During the nine turbulent years Mary and Shelley were together, Claire was the ever-present third, whose manipulative behaviour often drove Mary to despair. It was much harder to cope with her jealousy of Claire, her step-sister, who had run away with them and was also in love with Shelley. When she eloped with Shelley, Mary had been quite prepared to suffer condemnation from society. The novel was conceived in a contest with him and Lord Byron to tell ghost stories.

By then, she had been living for two years in a scandalous relationship with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, who was already married with children. Her desire of knowledge is great, and her perseverance in everything else she undertakes, almost invincible.' Mary Shelley began 'Frankenstein' in 1814, when she was eighteen. Through her tumultuous life, her writing became her grip on sanity, and Shelley never wavered from his belief in her creative genius - as she believed in his.'She is singularly bold, somewhat imperious, and active of mind. 'Almost Invincible' is the story of Mary Shelley and her scandalous relationship with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Her writing became her grip on sanity, and Shelley never wavered from his belief in her creative genius - as she believed in his. It was in Italy that they found their spiritual home, their 'paradise of exiles', but it was also there that the loss of her children nearly broke Mary's spirit.

They moved constantly throughout England, Switzerland and Italy, escaping creditors, censorious families and ill health. Shelley was little help - his unconventional attitudes to love strained her devotion to its limits. ***GOLD MEDAL WINNER WISHING WELL INDEPENDENT BOOK AWARDS*** 'She is singularly bold, somewhat imperious, and active of mind.

Almost Invincible by Suzanne Burdon