Mary Shelley began writing Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus when she was 18 years old.  It was first published anonymously in 1818 (when she was 21) and has been in print ever since.  It is THE classic Gothic horror tale and has been characterized as the first true science fiction novel, since it involves the use of scientific experiment.

Our book trailer summarizes the plot.

Shelley was deliberately vague about Victor Frankenstein’s procedures in reanimating his creation–although she was versed in Galvanism and the current (no pun intended) scientific investigations regarding the human body’s function–presumably because she did not wish to outrage early 19th century readers with grisly details.  Shelley was probably more intrigued by the moral and philosophical issues than the precise scientific concepts involved.  Still, the novel remains the best early example of science fiction and provided generations of contemporary and future authors of horror stories with a solid template for generating a truly terrifying tale.