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Cover of The Shocking Experiments of Miss Mary Bennet

The Shocking Experiments of Miss Mary Bennet

by Melinda Taub

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4.0 on Goodreads (155)

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Ending

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Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?

A wildly inventive Pride & Prejudice x Frankenstein mashup where Mary Bennet builds a monster and falls for Georgiana Darcy—gothic horror meets tender sapphic romance

Synopsis

An utterly fantastical and undeniably queer melding of Pride and Prejudice and Frankenstein that recasts Mary Bennet as an insatiable scientist, one who creates a monster in an attempt to save herself from spinsterdom Mary Bennet is the middlest middle child of all time. Awkward, plain, and overlooked, she’s long been out of favor not only with her own family but with generations of readers of Pride and Prejudice. But what was Mary really doing while her sisters were falling in love? Well, what does any bright, hardworking girl do in an age when brains and hard work are only valued if they come with a pretty face? Take to the attic and teach herself to reanimate the dead of course. The world refuses to make a place for peculiar Mary, but no Bennet sister ever gives up on happiness that easily. If it won’t give this fierce, lonely girl a place, she’ll carve one out herself. And if finding acceptance requires a husband, she’ll get one. Even if she has to make him herself, too. However, Mary’s genius and determination aren’t enough to control what she unwittingly unleashes. Her desperate attempts to rein in the destruction wreaked by her creations leads her to forge a perhaps unlikely friendship with another brilliant young woman unlike any she’s ever known. As that friendship blossoms into something passionate and all-consuming, Mary begins to realize that she may have to choose between the acceptance she’s always fought for and true happiness.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

Melinda Taub recasts the overlooked Bennet sister as a Regency-era scientist who reanimates the dead and falls quietly in love with Georgiana Darcy along the way. The epistolary format and Austen-adjacent wit give it a distinctive voice. Body horror sits comfortably alongside tender sapphic longing—readers who want their gothic romance cerebral and queer will find this irresistible. 320 pages, published October 2025 by Grand Central Publishing. Standalone novel. Amy Hoggert narrates the audiobook.

trope onetrope twotrope threetrope four

Book Details

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Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

4.01 ★ (155)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

320 pages

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

2025

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

Historical Fiction

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

F/F

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

Epistolary / Mixed Media

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

Slow Burn

CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.

reveal ending

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

Yes

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

Single Narrator (unspecified)

NarratorThe voice in your ears.

Amy Hoggert

Narrator Count

Single

TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
slow burnforbidden lovefound familyhidden identitysecret relationshipfairytale retelling
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

atmosphericmysteriousbittersweetmagicaldramaticdarkwitty

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

wittyatmosphericclassicalthoughtfuldarksharp

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

medium

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

heavy

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

high

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

forbidden desirepage turner

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

bookworm/scholaroutcast/lonerrebel leader / revolutionary

Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.

slow burnmutual piningfound familyclass differencereluctant allies to loversintellectual connection

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
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Spice Level 1

Spice StyleNot just how much spice, but what kind. Emotional intimacy? Explicit but vanilla? Plot-driven heat? Know your flavor.

closed door / fade to blacksweet / tender

Getting SteamyGentle kinks. Fun but nothing too crazy. The appetizer, so to speak.

longing glancestensionanticipationeye contact intensity

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

None
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This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (8)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
self-harmgoreanimal deathemotional abusedeath of loved onemisogynygrieffire
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World & Setting

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World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

historicalgothic

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

manor house / estate

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

humans only

RepresentationIdentity representation in the book. LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, body type, age and more.

sapphicqueer

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

the angst deliveredcathartic releasebook hangover incomingintellectual satisfactionearned hope

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

anytime

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

rainy weekendcozy eveninglazy Sunday

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Quick Facts

Spice LevelThe heat scale. 0=wholesome, 1=kisses, 2=fade-to-black, 3=tasteful spice, 4=explicit, 5=you need a cold shower. Know thyself.🌶️fade to black
PagesHow long the commitment is.320
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2025
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.4.01 ★ (155)
EndingEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.reveal ending
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