Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is an 1818 novel written by
English author Mary Shelley. Frankenstein tells the story of Victor
Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an
unorthodox scientific experiment. Shelley started writing the story when
she was 18, and the first edition was published anonymously in London on
1 January 1818, when she was 20. Her name first appeared in the second
edition, which was published in Paris in 1821. Though Frankenstein is
infused with elements of the Gothic novel and the Romantic movement,
Brian Aldiss has argued for regarding it as the first true
science-fiction story. In contrast to previous stories with fantastical
elements resembling those of later science fiction, Aldiss states, the
central character "makes a deliberate decision" and "turns to modern
experiments in the laboratory" to achieve fantastic results. The novel
has had a considerable influence on literature and on popular culture;
it has spawned a complete genre of horror stories, films, and plays.