Frankenstein at 16?

I read somewhere that Merry Shelley wrote Frankenstein when she was only 16. Is there any truth in that little piece of trivia?

18/19

Still pretty incredible! The three poets, Shelly, Keats (I think it was Keats) and Mary made up a contest - each would write a horror story. Mary is the only one who took to the task and finished one. She certainly got the prize!
I have read it twice and would read it again. It is a great book, such insight for such a young woman to have displayed. Sure, the book has it's bit of imaturity and flaws, but it is basically a masterpiece and far ahead of it's time. What a plot!
Just how many movies have been based on Frankenstein and the creation? It has certainly stood the test of time and remained beloved by so many. It is a timeless story, masterfully written.

No. Actually she was 18 and the whole story is said to be conceived from a nightmare.

[QUOTE=Janine;341495]Still pretty incredible! The three poets, Shelly, Keats (I think it was Keats) and Mary made up a contest - each would write a horror story. Mary is the only one who took to the task and finished one. She certainly got the prize!
QUOTE]

It was Shelley, Mary and Byron, I think they were on the edge of Lake Geneva in Byron's house.

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Originally Posted by manolia

No. Actually she was 18 and the whole story is said to be conceived from a nightmare.

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It was a mixture of making up the ghost story and the nightmare

SHe had her famous dream at 18 and began writing, finishing at 22 and heavily editng the book with rewrites until she was 26.

Shelly was 19 at the time it was mid june at Lord Byrons villa and it was mary, her soon to be husband percy, her half sister, byron and his doctor john polidori, supposed authour of the vampyre. byron issued the challenge of creating the ghost stories and after mary developed hers(due to her dream) percy persuaded her to turn it into a novel instead of just a short story

Wow, I didn't realize it took so long for Shelley to write Frankenstein!