Reviews

The Monk by Matthew G. Lewis

bookgut's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

gaymoonreader's review against another edition

1.0

This is one of the most misogynistic books I’ve read in quite a few years. It reduces women to conniving, manipulative evil bitches, and I can’t stomach that kind of blatant sexism and misogyny. This book also has a massive trigger warning for sexual assault, rape and date rape. There are explicit scenes of this happening that can and will trigger someone who has experienced those things, speaking from personal experience. This book also has themes of anti Catholicism and is critical of that religion, so keep that in mind. This entire book was basically one misogynist’s acid trip, honestly, and it’s one of the worst books I’ve ever read. I don’t recommend it.

showell's review against another edition

2.0

Rendered nearly senseless by the impact of reading words so breathlessly written, she nonetheless persisted in reviewing a book whose attractions she could not have resisted, had her mind not been steeled by the remembrance of a 1000 other works more artfully written.
----

If you like that sort of writing, go read this book. It's got lots and lots of pages of it.

sebniv's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

mpclemens's review against another edition

3.0

Stuffed full of ghosts, demons, thieves, passion, lust, loves lost and found, murder, guilt, and deception, this book barely slows down. The language is a little dense, and the characters melodramatic as they swoon and scheme and get caught up in various intertwined adventures. What would have scandalized the 18th century reader seems positively tame in the 21st, but as an example of a gothic novel meant to titillate and scare (and take not a few swipes at the church) The Monk delivers.

perjacxis's review against another edition

3.0

I'm not sure how I really feel about this, but I will give it 3 stars for now.

heathbc's review against another edition

4.0

Call the Gypsy's words to mind:
Though He seem so good and kind,
Fair Exteriors oft will hide
Hearts, that swell with lust and pride!
Lovely Maid, with tears I leave you!
Let not my prediction grieve you;
Rather with submission bending
Calmly wait distress impending,
And expect eternal bliss
In a better world than this. (p.17)

Let's just say, the Gypsy's prediction was correct.
When I first started reading The Monk, I was reminded of a YA novel with spicy romance and daring twists. Matthew Lewis supposedly published this novel before he turned 20 so it makes sense. However, by the dark end, there was no trace of that adolescent spirit.

I was surprised to find that The Monk pre-dated Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The titular monk, Ambrosio, makes Frollo look like a mildly-grumpy grandfather in comparison. I mean, just look at this passage from the beginning of the novel. They definitely are made from the same grain.

"'Amazing confidence! What! Shall St. Clare's Convent become the retreat of Prostitutes? Shall I suffer the Church of Christ to cherish in its bosom debauchery and shame? Unworthy Wretch! such lenity would make me your accomplice. Mercy would here be criminal. You have abandoned yourself to a Seducer's lust; You have defiled the sacred habit by your impurity; and still dare you think yourself deserving my compassion? Hence, nor detain me longer! Where is the Lady Prioress?' He added, raising his voice."

Yep, sounds like Frollo and how he speaks to every women he meets.

The main bulk of the novel was exciting and had many moving parts, but it's going to be Chapter V, the extended epilogue, that remains imprinted on my mind. It's there that Lewis pulls no punches. After all, I think Lewis's main purpose in this novel was to show the ugly side of pride and even uglier side of religion. Lorenzo spoke about the church as if he were voicing Lewis' desires directly.

"He longed for the moment destined to unmask the Hypocrites, and convince his Countrymen that a sanctified exterior does not always hide a virtuous heart."(p. 176).

This is one of those universal sentiments that rings true in modern times too.

Continuing with the theme of don't judge a person by their outward appearance, the character of Matilda was fascinating. I loved seeing Matilda's ever-evolving change in speech and appearance. Maybe there wasn't so much change though as there was revealing. At first, I thought

Spoiler

Rosario and Ambrosio were going to be gay lovers

. So I audibly gasped when

Spoiler

Rosario/Matilda said "I am a woman!"

. Personally, I'm deciding that the devil was lying and Matilda was a human woman all along. Her characterization was too good to be swept aside as

Spoiler

just an underling demon

. Ugh. She was so cool. I wish other women could channel this energy when faced with a narcissistic man. Matilda declares,

"'I am no Prostitute, Ambrosio;' Had She told him, when in the fullness of his lust He demanded her favours with more than usual earnestness; 'I am now no more than your Friend, and will not be your Mistress. Cease then to solicit my complying with desires, which insult me. While your heart was mine, I gloried in your embraces: Those happy times are past: My person is become indifferent to you, and 'tis necessity, not love, which makes you seek my enjoyment. I cannot yield to a request so humiliating to my pride.'" (p. 193).

Again, SO COOL.

Robert Egger's movie The Witch has much to owe to Matilda. When Matilda admits that she

Spoiler

sold her soul to the devil

, she declares to Ambrosio,

"Let me then exult in my exchange. I have sold distant and uncertain happiness for present and secure: I have preserved a life which otherwise I had lost in torture; and I have obtained the power of procuring every bliss which can make that life delicious!" (p. 216).

My favorite part of The Witch is when the goat tempts "Wouldst though like to live deliciously?" So yes, Matilda is the coolest witch I've ever read about. I thought it was hilarious when she basically told Ambrosio he wasn't strong-willed enough to conjure up demons. As she fully gave into her liberated evil, Ambrosio looked pitifully weak in comparison. There's just something about Matilda that makes her so much more interesting of a character. She is stronger than the Monk, even if it means she's more evil. She's resolute in her actions and as a reader that was something I could respect. Matilda went all in. If she was going to descend, she was going to own it and descend deeply. There was nothing so majestic in Ambrosio.

With Matilda's straightforward declarations as a foil, Ambrosio was laughable in his every attempt to blame his actions on the women around him such as in the following quote. "'Dangerous Woman!' said He; 'Into what an abyss of misery have you plunged me! (p. 113). Lewis made it obvious that Ambrosio's logic was ridiculous. At the end when Ambrosia calls Matilda "Wretched Woman..." she replies, "Weak Man..." and then dominates him with a devil-may-care monologue. Based on how he characterized Matilda as just as capable if not more so than any man in her studies, Lewis came across as a feminist to me.

A lot of reviews mention that The Monk is one of the earlier gothic novels. Out of the four gothic novels I've read, I would rank it at the top. I LOVED the eerie atmosphere in some of the scenes. I mean, just look at this passage.

"While I sat upon a broken ridge of the Hill, the stillness of the scene inspired me with melancholy ideas not altogether unpleasing. The Castle which stood full in my sight, formed an object equally awful and picturesque. Its ponderous Walls tinged by the moon with solemn brightness, its old and partly-ruined Towers lifting themselves into the clouds and seeming to frown on the plains around them, its lofty battlements oergrown with ivy, and folding Gates expanding in honour of the Visionary Inhabitant, made me sensible of a sad and reverential horror." (p. 77).

The image that will stick with me for a long time is the cover illustration of the Penguin Classics edition. My jaw dropped when I finally read the line that infers that ghastly illustration: 'My protection, and release from this dungeon. Sign it, and this instant I bear you away.' (p. 220).

thereaderintherye's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

You'll find very few Faustian bargain books that are lower than 5 stars from me.

krobart's review against another edition

1.0

Although the novel is considered a classic gothic novel, published in the height of their popularity in 1796, I found it boring. I imagine that for its day it was very shocking.

See my complete review here:

http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/the-monk/

ninathedad's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

The only thing that keeps this from being a 5 star is that I don’t know that I’d read it again. Being two centuries old, it’s heavy, language wise, despite how captivating of a read it is. I loved everything about it, and have no complaint in regards to the plot, character, or style. It was simply a large undertaking going through the linguistics of an old age. But I would heartily recommend this novel to everyone.