Solitary Walker: A Novel of Mary Wollstonecraft​
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​​​​Readers of biographical fiction will embrace this carefully researched novel about the woman historians widely consider the world's first feminist. Told against the backdrop of Wollstonecraft's incredible rise as a writer, the French Revolution, and a solo journey along the remote shores of Scandinavia, Solitary Walker is the timeless story of a woman forging her own path.​
“A captivating work of historical fiction, intellectually stimulating and dramatically engrossing... The author’s prose authentically captures the dialogue of the time and powerfully evokes the contradictions that make Wollstonecraft’s legacy so richly complex.”
- Kirkus Reviews
More Reviews of Solitary Walker...
“The many discussion points which arise from this story will especially intrigue book club reading groups interested in considering women’s strengths, weaknesses, the political and social morals of Mary’s times, and the methods by which she maintains and supports her independence. The novel is beautifully written... Libraries that choose Solitary Walker for its promise of historical biographical strength will also appreciate its ability to navigate the undercurrents of women’s experience, perception, and rights. All these elements make for a strong recommendation to patrons interested in women’s history and issues, as well as powerful biographical figures.”
- D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
“This admirable biographical novel of early feminist Mary Wollstonecraft provides a clear and engaging portrait of a woman whose fierce intellect and strong passions were at odds with society’s expectations. The central character comes vividly to life as Mastro effectively delves into Mary’s thoughts and emotions while fully revealing her strengths and weaknesses. Individuals who surround her—literary friends, pestering relatives, scoundrels—are similarly well depicted. Through lyrical prose and insightful dialogue, the author charts Mary’s determined struggle to support herself through writing while maintaining her independence, surviving scandal, and overcoming self-doubt. The reader is immersed in daily life in late eighteenth century England, revolutionary France, and mercantile Scandinavia, and the politics of the age are explored with accuracy and finesse. This champion and firm believer in the equal worth and equal rights of men and women could not have asked for a finer or more compelling version of her life and achievements.”
—Margaret Porter, Award-winning Best-selling Author, The Myrtle Wand and Beautiful Invention
“A tour de force. Solitary Walker brought me totally inside the heart and mind of the extraordinary 18th century feminist icon Mary Wollstonecraft. I wept at the end. Mastro’s meticulous research brings to life a heartbreaking tale of a brilliant mind who challenged societal norms. Her writing captures the personal anguish and utter betrayal of a broken heart. An unputdownable novel and more.”
—Joan Fernandez, author of Saving Vincent, A Novel of Jo van Gogh.
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“N. J. Mastro writes with tender compassion as she plunges the depths of the complex and often conflicted inner life of the world’s first feminist, Mary Wollstonecraft. Using a multi-hued palette of historical details, Mastro paints a beautiful portrait of one of history’s earliest female political writers. Highly recommended.”
—Debra Borchert, Author Her Own War, Book three of the Château de Verzat series
“In Solitary Walker, N.J. Mastro presents the remarkable life of a woman of extraordinary courage, stubbornness, and fortitude. Everyday domestic life in 1790s England, the perils of the Terror in revolutionary France, and the rigors of travel in Scandinavia are all rendered in convincing detail. Especially compelling is Mastro’s imaginative rendering of the inner life of Mary Wollstonecraft, her choices, tribulations, and moral certainties.”
—Carolyn Korsmeyer, author of Charlotte's Story and Riddle of Spirit and Bone