National Frankenstein Friday, on the last Friday in October, recognizes author Mary Shelly, the novel Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus, her characters, Dr. Frankenstein and the monster.  Dating back to the 1800s, Frankenstein’s monster is one of the best-known horror characters of all time.

The Addison Gateway encourages you to read the novel by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797-1851) tells the story of a young scientist, Victor Frankenstein. While published the first edition of Frankenstein in 1818 anonymously, the first 500 copies sold out. However, the public believed her husband, Percy Shelley, to be the author. Then in 1823, Mary Shelley published a new edition under her name. Another edition in 1831 included Shelley’s explanation about how the story came to be. This version is the one modern readers are the most familiar with today.