Beyond using Frankenstein as an inspiration, Winterson includes Mary Shelley’s time at Lake Geneva, her life after publishing Frankenstein, and even her meeting with Ada Lovelace decades later. Why does Winterson gain by including Mary Shelley as a protagonist? How does Mary Shelley’s writing process and life influence the novel’s understanding of transhumanism?

The first encounters with robotics in the text are Claire’s dismissal of robotics as un-Christian, Polly’s privacy concern regarding teledildonics, and Ron’s infatuation with sexbots. How do these reactions to the field of robotics raise questions about the boundaries of humanity? How do Victor’s goals push those boundaries even further?

Mary and Claire are significantly different characters, and yet they are both romantically involved with similar men in a similar situation. How are Mary and Claire different? How do their differences compare to the differences between Percy and Lord Byron? Why is Polidori with the group at Lake Geneva, and how does his presence impact this dynamic?