Solitary Walker: My Historical Novel Favorite for June

Solitary Walker: A Novel of Mary Wollstonecraft was a gift from my husband. I had heard of her, a writer mostly known for the book, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, published in 1792. But it wasn’t until I read this historical novel by N.J. Mastro about her struggles and contributions that I understood the impact she made in her thirty-eight years of life.

While A Vindication of the Rights of Woman was a manifesto about the social equality of women and a trailblazing spark for feminism, Solitary Walker spotlights the life challenges of Mary Wollstonecraft, a woman determined to make her own way in the world, at the time of the French Revolution.

While this book touches on the impact of her legacy, it focuses on a biographical fictional glimpse of her journey after being branded a revolutionary. Or in the words of a Kirkus Review this book is: “A captivating work of historical fiction, intellectually stimulating and dramatically engrossing.” I found it to be all those things.

If you enjoy historical fiction about talented, nearly forgotten women, I recommend N.J. Mastro’s book, Solitary Walker.