The Last Man, Mary Shelly

My few criticisms of Mary Shelly's novel 'The Last Man' are: although it was set in late 21st Century nothing in the novel indicated that was so, indeed the major form of travel was by horse and cart and the major form of communication was by letter. Since Mary had a scientific background one might assume she'd be more descriptive of the plague and its symtoms rather than occasionally referring to pallor, fever and body aches. In her favour is her beautiful writing and palpable descriptions of the protagonist's speculations of death and dying and the lonlyness, despair and loss occasioned by the plague that killed all but one. I think this writing demonstrated her own sad feelings of the loss she experienced in her own life. The only aspect to me at least that might relate to science fiction is the idea that a plague, no matter how devastating could kill every living being. I'm glad that I read it even though the beginning pages were a laborious read.