Our Hideous Progeny

Author C. E. McGill
Narrator Florence Howard
Publisher Transworld
Publish Date 1 January 1970
Run Time 12 hours and 31 minutes
Format Audio
Genre Fantasy, Historical fantasy, Historical fiction, Horror and supernatural fiction, Science fiction.

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What to expect

Brought to you by Penguin.

'It is not the monster you have to fear, but the monster it makes of men.'

Mary is the great-niece of Victor Frankenstein. She knows her uncle disappeared in mysterious circumstances in the Arctic but she doesn't know why or how. She and her husband are trying to make a name for themselves as paleontologists but, in 1850s' London, scientific success requires wealth and connections - neither of which they possess. But then Mary discovers some old family papers that allude to the truth behind her great-uncle's past, of his attempts to create a living being and the creature that ultimately killed him. Perhaps this idea will prove to be their salvation...

Our Hideous Progeny is a sumptuous tale of ambition and obsession, of forbidden love and sabotage; a novel that blends classic, immersive storytelling with contemporary themes.

©2023 C. E. McGill (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critics Review

In this gothic adventure, debut novelist McGill builds on Shelley’s iconic story by adding sharp-minded female protagonist Mary, who sets out to discover the truth about her great-uncle Victor Frankenstein’s disappearance in the Arctic.

STYLIST, 'The best new feminist retellings of classic stories to read in 2023'

McGill’s prose is rich and atmospheric, perfectly capturing the eerie and foreboding tone of the Gothic tradition. The characters are complex and layered . . . Our Hideous Progeny is a masterful work of Gothic horror that will leave readers on the edge of their seat.

GLAMOUR

Evocatively and compassionately, Our Hideous Progeny seeks a way to tell the stories of those whose tales cannot fit in one book, those poor creatures who remain lost or forgotten

NEW YORKER

Our Hideous Progeny takes inspiration from Mary Shelley’s masterpiece along with the Victorian fascination with scientific innovation and the prehistoric world. This wonderful debut evolves into a gripping Gothic tale of grief and ambition, passion and intrigue.

JESS KIDD, author of THE NIGHT SHIP

A wonderful book; dark, passionate, multi-layered and rich with enticing detail.

JOANNE HARRIS, author of CHOCOLAT and THE STRAWBERRY THIEF

Compelling and utterly absorbing, Our Hideous Progeny is an artfully crafted debut that echoes the dark essence of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein while maintaining a fascinating originality all of its own.

SUSAN STOKES-CHAPMAN, author of PANDORA

Darkly brilliant and sumptuously gothic, this atmospheric debut left me reeling

C.J. COOKE, author of THE LIGHTHOUSE WITCHES

A wonderfully rich, emotionally engaging tale with the flavour and appeal of a great 19th-century novel.

Guardian

A fantastic read: I felt everything about Mary, her simmering anger and her intellectual delight, so very clearly.

FREYA MARSKE, author of THE LAST BINDING TRILOGY

Exquisitely written, brimming with imagery both beautiful and shocking, this daring debut makes the rivalries of the Victorian scientific establishment thrilling and urgent, bringing us a story worthy of Mary Shelley.

SEAN LUSK, author of THE SECOND SIGHT OF ZACHARY CLOUDESLEY

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