A tale of privileged and entitled people on an indulgent trip in Italy - the fact that they are famous characters from literary history doesn’t make them any more likeable. The premise is interesting but the writing jumps about and I found it hard to follow the story. Not a book I particularly enjoyed, although it was interesting to learn more about Shelley and his cohorts.

I knew nothing of Claire before this book, and very little about the three other main players, other than they were very famous.
To have her story told as the least famous of the foursome is inspired.
The way all their lives are tangled is messy.
Their artistic temperament makes it dramatic.
An enjoyable telling of a life that had so much happening.

Very good.

Clairmont by Lesley McDowell

1816. A massive volcanic eruption has caused the worst storms that Europe has seen in decades, yet Percy and Mary Shelley have chosen to visit the infamous Lord Byron at his villa on Lake Geneva. It wasn't their idea: Mary's eighteen year old step-sister, Claire Clairmont, insisted.

A wonderful telling of a story I knew nothing about. It held my interest enough to research the history of these people . Fascinating and well researched.

I had to DNF this one. I tried, it was such an interesting premise, but the writing style and jumping about regularly lost me. I wasn't clear who was talking, where we were, and gave up at 16%

Dnf at 50 pages. It’s a shame as the premise was so interesting but unfortunately the writing was clunky and all over the place to where I couldn’t follow what was going on