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`Her present life appeared like the dream of a distempered imagination, or like one of those frightful fictions, in which the wild genius of the poets sometimes delighted. Rreflections brought only regret, and anticipation terror.' Such is the state of mind in which Emily St. Aubuert - the orphaned heroine of Ann Radcliffe's 1794 gothic Classic, The Mysteries of Udolpho - finds herself after Count Montoni, her evil guardian, imprisions her in his gloomy medieval fortress in the Appenines. Terror is the order of the day inside the walls of Udolpho, as Emily struggles against Montoni's rapacious schemes and the threat of her own psychological disintegration. A best-seller in its day and a potent influence on Walpole, Poe, and other writers of eighteenth and nineteenth-century Gothic horror, The Mysteries of Udolpho remains one of the most important works in the history of European fiction. As the same time, with its dream-like plot and hallucinatory rendering of its characters' psychological states, it often seems strangely modern: `permanently avant-garde' in Terry Castle's words, and a profound and fascinating challenge to contemporary readers.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have heard people describe this as 500 pages of boredom with nearly 200 pages of excitement, but thast isn't really true. After the success of her previous novel Ann Radcliffe was paid a whopping £500 for this, which is her largest novel, and is nowadays her most famous, mainly due to its being mentioned in Northanger Abbey.
It could be argued that this is too big and baggy, but if it was 'tightened' up it would inevitable lose something. As for its being gothic, like her first novel this is gothic in places, but contains so much more. Apart from the gothic element you have romance, adventure, a thriller, a mystery, some humour, and so much more. There is a supernatural element, but those who know Radcliffe's works will know that apart from her last novel which was published posthumously, all supernatural elements are eventually explained, also there is a locked room mystery here as well. I know that her husband was scared to read this book alone, I don't know however if it was just this novel, or other works of hers as well. Today of course it isn't scary, but with a brilliant use of cliffhangers and other hooks this is something that is full of suspense, and is fun to read. Ultimately this novel cannot be explained fully enough to do it justice, which is one of the things that have kept people coming back to it time and time again. The narrative pace is a bit slow in places, and also there is quite a lot of poetry here, but don't let that put you off. Currently I am working my way through all Radcliffe's novels, both those I have read before and those that I am coming to for the first time. After reading this you will like me, always have a copy on your bookshelf.
It could be argued that this is too big and baggy, but if it was 'tightened' up it would inevitable lose something. As for its being gothic, like her first novel this is gothic in places, but contains so much more. Apart from the gothic element you have romance, adventure, a thriller, a mystery, some humour, and so much more. There is a supernatural element, but those who know Radcliffe's works will know that apart from her last novel which was published posthumously, all supernatural elements are eventually explained, also there is a locked room mystery here as well. I know that her husband was scared to read this book alone, I don't know however if it was just this novel, or other works of hers as well. Today of course it isn't scary, but with a brilliant use of cliffhangers and other hooks this is something that is full of suspense, and is fun to read. Ultimately this novel cannot be explained fully enough to do it justice, which is one of the things that have kept people coming back to it time and time again. The narrative pace is a bit slow in places, and also there is quite a lot of poetry here, but don't let that put you off. Currently I am working my way through all Radcliffe's novels, both those I have read before and those that I am coming to for the first time. After reading this you will like me, always have a copy on your bookshelf.
22 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Well...I can't speak for everyone (e.g. a lot of my male classmates did not like this book), but I LOVE this book! It is now one of my favorites, even though it is very long and is not the kind of book that you can finish in just two days. I thought it was amazing, and of the early gothic literature classics, this is definitely my favourite. Swooning heroines...desperate heroes...midnight graveyard visits...flitting bats in half-crumbled castles...sublime voyages through the countryside...villainous rich men...this is the story of my life! (just kidding) ;) But really, it is a very good book...perfect on a cold night with a hot cup of chocolate! (and it's not scary, although it might have been scary in 1794) Happy reading!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I enjoy reading classic novels and this one was good; but, if you're not into long descriptive passages and at times, slowly paced storyline, this book isn't for you. It was given to me as a present and I delayed reading it for some time as it was such a long book. It provides insight of the woman's role in aristocratic society of the day not only for the young girl but also the married woman who must follow her husband's bidding and travels. In some ways, Radcliffe has a very modern take on the beauties of nature and its preference to human society. So there are wonderful descriptions of the mountain scenery of the Pyrenees and the Italian countryside around Udolpho. There are numerous references to ghosts as befits a gothic tale. I was frustrated by the overly dramatic response of the heroine who faints on a frequent basis but at other times, appears quite tough and endures frightening experiences but perhaps such is the nature of this type of fiction.The storyline is actually quite strong and keeps the reader engaged; all the loose ends are tied up with clear explanations of the ghostly phenomena although I thought this made the plot rather unbelievable in the end. But, this was never meant to be anything like real life!
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