Born into an aristocratic family, Percy Bysshe Shelley has no intentions of following in his father's political footsteps. The rebellious young poet finds himself drawn to more scandalous pursuits: supporting anti-royalist and anti-clerical causes, championing vegetarianism, and extolling the virtues of atheism, an act that ultimately leads to his expulsion from Oxford University. Book 1 of "Shelley" lets us dive into Percy's tumultuous childhood, giving us an insight into his friendships with some of the finest progressive thinkers of the times, not to mention his blossoming relationship with his future wife and author of "Frankenstein," Mary. "Shelley is an interesting insight into the early life of one of Romanticism's most esteemed poets. Learning more about his early days sheds light on the work he ferociously created and his rush to live every day fully." Reviews and Robots

The Shelley story continues, the focus now on Mary. Percy has just declared his love for her, but upon being told by her father that he may not take her as his companion, implores her to join him in a suicide pact. Thankfully cooler heads prevail; Mary runs away with Percy—her sister Claire also joining the lovers—and thus begins their European adventure. On their journey, they will meet up with the flamboyant Lord Byron, whose rainy-day suggestion in Switzerland to each write a ghost story will change Mary's life forever...