Mary Shelley (1797–1851) was an English novelist, essayist, and biographer best known for Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1818), a groundbreaking novel that combined Gothic horror with early science fiction. The daughter of philosopher William Godwin and writer Mary Wollstonecraft, she grew up in an intellectually vibrant environment that deeply influenced her writing.

Beyond Frankenstein, Shelley wrote several novels, travel works, and biographies, including The Last Man, Valperga, and Lodore. Today she is recognized as one of the leading figures of Romantic literature, whose works continue to inspire readers and shape discussions on science, ethics, and the human condition