Our Hideous Progeny

In 1850s England, Mary is a scientifically minded woman determined to be taken seriously in a world that dismisses her. Married to Henry, she struggles with money, status, and the limits placed on women in science, even as she keeps working and searching for a future.

When Mary discovers old family papers tied to her great-uncle Victor Frankenstein, she becomes drawn into his hidden research and the possibility of recreating his work. That pursuit pulls Mary and Henry into scientific ambition, ethical uncertainty, and conflict with rivals and social expectations.

As the project moves from idea to reality, Mary’s private grief, anger, and queer longing deepen alongside her attachment to what they create. The story follows her through family revelations, shifting loyalties, and a dangerous chase that tests marriage, identity, and the cost of making life.