Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (30 August 1797 - 1 February 1851) was an English novelist who wrote the Gothic novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1818), which is considered an early example of science fiction. She also edited and promoted the works of her husband, the Romantic poet and philosopher Percy Bysshe Shelley. Her father was the political philosopher William Godwin and her mother was the philosopher and women's rights advocate Mary Wollstonecraft.Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein when she was just 18 years old. The idea came during a famous storytelling challenge in 1816 at Lake Geneva with Lord Byron and others.She imagined a scientist bringing a creature to life-an idea inspired by scientific experiments of the time (like electricity and reanimation) and philosophical debates about life and creationMary Shelley is considered the "mother of science fiction". Frankenstein remains one of the most influential novels in literature. The story has inspired countless films, adaptations, and cultural references.