Discover a new way to read classics with Quick Read.
This Quick Read edition includes both the full text and a summary for each chapter.
- Reading time of the complete text: about 15 hours
- Reading time of the summarized text: 35 minutes
"The Mummy! A Tale of the Twenty-Second Century" is a three-volume novel written by Jane Webb in 1827. The story is set in the year 2126 and revolves around the reanimation of the Egyptian mummy of Cheops. Webb's inspiration for the novel may have stemmed from the fascination with ancient Egypt during the Napoleonic invasion, public mummy unwrappings, and Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein." Unlike other early science fiction works, Webb's novel presents a future with advanced technology, societal, and fashion changes. The protagonist, Edric Montague, lives in a peaceful and Catholic England under the rule of Queen Claudia. The novel also incorporates satirical and humorous elements, and it is considered a feminist work due to Webb's social attitudes. "The Mummy!" received favorable reviews and was published anonymously in three volumes. The author, Jane Webb, later married John Claudius Loudon, who was a reviewer of the novel. The book is available in the public domain.