The Invisible Girl by Mary Shelley — cover

The Invisible Girl

The Invisible Girl is a gothic tale written by Mary Shelley and originally published in 1833.

Located in Wales (United Kingdom), the tale tells the story of a young woman named Rosina, who lives with her guardian, Sir Peter Vernon, and is secretly engaged to Henry, his son.

Sir Peter Vernon finds out about their relationship, flies into a rage and throws Rosina out of the house while Henry is away. He later reconsiders and looks for Rosina, but assumes that she has died since he cannot find her and tells Henry, to whom he breaks his heart.

Both go out to continue the search and the townspeople tell him that there is a ghostly figure that walks through the woods at night, called The Invisible Girl...

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Gothic Fiction Short Story Isolation Love Supernatural Rejection Invisibility

Public domain (US)·No sign-up·DRM-free·Real text, not scans

Pages
17
Reading time
29 minutes
Pace
Intermediate
First published
1832
Language
English
Downloads
2,881

194 years later, still timely

Why Read The Invisible Girl in 2026?

A vanished girl haunts a village’s conscience.

Today's connection

Shelley turns rumor, class, and secrecy into a gothic study of empathy. Who disappears when communities look away—and who chooses to see?

Seeing the unseen

Attention as rescue.

Gothic restraint

Quiet chills, clear stakes.

Judgment & mercy

Reputation put to the test.

Perfect for Fans of Gothic Literature Readers Interested in Early Science Fiction Elements Mary Shelley Enthusiasts

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About the author

Portrait of Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley · 1797–1851

A pioneering imagination about creation, care, and responsibility in the age of making life.

9 books by Mary Shelley in the library →

If this one stays with you…