Read the best short stories by Mary Shelley, the pioneer of science fiction and Gothic literature. Discover tales of mystery, horror, and the supernatural, including hidden gems beyond Frankenstein. Explore her complete stories for free and delve into her dark and visionary world.
Synopsis: “Transformation,” a gothic tale by Mary Shelley, tells the story of Guido, a handsome, proud, and reckless young Genoese man who is engaged to Juliet, a beautiful and angelic young woman, daughter of his guardian and mentor, the Marquis Torella. After squandering his fortune, Guido asks for his fiancee back. However, the conditions imposed by Torella for the marriage to take place make the union impossible. Exiled, alone, and penniless, Guido thinks about improving his situation when he meets a mysterious being who offers him wealth and revenge that the ambitious young man cannot refuse.
In Mary Shelley’s The Dream, the young and beautiful Countess Constance de Villeneuve lives in solitude, grieving the loss of her father and brothers in the civil wars. Determined to enter a convent, her plans are challenged by the unexpected visit of the king and Gaspar de Vaudemont, an old love whose return awakens intense emotions in her heart. On a stormy night, Constance, seeking divine guidance, enters a sacred cave, where revelatory visions confront her with her love and destiny. In a struggle between duty and passion, Constance faces decisions that could change her life forever.
“The Mortal Immortal,” a short story by Mary Shelley, tells the story of Winzy, a young apprentice of the alchemist Cornelius Agrippa, madly in love with Bertha, a haughty and ambitious woman. In a desperate attempt to free himself from Bertha’s emotional spell, Winzy accidentally drinks an elixir prepared by Agrippa, obtaining immortality. As the years pass, Winzy faces loneliness and isolation, reflecting on the true nature of her condition and questioning whether immortality is a gift or a curse.
«The Trial of Love» is a story by Mary Shelley, published in 1834. It tells the story of Angeline, a young orphan who lives in a convent and maintains a secret love with Ippolito, a young aristocrat. Both undergo a year’s trial of separation without communicating, promised to Ippolito’s father, to prove the constancy of their feelings. The arrival of Faustina, Angeline’s childhood friend, tests the lovers’ loyalty and destiny.
Mary Shelley’s short story “The Invisible Girl” tells the adventure of a traveler who, disoriented during a storm, finds refuge in a seemingly abandoned and ruined tower. Inside, he discovers a surprisingly cozy atmosphere and an enigmatic portrait of a young woman called “The Invisible Girl.” Intrigued by the place, the man asks a local woman for more information about it. The woman reveals a story of love, pain, and mystery, which connects a series of characters and explains the reason for such a peculiar construction. “The Invisible Girl” is a work in which the author of Frankenstein mixes the gothic with the romantic to deliver a tragic and moving story.