Aspiring Child: A Biography of Mary W. Shelley in Sonnets by Ted Morrissey
Aspiring Child: A Biography of Mary W. Shelley in Sonnets
Ted Morrissey
Twelve Winters (2026)
979-8-9933215-0-9
Reviewed by Jordan Waterwash for Reader Views (12/2025)
https://readerviews.com/reviews/aspiring-child-morrissey/
5/5
Most know Mary Shelley solely for Frankenstein, but Shelley lived a complex, successful yet tragic life before and beyond her most well-known work. In Aspiring Child: A Biography of Mary W. Shelley in Sonnets, Ted Morrissey explores every facet of Shelley: her writing, history, and political life. More than anything, this collection of poetry examines Shelley as the complicated individual she was.
Each poem is written as a letter to Shelley at different points in her life. We start at the tragedy of her mother’s, Mary Wollstonecraft’s, death and end near the publication of her 1823 novel, Valperga. It’s clear from the poems that her mother’s death touched every aspect of Shelley’s life, especially as her stepmother entered the picture. The letter-esque poetry gives an interesting insight into both Morrissey’s view of Shelley and of Shelley herself. Not only do we learn more about what might have made this woman tick, but we see her life through the eyes of a sympathetic third party who wishes her life could have been more peaceful.
In addition to the earnest tone of the work, the language itself felt appropriate for the subject matter. It mimicked the style of the period while maintaining a present-day perspective on Shelley’s circumstances. In particular, I really enjoyed “XV. Arrival” for its rhythm and deeply sympathetic language. For those familiar with Mary Shelley’s life, you’ll know she lost a daughter shortly after giving birth in 1815. The baby died twelve days after arriving in the world, which is an uncanny parallel to how Mary Wollstonecraft died after giving birth to Mary.
Wollstonecraft succumbed to fever only eleven days after giving birth to Mary. Morrissey writes: “You were seventeen. Your mother’s death,/due to your birth, must have lain like lead.”
This collection explores the years surrounding the publication of Frankenstein, but the focus never strays too far from being only about that novel. Instead, we see glimpses into how Shelley’s life may have influenced her writing. Though if you are a fan of Frankenstein, you’ll of course love the references and quotes used throughout. Hopefully, you will learn how complex Mary Shelley was outside of her most well-known novel.
Overall, Aspiring Child: A Biography of Mary W. Shelley in Sonnets by Ted Morrissey is a genuine expression of love for an author whose life often swerved into tragedy. In reading these poems, you will empathize and understand the woman behind one of the greatest Gothic novels of all time.
