Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein in 1816 when she was just eighteen years old. The novel was first published anonymously in London on January 1, 1818. Mary Shelley's name first appeared as the author in the second edition, published in Paris in 1821. The story was inspired by a competition among her friends to write a horror story, and the bulk of the novel was drafted during 1816-1817. The 1818 edition was the original publication, and a heavily revised edition was published in 1831 under her name. Frankenstein is considered one of the earliest science fiction novels and has had a profound influence on literature and popular culture since its publication.
