife), but it ties together well at the end. My only qualm is that we spend a lot of time on several other relationships but we never see that much of Mary's marriage. Still, a thought-provoking and fascinating book!
As a narrator, Ell Potter was incredible. I listen to a *lot* of audiobooks, but she has a talent for expressing emotion without being over the top. I will be looking for more of her audiobooks!

Silva has crafted a beautiful retelling of philosopher Mary Wollstoncraft's astonishing life. Narrated by Ell Potter (beautifully done, by the way) this novel begins with Wollstoncraft giving birth to her second daughter. As the days pass. the story transitions back and forth between Mary telling her life's story to her newborn daughter, and the midwife witnessing the last days of a feminist legend.
Silva's characters were powerful and real. I felt that I knew both Mary Wollstoncraft, and the midwife, Mrs. B. I found myself entirely captivated by Mary Wollstoncraft, wanting to know even more and researching a bit on my own (I believe this shows the mark of excellent historical fiction--when I have to find out more!). Absolutely loved this novel!

I’ve never heard of Mary Wollstonecraft, in fact, the only reason I read ‘Love and Fury’ was because I confused her with her daughter, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, the author of ‘Frankenstein’ (whose own life was something out of a telenovela) but I’m glad I made that error.

Told in alternating POV’s, ‘Love and Fury’ tells Mary W.’s passionate life story, by her, to her newborn daughter as fever overtakes her and through the lens of Mrs B., the nursemaid.

Mary W. is raised in an abusive family, from which she strives for equality amongst men and chooses a life lived by her rules instead of the stifling 18th century world she’s forced to contend with.

I found the novel was a slow starter which quickly built up speed and kept my interest, however somewhere around the 60% mark began to drag and repeat itself, such as when she began her relationship with Imlay, which I enjoyed reading (especially the subtle change that takes in place in her) but her insecurities show with how many times we have to hear she wants to be equal with men. This is a repeated phrase throughout the book and it gets a bit annoying.

It’s not an especially long novel, under 300 pages / -10 hours audio, however some of it feels extraneous and weighs it down, if it was shortened by 25-50 pages (unfortunately I can’t give specific examples as there are pockets of the “unnecessary” mingled with the fascinating), I think it would have kept its pace and be a “page turner”.

Love and Fury is a novelized biography of Mary Wollstonecraft, arguably the world’s first published feminist. The book is structured around the birth in 1797 of Wollstonecraft’s daughter, who will become known to the world as Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein. Alternating chapters are told from the point of view of “Mrs. B”, the midwife who comes to attend the birth and winds up caring for the ailing mother, and as a tale of her life told to her newborn daughter by Mary W herself. And what an incredible life it was! Sadly, Mary W died from childbed fever, as it was called in those days, less than two weeks after giving birth. The audiobook was a delight, beautifully narrated by Ell Potter.

I am a bit embarrassed to say that I knew little about Mary Wollstonecraft before listening to this book. She was certainly an amazing woman, way ahead of her time. I need to get my hands on some of her writing!

The narrator of the audiobook, Ell Potter, was fabulous and easily brought the characters to life. Though fiction, this book provided a nice basis for feminism in Europe and what was happening at the time. As we learned Mary's backstory, it was easy to see how she came to her viewpoints and became such a prominent figure. What an interesting life she led.