In thirteenth-century Florence, Italy, the pro-Papacy Guelphs defeated and expelled the pro-imperial Ghibellines. The triumphant Guelphs await their champion, the Frenchman Charles d'Anjou, while their opponents pin their hopes on the arrival of Corradino and his troops from Germany.
In an unexpected turn of events, the androgynous Ghibelline, Ricciardo de' Rossini, knows secrets that could change everything, and they set out on a secret mission to bring an end to the war.
āA Tales of the Passions; or, The Death of Despinaā (1823) is one of many classic short stories by the English writer Mary Shelley and is perfect for fans of her best-selling novel āFrankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheusā (1818).
Mary Shelley (1797ā1851) was an English author and travel writer best known for her ground-breaking Gothic novel āFrankensteinā (1818). Considered one of the first true works of science-fiction, the book became an instant bestseller and continues to influence filmmakers, writers, and popular culture to this day, inspiring and terrifying new audiences the world over.
It has been adapted for TV, stage, and film on many occasions, with Boris Karloff famously playing Frankensteinās monster on screen in 1933. Other adaptations include āMary Shelley's Frankensteinā (1994) starring Kenneth Branagh and Robert De Niro and āViktor Frankensteinā (2015) starring Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy.
Shelleyās other novels include Ā“ValpergaĀ“ (1823), Ā“The Last ManĀ“ (1826), Ā“Perkin WarbeckĀ“ (1830), Ā“LodoreĀ“ (1835), Ā“FalknerĀ“ (1837), and the posthumously published Ā“MathildeĀ“ (1959). However, she will always be remembered as the creator of Ā“FrankensteinĀ“.