My Imaginary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows is a whirlwind adventure that reimagines the lives of Mary Shelley (of Frankenstein fame) and Ada Lovelace, the world's first computer programmer. Set in an alternate 1800s, the story throws these brilliant young women together when they discover they both possess magical abilities.

With the help of a hidden faerie realm and a touch of steampunk technology, Mary and Ada create a living automaton they name Pan. However, their creation attracts unwanted attention, and they soon find themselves on the run from a ruthless scientist who wants to exploit their magic.

The book is a delightful blend of historical fiction, fantasy, and a dash of romance. The authors bring Mary Shelley and Ada Lovelace to life with wit and charm, showcasing their intellectual prowess and unconventional friendships. The fast-paced plot keeps you guessing, and the fantastical elements add a unique layer to the story.

This is a Amazing series if like the others you will love this. This is my Favorite in the series probably

This review took me some time to make. Unfortunately I just couldn't get into it and was unable to finish the book. The characters where....for lack of a better word, whiney in my opinion. I'll give the audiobook a chance, maybe having someone read it to me will allow myself to have a different type of voice for them.

Well, this was good up until about 65%. It had a *pretty* clear plot up until then. Then, all of a sudden, we’re on a journey to find Lord Byron. After that sudden turn of events, I got bored quickly and sped this up to 3x. Still love a good Lady Janies story (and characters), and this one didn’t disappoint there! You still get a dose of fun characters (Pan!) and laughable side notes from the authors. Was it my favorite? Not really – it’s probably second to last behind My Calamity.

My Imaginary Mary

I must preface by saying that I love these series’. I will read anything that they write. That being said, I love Mary Shelley and Frankenstein. I have written a paper comparing different versions of Frankenstein and have explored Shelley’s life story, which was, indeed, tragic. I’m glad that Hand, Meadows, and Ashton decided to rewrite her story. In fact, one of my favorite things about the book is the fact that the real-life assholes– Percy and Byron– are turned into the villains they are, and the women become the heroes of the story who live happily ever after– Mary and Ada.

They changed the historical timeline so that Ada and Mary are the same age and Byron is older (as he is Ada’s dad). In real life, Mary, Byron, and Percy Shelley are the same age and Ada is younger (as she’s Byron’s daughter). They make this work by turning Byron into Percy’s older mentor. And, Mary and Ada’s relationship strengthens them and ultimately saves them in the end.

Ada is an independent girl who has suffered not only the lack of her father’s presence and her mother’s clear abuse, but in being disabled from having polio. This is historically accurate. I appreciate disability representation, especially that of actual historical figures. Ada is the inventor of the original computer. She was a genius who was largely lost to history. Ada is also presented as asexual, which is great! She doesn’t care about romance or sex and focuses all her energy on her math and inventions.

Mary is flat at first, but I know that’s the point. She’s absolutely taken by Percy Shelley, the poet who works for her father. They court in secret– except from her sisters who help to facilitate these secret meetings. She constantly struggles with writing until Frankenstein comes to fruition at the end. She calls Percy by his last name, as does everyone else. I find this strange given their closeness.

Ultimately, moms are mean and dads are virtually absent. Both girls are lonely. That is, until they find each other. They do this through the magical element they include in every one of their books; this time, it’s fae. A fairy godmother shows up saying she will give the girls lessons in fae magic as it runs in their families and thus they must be fae. I wish there was more of the fae influence. It literally is a reason for them to be able to do magic. They don’t really go into it at all. Like, okay there’s a godmother but she rarely shows up. They have one lesson. We briefly see Byron’s magic and learn about Mary Wollstonecraft’s. We see Mary do magic, though. It’s the main reason for the magical element: So that Mary can create Pan, a la Frankenstein.

Pan is the third main character. His chapters don’t appear until he’s finally created by the girls. This deviates from the three rotating chapters that Hand et. al. typically write. Pan is an automaton created by Ada and then brought to life by Mary. She brings him to life and ends up making him a “real boy.” The relationship between Pan and Mary is awkward in my opinion. They clearly like each other as more than friends, but she literally created him? Mary and Ada are kind of like his Moms. I’m glad that Mary ends up with him instead of Percy.

Sidenote: Byron’s “the Vampyre” is referenced and woven beautifully into the plot.

Ultimately this was an interesting and refreshing take on the lives of Mary and Ada in conjunction with the fictional story of Frankenstein. It’s well written and enjoyable whether you’re knowledgeable on such topics or not!

An interesting take on two strong figures in feminine history. This may be the first book in Hand's (et al.) Janies and Marys series that kind of jumps the shark. Every book in the series holds some kind of magical element, but I was surprised by the sudden left turn this one took with the addition of a fairy godmother and literal transfiguration and dimensional travels. Not only does Mary build a human being (out of metal, not flesh), but she brings it to life purely from her own imagination. I was expecting more, um... science?
Regardless, once all the characters get together and the chase begins, it's a wonderful story. You definitely have to put some notions of these lady scientists aside and go with the flow. This trio of authors knows how to pack humor, action, smarts, and the paranormal into a unique package for just the right reader.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Funny, gripping, and entertaining. I love a good historical fiction that is women centered, and this is my favorite in the Jane series!!

I am a sucker for Mary Shelley, I love fae, and I know a certain brand of student will also adore this story. Added to my class library immediately!

I really enjoyed this story. Mary and Ada were both such real characters, and Pan was wonderful. The authors did use their imaginations to give the book a more clear cut "bad guy," but that didn't really bother me. Another good addition to this series!

Mary Shelley and Ada Lovelace meet automatons and fae- of course I loved it!
Honestly, I love all of the Janie books and all of the Mary's so far! This review is probably not super helpful other than to say that if you love twisted history, these books are for you!

Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC of this title. I enjoyed reading this title. Would recommend for my library.

I always somehow manage to forget how much I love the books in this series until I read another one of them.

Like the others, this book dazzles. It is marvelous. And magnificent. I loved every second of reading it.

I wrote my masters thesis on Mary Wollstonecraft and her influence on her daughter, so I knew a lot about Mary Shelley going into this novel. I also had a brief time where I was reading everything I could find about Ada Byron Lovelace, and it was just so much fun to read again about these women that I already know and love. The plot in the novel, is of course, fantastical, but that did not detract from the joy and wonder I experienced while reading.

The writing style is such a blast. I love the allusions to song lyrics, movies, and other pop culture things sprinkled throughout the book, which makes it even more fun if you know what they are, while not detracting if you don't. The portrayal of women in this book is wonderful, and I really felt like they did so much justice to the real-life women they wrote about.

I love every book in this series. I can't wait for more. And I cannot wait to recommend this book to the teens in my community that I know will love it.

This was an enjoyable read, like the others in the series. I appreciate the creativity of these authors. It didn’t quite have the same spark the first book has (my lady jane) but still a fun twist on history.

I absolutely love the Lady Janes and Marys (Maries?) series. So thank you so much to NetGalley for the chance to review the newest one. This one does not disappoint. For those new to series, each book stands alone (all though a couple do take place in the same fantasy world) so don't let the fact that this is not the first book drive you away.

These books are technically considered YA, but I'm a Gen Xer and I thoroughly enjoyed them.

Each book in the series give a new, humorous spin on the tale of either a famous historical or fictional character named either Jane or Mary. In "My Imaginary Mary", we're taken back to the early 1800s, where a young Mary Shelley and Ada Lovelace, the daughter of Lord Byron and a mathematical genius, accidentally bring an automaton named PAN to life in the form of a handsome and charming young man. But when they realize that PAN's new life might be limited to only a few weeks, they set out to find a way to make him a literal "real boy". Along the way, they have to deal with suspicious suitors, godmothers of the fairy variety, wayward Romantic poets, a crazed magician who fancies himself a scientist, and, scariest of all, an overprotective mother,

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The only reason that I did not give it a full five stars is because I love the world that "My Lady Jane" and "My Contrary Mary" are set in so much, and this installment is set in a different fantasy world. I can't wait for the next one!!!

This was cute but if I’m going to be honest the world of the lady Janes is my favorite. This one had some humor and fun creative license with the history but just lacked the charm that the two books set in the original world had.

This is a 'what if' book written by the hilariously brilliant authors of the Lady Jane series. What if Mary Shelley and Ada Lovelace were contemporaries and became friends? With the help of a faerie godmother, Mary and Ada meet. The godmother tells them they are both fae and have the power to make anything they imagine real. Together they create a clockwork boy (PAN), who becomes alive with the help of lightning and a little magic. But all magic has a price. They end up on the run from the villain of the story, as well as some notable historical characters: Percy Shelley and Lord Byron. Along the way they accomplish some amazing feats: riding cross-country on the back of a clockwork horse for example.

I didn't know much about either Mary Shelley or Ada Lovelace before reading this book. I wish I had. Part of what made My Lady Jane so much fun was knowledge of the real characters and comparing the two. I missed that with book. This book was still a lot of fun, I just felt like I could have gotten more out of it.

The main theme of the book is what it means to be alive. Our main characters struggle with this through the entire story, sometimes contradicting themselves. Except for this heavy topic, the book doesn't take itself too seriously. Overall, I love these series of books and can't wait for the next one.

An interesting premise, but ultimately, I didn't find the execution of it anything particularly groundbreaking or special. A decent read for teens.

I love this series! My Imaginary Mary does not disappoint and I love the twist on historical events! Mary and Ada's journey with PAN keeps you on the edge of your seat! Definitely would recommend to middle-age to adult readers.

Probably my least favorite from this team of authors. I think it’s only because I studied to Romantics and had a hard time with some of the liberties taken. I love Pan and that part of the plot; a sympathetic monster and a creator who respects her creation. It would be a good read for a student who found the real writers interesting and want to explore them further.

My Imaginary Mary is the second book in the Mary series. This book is a fictional account of Mary Shelley and Ada Lovelace. The two girls end up finding out they are fae when their godmother appears. The two begin taking lessons on how to control their powers, but things spin wildly out of control when they combine Mary Shelley's fae powers and Ada Lovelace's engineering powers.
I really enjoy these books. I love that they introduce these real life people, but then manage to deviate from history to create these really interesting scenarios.