Radcliffe, Ann

The Romance of the Forest (Oxford World's Classics)

Average customer rating:

Short and Sweet
Romance of the English language......
Ann Radcliff's First Success as Gothic Writer; Has Eerie Charms of Gothic, But Is Not Good Enough
Overly Sentimental
A very good read!

The Romance of the Forest (Oxford World's Classics)
Ann Radcliffe
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Mysteries of Udolpho (Penguin Classics)
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ASIN: 0192837133

Book Description

This novel, although not as well-known as Radcliffe's later works, is thought to represent her work at its best. More than just a work of suspense and mystery, it is a work of ideas--a discussion of the contrasts between hedonistic doctrines and a system of education and values.

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He approached, and perceived the Gothic remains of an abbey: it stood on a kind of rude lawn, overshadowed by high and spreading trees, which seemed coeval with the building, and diffused a romantic gloom around. The greater part of the pile appeared to be sinking into ruins, and that, which had withstood the ravages of time, shewed the remaining features of the fabric more awful in decay. The lofty battlements, thickly enwreathed with ivy, were half demolished, and become the residence of birds of prey. Huge fragments of the eastern tower, which was almost demolished, lay scattered amid the high grass, that waved slowly to the breeze.

Customer Reviews:

Short and Sweet.......2007-01-09

The Mysteries of Udolpho is the best of the Radcliffe books, but I give this one 5 stars because it is still a very good read!

Romance of the English language.............2005-11-12

I didn't love this book with the fervent devotion I love her Mysteries of Udolpho or The Italian, you can tell it was one of her first. Radcliffe's writing improved immensely. I wouldn't start out with this book, read Mysteries of Udolpho first!

I am a die hard fan of Radcliffe's, this is another excellent and grand novel.

Ann Radcliff's First Success as Gothic Writer; Has Eerie Charms of Gothic, But Is Not Good Enough.......2005-10-15

Today Ann Radcliff is known for two thrilling Gothic novels -- 'Mysteries of Udolpho' (1794) and 'The Italian' (1797) -- but her talent was first recognized by 'The Romance of the Forest' (1791). 'The Romance' is now obscured by the more famous works, but can still offer some thrills common in the 18th-century Gothic world in its own way.

The narrative of 'Romance' is typically set in Roman Catholic Europe, and we see a family -- La Motte and his wife -- fleeing from Paris for debt. In the middle of the deep forest, La Motte is caught by the banditti (so he thinks). But the latter would not demand money; the ruffian instead brings a young, innocent girl Adeline, and places her under the protection of the family.

The episode above is just a beginning. Next we see La Motte et al. keep on running, until they decide to settle in a remote ruined abbey in France, of which owner Marquis is away from the estate. The deserted abbey provides them a good hiding place until Adeline realizes that something is wrong with the place -- there are a rusty dagger, a faded manuscript, a trap door, strange bahavior of La Motte, who daily vanishes in the woods, etc. And when finally Marquis arrives there in person, she must face another danger, typically Gothic situation for an innocent lady.

If you have read Radcliff, you find in 'Romance of the Forest' her distict touch here and there, which she was to develop in her later works. Besides the trademark tricks of Gothic fiction (which is to be parodied in 'Northanger Abbey'), we see Radcliff's obsession with the "sublime" landscapes, and her heroine is always allowed to escape from the dangers, only to frequently faint later. Lengthy poems are often quoated to express the sentiment of her and the writer, and the identities of some characters are revealed in the final act in order to solve the problems as rewards for the good.

Though Ann Radcliff has shown considerable skills of presenting thrills, the novel gets weaker in the third (and final) book, in which Adeline has virtually nothing to do. One strange thing is (from the viewpoint of us today, I mean) that portions of the third book are devoted to her travel, far from 'The Forest,' partly written as if it is a book of travel literature. And because of the too many characters rather carelessly introduced, the conclusion suffers from the complex (and often confusing) relations between them. So who is this sinister Marquis after all? Like the ending of 'Oliver Twist' the book explains too hastily, and you need to stop and think a while.

Good as it is, generally 'Romance of the Forest' is not regarded as Ann Radcliff's best, and probably it remains so in the future. And it even ceases to be a Gothic novel in the fianl section, in which the heroine, who should be in distress trapped in the distant castle somewhere in the Alps, leaves the dark forest far behind, and is allowed to look at the sunset in the sea and read a poem.or two. So if you want a genuinely Gothic version of Radcliff's novels, you should read 'The Italian' first.

Overly Sentimental.......2005-09-16

This book, which has decent plotline and some surprisingly twists and turns, ends up leaving a bitter taste in one's mouth after a while. The main protagonist Adeline cries almost every page she is one(not an exaggeration, she really almost cries on EVERY page). Also, though the coincidences and twists are sometimes very well-done and clever, they are so overused by the finale to become tedious and annoying. You begin to wonder how anyone could marry anyone since EVERYONE in France seems to be someone's long lost cousin or uncle. If you've read any of Edmund Burke's lengthly writings of the sublime, you will see it all over this book and it is about half of the endnotes. It is understandable why this was popular in its day but also will not appeal to a modern audience who will be far more critical of the female's over the top self pity. A great read for those who love the genre and a pain to read for everyone else, read Romance of the Forest only if you're willing to accept more instances of crying than there are pages in the whole book.

A very good read!.......2003-09-07

I enjoyed this book. It seemed a bit slow to get going but when it did, I couldn't put it down. When I got to the high point of the story I was anxious to read on and find out what the fate of poor Adeline would be.(The suspense kept me going).
I don' want to give the plot away but, while reading this book I enjoyed the story about the La Motte family. If you like suspense and a bit of turmoil and agony that goes with a gothic tale then read this book! You'll wonder why you didn't read it before.
I gave this book 4 stars because some of the text has typos but otherwise well worth the effort.

The Mysteries of Udolpho (Oxford World's Classics)

Average customer rating:

Long and boring.
The Mysteries of Udolpho: real and imagined
pleasantly surprised
Radcliffe: The Magic Still Works
well written but dull, dull, dull

The Mysteries of Udolpho (Oxford World's Classics)
Ann Radcliffe
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0192825232

Book Description

`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 Sade, Poe, and other purveyors 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.

Customer Reviews:

Long and boring........2007-04-22

Far from a classic. Not a total waste of time but close enough.

The Mysteries of Udolpho: real and imagined.......2007-04-20

On one level, this novel defies categorisation. Yes, the Gothic web of mystery and intrigue is obvious. And so too are the beautiful descriptions of nature, the struggle between good and evil, the noble acts of heroism and the ignoble acts of greed.

Anne Radcliffe has taken all of these components and distilled an imaginative creation that still, some 213 years after publication, catches the imagination of the reader. If you do choose to read this glorious novel, make sure that you are prepared for a pace which relies more on descriptive prose and less on implied actions. Set aside the time to immerse yourself in the setting and enjoy the journey.

This is not a novel to be rushed, it is a novel to be savoured.

Ann Radcliffe was 30 years old the year this novel was published. What an accomplished and imaginative young woman she must have been.

Highly recommended.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

pleasantly surprised.......2006-11-21

I read this because of a reference in one of Jane Austen's novels. I never thought I'd like it as much as I did. The beginning does seem boring and overdrawn, but I'm glad I continued to read because this book is a gem. There is continuous action, intriguing coincidences, and a sweet love story besides. If you have any interest in Gothic novels or love stories you will like this book.

Radcliffe: The Magic Still Works.......2006-08-21

THE MYSTERIES OF UDOLPHO by Ann Radcliffe is an important transition work between an age that prized reason over emotion and a succeeding age that believed in the reverse. Radcliffe's book is not much read today and that is a shame since the feelings of dread that it raised at the end the 18th century can still be felt by contemporary readers. This book is a Gothic thriller, the literary ancestor of Austen's NORTHANGER ABBEY, of Poe's Tales of Terror, and of today just about anything by Steven King.

When THE MYSTERIES OF UDOLPHO was first published in 1794, the Age of Reason was slowly coming to a creaking end. An English populace that was becoming increasingly mercantile and literate was growing tired of a relentless urging to approach life with the clinical detachment of Star Trek's Mr. Spock. They began to demand a literature that in the words of Jane Austen would provide a sensibility over sense. The initial glimmerings of this discontent were met by the writers of sensibility who insisted that their heroines, usually well-born females, would swoon, cry, and weep at the drop of a hat. Radcliffe carried this to the next logical level. She was one of the first writers of the Gothic genre. Here, the female swooner of the novel of sensibility would place herself in a gloomy castle with creaking doors, clanking chains, and secret rooms of a mad monk who would hold her captive for reasons that were then only delicately hinted at as sensual but today we recognize as pretty weird psycho-sexual matters.

The plot of THE MYSTERIES OF UDOLPHO is a hook upon which Radcliffe wrote a harrowing tale that was an instant best-seller. Young Emily St. Aubert and her mother are made prisoners in the castle of the evil Italian Montoni, who married her mother solely to inherit her money and then killed her and planned to force her to marry another. The English reading public flocked to buy this novel because of its novel use of the fear that was engendered by the very thought of a proper English lady being imprisoned in a creepy and sinister castle by a mad Italian. They were further intrigued by the lavish descriptions of natural scenery, all of which were larded with a sense of panorama that was lacking in their restricted lives. Finally, when Emily had her startling dreams, Radcliffe's readers responded to their subtle sexual symbolism that they found endlessly intriguing.

THE MYSTERIES OF UDOLPHO has its faults that seem more egregious to modern audiences. Her style varies little from chapter to chapter. Her use of scenery as an overused prop can pall. Finally, Radcliffe has been accused with some accuracy as selling a sizzle without the steak in that at the story's end, she has contrived a perfectly natural and rational explanation for each of the book's spooky events. Still, the power of the tale to drag the reader into the deepest recesses of a dark and dank cage that is matched only by the equally grim recesses of the human mind is yet quite sufficient to raise the hackles on the back of that reader's neck. Only the best scary books can continue to do that century after century.

well written but dull, dull, dull.......2006-08-16

The Mysteries of Udolpho is beautifully written. Ann Radcliffe writes page after page, after page...of picturesque descriptions of Italy and France's countryside.
That being said, I found The Mysteries of Udolpho to be long winded and drawn out. The first two volumes are rather mind-numbing and I skimmed over much of it. I never felt a connection towards Emily and felt rather indifferent towards her well being. I found her to be rather insipid and became tired of her constant fits of weeping and fainting. Her servant, Annette, was more intriguing than Emily and her pathetic weakness.
I would personally recommend skipping The Mysteries of Udolpho to read Sheridan Le Fanu's novel Uncle Silas. Young Maud finds herself in similiar circumstances but approaches them with not only grace and sweetnss but a strength that she "finds from a place unknown" to herself. You will cheer for Maud in a way that seems impossible to do for Emily.

Average customer rating:

Another beauty by my favourite author......
Perfect!
Your's in the ranks of death
great classic - gothic romance
HEY GOTH MAN

The Italian (Penguin Classics)
Ann Radcliffe
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Monk (Penguin Classics)

ASIN: 0140437541
Release Date: 2001-01-30

Book Description

The haughty, manipulative Marchesa, determined to thwart the romance between her son, the young Neapolitan nobleman Vincentio di Vivaldi, and Elena di Rosalba, has enlisted the help of the villainous, scheming monk, Schedoni. With a livid paleness of face and a melancholy eye, whose brooding presence dominates the novel, Schedoni has become an archetype of Romantic literature. Set in the mid-eighteenth century against the dramatic, lush backdrop of the Bay of Naples, The Italian is a tale of passion, deceit, abduction, and the horrors of the Inquisition.

In one of the most powerful Gothic tales ever written, Mrs. Radcliffe, the unrivalled master of the genre, skillfully combines traditional elements of danger, romance, and the supernatural with her abiding interest in history and considerable ability to paint poetic images of sublime landscape. In the introduction, Robert Miles examines the novel's literary and historical context.

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The haughty, manipulative Marchesa, determined to thwart the romance between her son, the young Neapolitan nobleman Vincentio di Vivaldi, and Elena di Rosalba, has enlisted the help of the villainous, scheming monk, Schedoni. With a livid paleness of face and a melancholy eye, whose brooding presence dominates the novel, Schedoni has become an archetype of Romantic literature. Set in the mid-eighteenth century against the dramatic, lush backdrop of the Bay of Naples, The Italian is a tale of passion, deceit, abduction, and the horrors of the Inquisition. In one of the most powerful Gothic tales ever written, Mrs. Radcliffe, the unrivalled master of the genre, skillfully combines traditional elements of danger, romance, and the supernatural with her abiding interest in history and considerable ability to paint poetic images of sublime landscape.

Customer Reviews:

Another beauty by my favourite author.............2005-11-12

I have a particular love for Mysteries of Udolpho, but The Italian is another wonderful book. I read it in one day, and couldn't put it down. The only sad part about it, is there is so few books of hers to read!

A must read for gothic literature!

Perfect!.......2005-09-12

Timely delivery...and I saved money by buying here than at the campus book store!

Your's in the ranks of death.......2005-05-22

I discovered Ann Radcliffe's 'The Italian', like another reviewer, after having read 'The Monk'. And while I had hoped for another similarly twisting, winding, gothic thriller, this was not the case with 'The Italian'.

The opening pages seem to purport the reveal of the tale of the Black Penitents, as the story opens with a group of travelers seeing a shadowy, diabolical figure lurking in the shadows of a church.

But what follows is more of a tale of 'star-crossed lovers', leaning a bit more toward Romeo and Juliette. Vivaldi, the hero of this tale, pursues the affections of the orphaned Ellena Di Rosalba, much to the chagrin of his mother, the Marchesa Vivaldi. She employs the aide of her confessor, Father Schedoni, to separate the young lovers.

Ellena is spirited away to a convent, which Vivaldi breaks her out of, and here the tale becomes at least a bit more complex, as Vivaldi is subsequently imprisoned for his actions; as Ellena is marked for death in her new surroundings; and the Marchesa struggles to keep them forever apart.

In comparison to 'The Monk', which you find in Amazon's list of 'people who read this book also read' listing...this tale is in no way as dark, gothic, or 'thrilling' a read. Though enjoyable, the story doesn't fit the opening pages and the foreshadowing of the 'diabolical figure' seeking refuge in the church to avoid death, the mysterious 'Black Penitents' named...or any of the intrigue with which the book opens.

Still, in comparison to modern 'thrillers'; this book is paced well, plotted nicely, and comes to a logical conclusion. While I did not find the story I anticipated, it is still worth a read.

great classic - gothic romance.......2005-03-12

I had never heard of Ann Radcliffe until I read Northanger Abbey by Jane Austin. Northanger Abbey is a paraody that "makes fun" of the gothic type novels that were popular at that time. Ann Radcliffe and some of her writings are mentioned by name in Northanger Abbey. So...off I went to find out more about Ann and get one her novels.

Ann was really the first gothic writer and set the scene for the other gothic writers that followed her in the late 1700's and early 1800's. Another reviewer accuses her of copying the novel The Monk - but it is actually the opposite. The author of The Monk copied her!

Anyhow...I loved this book! Vivaldi and Ellena fall in love but Vivaldi's mother is against the match because Ellena is not from a "proper" family. The mother and a monk initiate a plot to keep them from marrying each other. I don't want to say much more, because there are so many interesting plot twists that I don't want to give anything away. It is a great story line that keeps you guessing. There is romance, suspense, mystery, intrigue, evil villians, evil plots, creepy landscapes, and more!

It is a long book that took me several weeks to read but was more than worth my time!

HEY GOTH MAN.......2003-04-06

First published in 1797, this was the culmination of Ann Radcliffe's writing career. She was seen as the darling of the Gothic mode, which we would probably put into the genre of "thrillers" or "horror". All the appropriate dungeons are here, the hint of demonic influence, the seperation of star-struck lovers, revenge, the searching of dark ruins, and the diabolical and angelic facets of the Church. Radcliffe does go deeper than that though through her paced plotting and and the limited use of sentimentality that destroyed so much of writing back then. The gothic novel would run out its course eventually, but had a great effect on the talent of its day. Keats, Byron, and Shelley all owe at least some of their subject matter and modes of expression to Radcliffe.

Well, back to the novel itself. The story opens in the year 1764 in Naples, Italy as a group of English tourists are visiting a church. They notice a diabolical looking man who they are informed can never leave the safety of the church walls because he is an assasin. The place is his last sanctuary from those who wish to kill him. Of course the group asks to hear the tale of the assasin and The Italian begins.

The story opens as a young nobleman named Vincentio di Vivaldi spots the beautiful but common Ellena Rosalba during church service and falls in love with her. From this Dantesque beginning we are led into a Romeo and Juliet scenario in which Vivaldi begins to woo her without the approval of his parents. Then we have the apperance of a cowled priest who appears to warn Vivaldi of future events before they happen. Vivaldi chases him a couple of times but all he ever finds is thin air. As the book continues, Vivaldi's mother will stop at nothing to keep her son from marrying his one true love.

I didn't have too much hope that I would like this book when I picked it up, having given up on reading a similar work called Melmoth the Wanderer by Charles Maturin. I was very impressed with Radcliffe though. She stayed away from sentimentality and none of the characters was a caricature. They all seemed like deeply drawn personalities. The book had a real modern feel to it, probably because she modeled her stuff on Shakespeare, the most advanced writer of any age. The "thriller" aspects were quite good too. I found myself desperately wanting to turn the page before I had even read it to know what would happen next. Ann is a writer I will go back to and read again.

A Sicilian Romance (Oxford World's Classics)
Average customer rating:

A good start for an author who will just get better...

Mrs. Radcliffe and Monk Lewis

Messy Gothic

Not a great gothic novel.

A Sicilian Romance (Oxford World's Classics)
Ann Radcliffe
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Romance of the Forest (Oxford World's Classics)

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The Monk (Oxford World's Classics)

ASIN: 0192836668

Book Description

In A Sicilian Romance (1790) Radcliffe began to forge the unique mixture of the psychology of terror and poetic description that would make her the great exemplar of the Gothic nove, and the idol of the Romantics. This early novel explores the cavernous landscapes and labyrinthine passages of Sicily's castles and covents to reveal the shameful secrets of its all-powerful aristocracy. Julia and Emilia Mazzini live secluded in an ancient mansion near the Straits of Messina. After their father's return to the island a neglected part of the house is haunted by a series of mysterious sights and sounds. The origin of these hauntings is only discovered after a series of breathless pursuits through dreamlike pastoral landscapes. When revelation finally comes, it forces the heroines to challenge the united forces of religious and patriarchal authority.

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Having ceased to sing, her fingers wandered over the lute in melancholy symphony, and for some moments she remained lost in the sweet sensations which the music and the scenery had inspired. She was awakened from her reverie, by a sigh that stole from among the trees, and directing her eyes whence it came, beheld--Hippolitus! A thousand sweet and mingled emotions pressed upon her heart, yet she scarcely dared to trust the evidence of sight.

Customer Reviews:

A good start for an author who will just get better..........2001-07-27

My favourite novel of Ann Radcliffe's is The Mysteries of Udolpho, but I think A Sicilian Romance is a promise of what Mrs. Radcliffe will be able to accomplish in her later books. For Ann Radcliffe and Gothic romance fans, this novel is a must because it plays on all of the classic themes of the genre. This is also great escapist reading to a world very much unlike our own. Radcliffe's heroines and heroes do suffer greatly and go through some extraordinary (perhaps sometimes unbelievable) events, but I find it thoroughly enjoyable to read about their adventures as I am a true romantic at heart. It's good to read about a world where when virtuous people are put through struggles at the hands of villians, the heroines and heroes are able to triumph.

Mrs. Radcliffe and Monk Lewis.......2001-07-27

I've read all of Mrs. Radcliffe's novels, except for her last one. I must admit that this novel is not as good as The Mysteries of Udolpho. But I think when reading this novel it's important to keep in mind why Ann Radcliffe wrote it in the first place.

It's impossible to appreciate Ann Radcliffe's intentions in writing this book and the complexities of The Italian without having first read Matthew "Monk" Lewis' The Monk. Lewis was so inspired by The Mysteries of Udolpho that he wrote The Monk, which has characters engaging in activities that are horrifying. (Lewis became so identified with his book that he was nicknamed Monk Lewis.) Mrs. Radcliffe was very upset that Lewis was inspired by her book to write his. In response to The Monk, Mrs. Radcliffe wrote The Italian. Mrs. Radcliffe "corrected" in The Italian what she felt was wrong and horrifying about The Monk.

For anyone who finds The Italian lacking at all, I highly recommend he or she read The Monk to gain a better understanding of what Ann Radcliffe was trying to accomplish. And for anyone who has not read The Italian yet, read The Monk first- then I'm sure you will find The Italian a much more enjoyable read.

Messy Gothic.......2000-12-01

Ruined castles, secret passages, evil plotting nobles, things going bump in the night - it's all there. Even the heroines faint every six pages (what was it about females in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries - why did they faint at such regular intervals??! - Only joking). This is a book which promised much - the first thirty pages were fairly tedious, designed to set up the characters and plot for the rest of the novel. After that, the story did pick up pace, only to fall apart amid a welter of outrageous coincidences (one does expect this in eighteenth and nineteenth century literature, but this was taking things much too far, to the point where one either became irritated beyond endurance, or as I did, treat it as funny). The main protagonists spend most of the novel chasing each other around various parts of Sicily, discovering long-lost or supposedly deceased relatives and lovers. The book has not put me off reading more of Ann Radcliffe's work, on the basis that this was an early novel: it certainly reads as such. I hope there is better to come.

Not a great gothic novel........1999-04-15

This is the first book I have read by Radcliffe, and only the second gothic novel I have read. It is, by all standards of style and method, a gothic novel--so I doubt there is any need to elaborate on the moods, the romanticized environmental settings, or the literary devices found in the novel. As far as the writing itself goes, it becomes clear that the author is a very young and relatively inexperienced writer. The two major flaws of the novel that bothered me the most are: 1.) There is a great deal of redundancy in how the events unfold. For example, several times various characters would find themselves lost in the woods, suddenly see a faint light in the distance, follow the light, then find themselves in a perilous situation, only to escape by a similar means. This type of formulated plot was prevalent throughout the entire novel. 2.) Radcliffe seldom utilized transitional phrases. Often, paragraphs would shift from one location or person to another location or person with no transitional phrases such as "meanwhile", or "back at the castle", etc. The next sentence would just be about something different.

In the simplest description, the plot was about a tyrannical, ambitious father who tries to marry off his daughter to regain his social standing and wealth. His daughter, whose heart belongs to another, escapes the castle, and proceeds to experience one perilous adventure after the other. But this is not really what the novel is about. It appears to me that it is more about the difference between men and women. In Radcliffe's world, the majority of men are to some degree corrupt, power-hungry, ruthless, debauched, selfish, insensitive, and tyrannical--and the effect these men have on the persons and environment around them is usually tragic. Even the presence of the few virtuous men in her novel seems to create in the women around them feelings of turmoil and anxiety. Even when they evoke the feelings of love, it is always bitter-sweet and agonizing. When men are present all is awry; violent thunderstorms cloud the sky, and even the natural environments are treacherous, gloomy or desolate. But not so with women! All women but one in this novel are virtuous, pious, demure, pure, innocent, submissive, and noble, and the natural environments that surround them are serene, beautiful, inviting, and sublime-at least until a man arrives. Throughout the novel women are constantly victimized by men, and Radcliffe seems to suggest that only when left to themselves can women be find peace and happiness in this world. Of course, considering the few rights and privileges enjoyed by women during her time (1764-1823), one can hardly blame her.

Overall, I found the book a bit too tedious to really be enjoyable. Reviews site her novel The Mysteries of Udolfo as be her best, though I have not read this one. I would only recommend this book if you are serious about reading all the gothic novels you can get your hands on.

The Castles of Athlin and Dunbayne (Oxford World's Classics)
Average customer rating:

Early Romance

DARK CASTLES AND DISTRESSED DAMSELS!

Short and Sweet

A Good Taste of Radcliffe

The Castles of Athlin and Dunbayne (Oxford World's Classics)
Ann Radcliffe
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0192823574

Book Description

Ann Radcliffe's first novel is set in the Middle Ages against the melancholy beauty of mountains and rugged coasts of the Scottish Highlands, tells the story of the warring clan chieftains of Athlin and Dunbayne. One of the earliest Gothic tales (1789), it recounts low-born Alleyn's quest for love and honour, and alternates scenes of passionate feeling with breakneck pursuits. The castle itself, in all its romantic sublimity, becomes the true focal point of the novel. Long out of print, this edition makes a little-known treasure available to modern readers.

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Anxious to inform the Baroness of his approaching deliverance, to assure her of his best services, to bid adieu to Laura, and to seize the last opportunity he might ever possess of disclosing to her his admiration and his love, the Earl revisited the apartments of the Baroness. She felt a lively pleasure on the prospect of his escape; and Laura, in the joy which animated her on hearing this intelligence, forgot the sorrows of her own situation; forgot that of which her heart soon reminded her--that Osbert was leaving the place of her confinement, and that she should probably see him no more.

Customer Reviews:

Early Romance.......2005-08-15

This book is one of the earliest examples of the romantic novel. The plot was original for its time, though certainly nothing new today. It is completely predictable. Nevertheless, it is interesting as a study of English literature and the development of the novel. This was Radcliffe's first novel, and became the model for many of her later works, as well as the works of many other novel writers.
This book is very plot-driven. The characters are flat, and dialogue or character thought is almost completely non existant. The action in the story leads the text. It also contains the typical hero/heroine relationship; the men, in accordance to the time this book was written, do all the fighting and rescuing, while the women sit at home, unable to do anything but worry and faint.

DARK CASTLES AND DISTRESSED DAMSELS!.......2005-06-14

The Earl of Athlin was betrayed and killed by his envious neighbor Malcolm, the Baron of Dunbayne, 12 years ago. Fearing to endanger her people and the lives of her young children, the Earl's wife, Matilda, has kept out of the way of Malcolm, staying near to her castle and holding back the anger of her subjects. After 12 years, the Earl's son, Osbert, is now 19 years old, and can no longer be held back by his mother. In a surprise attack just as cowardly as that of Malcolm upon his father, he attempts to storm Dunbayne Castle without warning or a declaration of war. Unfortunately, for this overconfident and pompous youth, Malcolm saw it coming, and captures the dumb would-be Earl. Malcolm also has a healthy lust for Osbert's sister, Mary, and demands that she marry him in exchange for her brother's life. Most of the book is concerned with the effort to free Osbert from the Baron's clutches. These attempts are mainly made by the peasant Alleyn, whose bravery and martial skills more than make up for his social standing, well, at least in my eyes.

This short novel has all the devices of the Gothic novel, including dark and gloomy castles, depressed characters, and adventure. But one of the things that stood out to me was the class system which wreaks of injustice. Osbert, the supposed hero of the tale, is always looking down on his best friend, Alleyn, even though his life has been saved by him. He's supposed to be this paragon of virtue and yet he does not think he is good enough for his sister. Everyone has the same blood and this is a good reason that the American and French Revolutions took place. To remind us that we are all created equal. The characters all seemed kind of bumbling and if it wasn't for the fact that they find secret doors of escape in every room they're imprisoned in, or the fact that every guard they encounter kneels before their moral superiority, they wouldn't have got very far. They make the gang in Scooby Doo look deep! You can also see some of the solutions to the mysteries of the novel long before Radcliffe reveals them. It was entertaining though, and she was successful in creating mood and atmosphere, but don't look for anything but a comic book plot here.

Short and Sweet.......2001-01-02

Radcliffe's first novel, a very short and pacy romance set in Scotland. Much of the plot will appear familiar to anyone who has read Walpole's "The Castle of Otranto", but the novel has its own merits in that it holds the reader's attention throughout.

A Good Taste of Radcliffe.......1999-05-11

Interested in a gothic novel but not quite ready to plunge headfirst into "The Mysteries of Udolpho"? Ann Radcliffe's short novel "The Castles of Athlin and Dunbayne", provides the perfect first taste of a gothic novel. I first read Radcliffe after reading Austen's "Northanger Abby", which contains refrences to "Udolpho". I instantly became facinated by her work and have subsequently read most of her novels. Reading Radcliffe is definately an experience worth trying, and I reccomend "The Castles of Athlin and Dunbayne" as an excellent place to start.

One must not judge the gothic novel with the same standards as any work with more literary merit. The plots are trite, the devices are overused, the language is overblown, and the characters are decididly one dimensional. However, this is what is so great about Radcliffe. All of her work is throughly entertaining, highly amusing to a modern reader, and a source of excellent new vocabulary.

"The Castles Of Athlin and Dunbayne" is no exception. It only differs from Radcliffe's other work in two aspects: it is short (slightly over 100 pages), and it is set in Britian, not mainland Europe. Although it is her first novel and does not achieve the same greatness as later works, such as "Udolpho", it is still worth reading. The story centers around Mary, a Scottish nobelwoman, and her love affair with the low-born, but ever honorable Allyn. It contains an astounding number of chases across dark moors, mysterious noises, escapes from dungones, and passionate exchanges of lover's vows for its small size. What makes the novel so amusing and enjoyable is Radcliffe's serious, fervent tone as she earnestly describes the contrived and trite situations in the novel.

I am quite a fan of Radcliffe and admire her greatly for the prescedent she set in the history of fiction. "The Castles of Athlin and Dunbayne" is an entertaing read and a wonderful example of the gothic novel.

The Mysteries of Udolpho (Dover Giant Thrift Editions)
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Castles, and Dungeons and Darkness, Oh my!

Secret Passages, Veiled Portraits, Ruled Passions

The Mysteries of Udolpho (Dover Giant Thrift Editions)
Ann Radcliffe
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Northanger Abbey (Modern Library Classics)

ASIN: 0486440338

Book Description

Trapped in a gloomy medieval fortress, an orphaned heroine battles the devious schemes of her guardians as well as her own pensive visions and melancholy fancies. Generations of readers have thrilled to this famous Gothic tale from 1794 and its hypnotic pre-Freudian exploration of the psyche.

Customer Reviews:

Castles, and Dungeons and Darkness, Oh my!.......2007-01-17

This is a true late eighteenth century book in the sense that it has a leisurely (very leisurely) opening, a great deal of waxing eloquent on the beauties of nature--which are well written, but so frequent that one becomes inured to them--and enough pages to fill up the four volumes that the book originally was published as (over 600 of them).

But there's more--castles, and dungeons and darkness, Oh my! In true Gothic fashion, the book does not disappoint in the gloom and suspense department, and is replete with all the trappings that make for some fun reading. There are plenty of scares and false alarms, and a couple of true horrors, and all is told with taste and style. There are certainly flaws, in the modern sense, of the drawn-out plot, and the fainting heroine routine gets a bit tired; but all in all, a fascinating study of an early novel, and a hero and heroine you root for.

The high moral tone is refreshing though a little too strained; And surprisingly, the sense of being in the late sixteenth century is not as pronounced as one could wish for. (Aside from the castles and the absence of law and order in the land, that is.) More attention could have been given to costume, for instance, instead of just landscape, but the book earns five stars in my opinion for being an immense work that is very readable, even page-turning to a remarkable degree, and has a satisfying denouement. (There are a few elements that stretch plausability, but this is certainly nothing new in fiction; and, given what the author needed to explain at the end, she does a fine job.)

Fans of the novel, of Austen and other nineteenth century authors, will find this book interesting in other ways, too. There are whispers of later works in many of the pages; one can hardly miss that Radcliffe influenced the later writers. In addition, any Regency reader worth her salt should read this book, if only because so many Regency heroines did. This Dover edition is unabridged from the original 1794, and my only niggle with it is that I waited in vain to come upon the scene on the cover of the book, but to no avail. (There are tapestries and curtains hiding fearful discoveries, for sure, but none that exactly correspond to the otherwise fitting and intriguing cover illustration.)

Notwithstanding, my advice is to get the book, and read it. You won't be sorry.

Secret Passages, Veiled Portraits, Ruled Passions.......2006-08-01

Accomplished, refined, and beautiful, our heroine Emily St. Aubert finds herself orphaned, her finances in doubt, and surrounded by uncaring, vacuous, and social climbing relatives. Refusing to marry her true love Valancourt, she accompanies her aunt to Italy. There, they both become the prisoners of the sinister Count Montoni.

His Castle Udolpho has all the stock trappings of the Gothic: the medieval architecture, the heavy tapesteries, the veiled and oddly familiar portraits, requisite secret passages, horrible sights in the dungeons, mysterious apparitions, hinted murders, and ghostly voices. Through it all, Emily finds time to write a fair amount of poetry. (It's not for nothing the novel's subtitle is "A Romance Interspersed with Some Pieces of Poetry".)

Radcliffe was one of the most influential Gothic writers, and this 1794 work is generally regarded as her best.

Is it worth reading today solely on its own merits? Not quite. Radcliffe's story is too long, her reveries over landscape wearisome. There is a flavor of earnest moral instruction as Emily not only struggles to master her emotions, but Radcliffe, in her contrived solutions to supernatural mysteries, is intent on stamping out the unreasonableness of superstition.

Yet, there is not just great sentiment but psychological insight too. And the ending is surprising despite the inevitable familiarity of many of the stories trappings.

Matthew Lewis _The Monk_ is much more fun, a distillation of much of Radcliffe's images and tropes into a delightfully lurid and supernatural plot. (To extend Stephen King's metaphor that the first Gothic novel, Horace Walpole's _The Castle of Otranto_ was the genre's Elvis Presley and Lewis' novel its Sex Pistols, one is tempted to say this is its prog rock.) But students of the genre and the novel in general will want to read one of the most popular Gothics and study Radcliffe's technique -- including her somewhat clumsy backstory passages.

Finally, it would be a mistake to leave the impression this is just a novel of fear and anxiety. The love between Valancourt and Emily makes this a romance in every sense of the word.

The Italian: Or the Confessional of the Black Penitents; A Romance (Oxford World's Classics)

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This Italian, by Ann Radcliffe
So Many Turns of Events!
A Difficult Read
Gothic Romance at its Best
The "Queen of the Gothic Novel"

The Italian: Or the Confessional of the Black Penitents; A Romance (Oxford World's Classics)
Ann Radcliffe
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0192832549

Book Description

`His figure was striking, but not so from grace ... and as he stalked along, wrapt in the black garments of his order, there was something terrible in its air; something almost super-human.' First published in 1797, The Italian is one of the finest examples of Gothic romance. The fast-paced, narrative centres on Ann Radcliffe's most brilliant creation, the sinister monk Schedoni, whose past is shrouded in mystery. From the novel's opening chapters the reader is ushered into a shadowy world in which crime and religion are mingled. In the church of Santa Maria del Pianto in Naples, Ellena Rosalba and Vincentio di Vivaldi first meet; but their love is ill-omened. Leagued against them are the proud and ambitious Marchese di Vivaldi and her confessor Father Schedoni. When Ellena vanishes on the death of her guardian, Vivaldi sets out in pursuit of her across the mountainous regions of southern Italy before himself falling prey to the Holy Inquisition. This revised and expanded edition explores the novel in the context of British attitudes to Italy and Roman Catholicism in the late eighteenth century with close attention to the novel's style and form.

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Vincentio di Vivaldi was the only son of the Marchese di Vivaldi, a nobleman of one of the most ancient families of the kingdom of Naples, a favourite possessing an uncommon share of influence at Court, and a man still higher in power than in rank. His pride of birth was equal to either, but it was mingled with the justifiable pride of a principled mind; it governed his conduct in morals as well as in the jealousy of ceremonial distinctions, and elevated his practice as well as his claims. His pride was at once his vice and his virtue, his safeguard and his weakness.

Customer Reviews:

This Italian, by Ann Radcliffe.......2007-01-03

This book is a very intelligent and well written book.

So Many Turns of Events!.......2002-08-06

The Italian was Radcliffe's last novel. It is about a nobleman who falls in love with a woman whose identity is unknown to herself and the reader throughout her sufferings. She is oppressed by many people in whose hands she falls as she is snatched away from the nobleman Vivaldi to prevent their marriage. Like all of Radcliffe's heroines, her character is marked by an amazing fortitude despite the horrifying things to which she is frequently subjected. Vivaldi faces the powers of the Inquisition and Radcliffe gives the reader some idea of their dealings with offenders and their ways of making prisoners "confess." There are many turns of events which are delightful until another perilous event disappoints and grieves the reader. This is certainly what most reviewers call a page-turner. The sentiments are by no means modern. For a reader who is looking for modern unrestrained "romance," none of Radcliffe's novels is a good choice. Her stories are for true romantics.

A Difficult Read.......2001-08-02

I found "The Italian" to be less satisfying, more lurid, more obscure, and harder going than "Romance of the Forest." The plot moves slowly and the punctuation of this edition was a definite impediment for me. The decadent qualities, atmosphere of depravity, and character style were intentional, I realize, but I found this book to be mired in its genre, cardboard in character development, and unrewarding. I enjoyed the similar "Uncle Silas" far more.

Gothic Romance at its Best.......2000-07-14

Let it first be said that Lewis's "The Monk" is heavily influenced by Radcliffe. Reading "The Monk" first would throw the reader off the track. This novel is an excellent selection from the genre of Gothic novel, and is indeed a masterpiece. The Gothic novel had a great impact on Romanticism, and on the literature of the absurd. Overall, an enjoyable read!

The "Queen of the Gothic Novel".......1998-10-26

This is one of Radcliffe's two best novels, the other being "The Mysteries of Udolpho". A little excursion into literary history will clear up the confusion of the reviewer who feels that Radcliffe copied Lewis' "The Monk". If any copying was done, it was the other way around. At the time Lewis began writing, Radcliffe was the top Gothic novelist, and one of the most popular authors of any genre. Lewis, himself, stated that he was inspired to write "The Monk" after reading "Udolpho". (In fact, Radcliffe's mastery of the gothic influenced such poets as Byron and Keats, who called her "mother Radcliffe" for her legacy, and many other writers of her day and far beyond.) Among her major influences were Shakespeare, Milton, and Walpole, who basically founded the gothic novel. But Radcliffe took it to a new and higher level than Walpole, and Lewis took off from Radcliffe's new elevation, and went in another, though not necessarily higher, direction. Having read both "The Italian" and "The Monk" (my copies rest amiably next to one another on the shelf), I would say they are BOTH very much worth reading (as is "Udolpho"). Reading "Udolpho" first, and then "The Monk", will demonstrate how much Lewis drew his inspiration from the master. Reading "The Italian" will show that master at once at the peak and, unfortunately, the close of her literary career.

Gaston de Blondeville (Valancourt Classics)

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The only Radcliffe novel with a real ghost!

Gaston de Blondeville (Valancourt Classics)
Ann Radcliffe
Manufacturer: Valancourt Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 097778410X

Book Description

King Henry III is holding court at Kenilworth. Festivities abound, wine flows copiously, and spirits are high as the King and his subjects prepare to celebrate the nuptials of Sir Gaston de Blondeville. But the joyous mood is interrupted when a merchant, Hugh Woodreeve, comes distraught before the King to demand justice. His kinsman, he claims, was murdered, by the very man the King has come to honour -- Gaston de Blondeville! Suspecting a conspiracy against Gaston, yet obliged to hold a trial to determine the truth of the allegations, Henry imprisons Woodreeve in a tower while awaiting a hearing. Meanwhile, sinister forces are at work, represented by an evil abbot, who will stop at nothing to ensure the truth behind Woodreeve's claims is never revealed. As the trial unfolds and the danger mounts for both Woodreeve and Gaston, a mysterious figure will come from beyond the grave to elucidate the horrible mystery! The only one of Radcliffe's novels to feature a real ghost, Gaston de Blondeville was published posthumously in 1826. This edition, the first-ever scholarly edition of the novel, features a new introduction by Frances Chiu, uncoding the novel's long-hidden political, historical, and religious contexts. A wealth of supplementary materials, including excerpts from other primary texts and the complete text of contemporary reviews, is also provided to enhance modern readers' understanding of the novel's themes.

Customer Reviews:

The only Radcliffe novel with a real ghost!.......2006-06-02

I am with the publisher, Valancourt Books, and wanted to post this description from the book's back cover, since Amazon has not done so:

King Henry III is holding court at Kenilworth. Festivities abound, wine flows copiously, and spirits are high as the King and his subjects prepare to celebrate the nuptials of Sir Gaston de Blondeville. But the joyous mood is interrupted when a merchant, Hugh Woodreeve, comes distraught before the King to demand justice. His kinsman, he claims, was murdered, by the very man the King has come to honour -- Gaston de Blondeville!
Suspecting a conspiracy against Gaston, yet obliged to hold a trial to determine the truth of the allegations, Henry imprisons Woodreeve in a tower while awaiting a hearing. Meanwhile, sinister forces are at work, represented by an evil abbot, who will stop at nothing to ensure the truth behind Woodreeve's claims is never revealed.
As the trial unfolds and the danger mounts for both Woodreeve and Gaston, a mysterious figure will come from beyond the grave to elucidate the horrible mystery!
The only one of Radcliffe's novels to feature a real ghost, Gaston de Blondeville was published posthumously in 1826. This edition, the first-ever scholarly edition of the novel, features a new introduction by Frances Chiu, uncoding the novel's long-hidden political, historical, and religious contexts. A wealth of supplementary materials, including excerpts from other primary texts and the complete text of contemporary reviews, is also provided to enhance modern readers' understanding of the novel's themes.

Gothic Classics: Graphic Classics Volume 14 (Graphic Classics (Graphic Novels))

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Gothic Classics: Graphic Classics Volume 14 (Graphic Classics (Graphic Novels))
Ann Radcliffe , Jane Austen , Edgar Allan Poe , J. Sheridan Le Fanu , Myla Jo Closser , Trina Robbins , Rod Lott , Antonella Caputo , Anne Timmons , Shary Flenniken , Carlo Vergara , Lisa K. Weber , and Leong Wan Kok
Manufacturer: Eureka Productions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0978791908

Product Description

Gothic Classics presents Ann Radcliffe's archetypal gothic novel "The Mysteries of Udopho," adapted by Antonella Caputo and Carlo Vergara. Plus: Jane Austen's gothic parody "Northanger Abbey" by Trina Robbins and Anne Timmons; and Poe's "The Oval Portrait" by Malaysian illustrator Leong Wan Kok. Also "At the Gate," a canine ghost story by Myla Jo Closser, illustrated by Shary Flenniken, and J. Sheridan Le Fanu's great vampire tale "Carmilla," by Rod Lott and Lisa K. Weber. With a dramatic cover painting from "Carmilla" by Lisa K. Weber.

Two Gothic Classics by Women: The Italian; Northanger Abbey (Signet Classic)

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This is a very misleading description!

Two Gothic Classics by Women: The Italian; Northanger Abbey (Signet Classic)
Ann Radcliffe , and Jane Austen
Manufacturer: Signet Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451526074

Customer Reviews:

This is a very misleading description!.......1998-08-24

Although it is valid to group these two novels together, I feel that someone should mention that Northanger Abbey is a parody of gothic novels, particularly those of Mrs. Radcliffe. Those expecting a horror story will be disappointed.

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