The Stralsund Literature Circle invites you to a real literary discovery in its new reading series: On the occasion of the 175th anniversary of her death, it is dedicated to Mary Shelley. Everyone knows her worldwide success "Frankenstein", written when she was only 18 years old. But the author, who was far ahead of her time and lived fearlessly beyond the moral standards of the time, has much more to offer.
Her long-hidden novel "Mathilda" is read in the literature circle. Written in 1819, the work was not published in German for the first time until 2025. The original manuscript was only published posthumously over a hundred years later - presumably because the content was too controversial for the time.
It is a captivating masterpiece of Black Romanticism: after the early death of her mother, Mathilda grows up isolated. When her father returns from exile, their happiness together is short-lived as a dark secret hovers over their relationship. The novel takes a courageous and psychologically dense look at an incestuous father-daughter relationship. Shelley's astuteness and the depiction of mental abysses still seem frighteningly modern and real today.
Anyone interested is cordially invited to read this special book in advance and discuss it with the literature group!
When: 09.04.2026, 7 pm
Where: City library
Registration: no registration required, free admission
The Literaturkreis Stralsund is an open group of reading enthusiasts in cooperation with the Stralsund City Library who meet monthly to discuss books. The program preview is available at www.literaturkreis-stralsund.de.
