Our Hideous Progeny

A Novel

By: C.E. McGill

Narrated by: Florence Howard

“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.

©2023 C.E. McGill (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers

Really good!

Loved everything about this book and didn’t want it to end! Please write a sequel :)

Lovely story

I liked this book way more than I expected to. It's hard to discuss the details I liked without giving things away, but the details of birth of archeology were clearly meticulously researched and accurate, which I loved. The connection between that world and Frankenstein was really well done and played out in an utterly unexpected manner. Most of the characters were nuanced, neither all good nor all bad, which I very much appreciated. I also appreciated the portrayal of an invisible chronic illness - both the way it would have been viewed and its lived truth. Add a queer twist, and you get a lovely, lyrical and original story. Highly recommend it.

Powerful and cultivating

The historical details of this novel quench any historical geological professions. Really though, this novel reaches through time to a world where challenging and intelligent women did not have a say in their thoughts, ideas and even credit for their accomplishments. Bravo, this is my favorite novel.

Great monster story!

I don’t even remember why I added this book to my list, but I am glad I did. What a terrific story! I am very stingy with my 5th star, but I just loved this book in unexpected ways. I identified strongly with the main character, I won’t say exactly why but those who know me will understand. Give it a listen!

excellent read

This is a fantastic book and I'm excited to see what else this author comes out with in the future. Definitely worth the read.

Immersing and Thrilling

A world so real and characters so complex that I felt as if they were people I knew. Mary’s frustrations, feelings, successes were my own. Wonderfully engaging! I can’t stop thinking about the implications.

What a treat!

I loved everything about this hidden gem! So well written and performed. Sad to see it end. So many directions it could be taken, and wondering after where it did.

Not my usual genre, but I loved it

I normally read military fiction, sci-fi, or apocalyptic novels, so I’m used to fast paced action. This book was much subtler. The persistent themes of morality and social expectations acted as an ideal backdrop for the main characters, who are all pariahs. Women suffering the patriarchy and chronic illness was so relatable. Wonderful slow burn.

An imaginative extension of the Frankenstein tale, nicely done

This is now marked as one of my favorites. It's erudite, well written, well constructed tale that picks up some threads of the Mary Shelley story and does some interesting things with it. She adds sexual politics into her story but not in any beat you over the head way. Of course, the female researcher would have faced obstacles her male counterparts and partners would not. Yes, married women had considerably fewer freedoms than we do today. She also makes more visible some choices that, while they certainly extant back then, were not deemed acceptable in polite society. Very slyly introduced by a book Maisy is reading. The author subtly alludes to a number of themes that appear in Shelley's book, particularly Prometheus and Paradise Lost, without making the references explicit. Delightful little Easter eggs for those who've read the source book. The writing is richly descriptive and introduces moral questions about animal research and experimentation, the purpose of science, prejudice and social class. An immensely satisfying read.

Incredible

I can’t believe this book isn’t being talked about more widely. It’s brilliant. Everything about it is amazing. From the prose to the historical context to the relevancy to modern issues, it’s wonderful. The narrator did an amazing job. The writer implemented humor into the book as well which elevated the story even more. Don’t skip this one. It’s worth a credit, heck I’d pay full price for this one. It’s that good.