“Perhaps I am meant to drown after all. But if I do, then at least it will have been by my own hand” – C.E. McGill, Our Hideous Progeny

Plot Summary

London, 1853. A time of plentiful scientific discovery. Every single day, new scientists are coming forward with new theories and exhibitions to help further man’s understanding of the world around us. Mary and Henry Sutherland are a young married couple, both avid students of paleontology. Though ambitious, they have yet to receive the recognition they feel they deserve for their research and discoveries. Henry’s secret gambling addiction has cast the couple into an unfavorable financial situation. This, combined with their grief over the loss of their infant child who died mere moments after birth, has caused great strain on the couple.

When Mary unearths the notes left behind by her great-uncle, the infamous Victor Frankenstein, she hatches a plan that will undoubtedly catapult her and Henry into great success and will alleviate their financial woes. Believing that the creation of life from dead materials could help them finally become respected scientists, Mary and Henry set out to recreate the very experiment that ruined the life of Mary’s great-uncle so many years ago.

My Thoughts

When I came across this book on Libby, I instantly was intrigued by the cover and the title. When I read the blurb that hailed Our Hideous Progeny as a “queer, feminist sequel to Frankenstein“, I knew that this ABSOLUTELY was going to be the book for me. I have had a lifelong love for the story of Frankenstein’s monster…heck, my first ever post on this blog was an ode to the Creature! Some people may find retellings or sequels to classics to be schlocky, but I honestly adore them, especially if the original story is close to my heart.

Our Hideous Progeny is very much a slow-burn book. It’s not full of action and adventure, but more so is full of ambience. To be completely honest, much doesn’t happen until the latter half of the novel. However, I felt fully engaged with the story from the very first chapter just because of the writing and the vibes of the story. The beautiful prose made it so easy for me to become submerged in the story. This book features so many elements of typical gothic literature, such as the desolate and broody setting, the moral and ethical battle between good and evil, and a female protagonist who is most definitely an anti-hero.

It’s hard to discuss this book without fully spoiling things, so I will try to stay discreet while still exploring some of the themes and concepts I heavily enjoyed. Based off the plot description provided, I’m sure you already guessed that Mary and Henry will attempt to create a creature in the same vein as Victor Frankenstein’s creation. I found it very interesting how Mary was looking to create life from death in the aftermath of her own child’s death; though she never really connects her deceased child to the creature she creates, I couldn’t help but notice this juxtaposition. Similarly, her response to her creation is vastly different from the response her great-uncle had to his; where Victor Frankenstein abandoned his creation due to his own fear and disgust, Mary is instantly fascinated with her creature and immediately has a maternal connection to it. While Henry sees the creation only as a means to garner success and money, Mary is more so in awe of its very existence. I really enjoyed the contrasting responses to the creature, as it helped build the characters through some fascinating dynamics.

Like I mentioned before, Our Hideous Progeny is described as a “queer, feminist sequel to Frankenstein”. I won’t go into too much detail on the queer aspects for the sake of keeping my review spoiler-free, but I will say I was VERY pleased with the exploration of sexuality in this story. There is a strong sense of longing that grows as a certain friendship continues to develop; while it is never inherently expressed, the tension and feelings are there, and they will leave your heart aching with hope and wonder.

However, the feminism in this book is incredibly straightforward. With Mary being a female scientist in the 1800’s, clearly she is going to be the victim of misogyny. She very often is discounted, and her work is often credited to her husband or the other men around her. She knows that the likelihood of her becoming successful is dampened by her gender, and yet she is determined to prove the men in her life wrong. She’s married to the most insufferable man (and I mean it, he truly is the worst) who expects her to stay quiet and keep up appearances; at times he appears threatened by and insecure of her intelligence. Later in the novel, rival scientist Finley Clarke threatens the integrity of the Sutherlands’ experiment, hoping to take credit for Mary’s hard work because he is simply too inadequate to produce anything of a similar caliber. It’s appalling how these men continue to tell Mary she will never amount to anything while still finding her work to be impressive enough to attempt to steal; they have all of the connections and respect in the world simply for being born male, and yet they still need to rely on a woman to do their work for them.

Henry also has a sister named Maisie, who he had previously described to Mary as being a dreadful person; she turns out to be a very kind and sweet girl, becoming Mary’s closest friend and confidant. Though the misogyny flung at Maisie is different from the kind of oppression Mary faces, it’s clear that neither woman is respected by the men in their lives. Both women are expected to stay silent while the men disrespect them, take advantage of them, and disregard their feelings. As much as this story is about Mary and Henry embarking on a journey of scientific ambition, it also very much is a story about Mary and Maisie finally standing up for themselves and taking back the power that society has stolen from them. As the story progresses and they become more outspoken and daring, you cannot help but cheer. The climax and ending of Our Hideous Progeny left me feeling so pleased, as it very much ends up being a “good for her” kind of story. Remember, I always support women’s rights, but I especially support women’s wrongs.

I cannot recommend this book enough, especially for readers who are fans of gothic literature or the themes present in Frankenstein. I will sing the praises of Our Hideous Progeny forever.