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3.28 AVERAGE
3.28 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The Mysteries of Udolpho focuses on a young woman as she goes through life and realizes the darker side of human nature. Very slow-burn but is funny and also scary at times.
In one hand the part one of The Mysteries of Udolpho, was intriguing story to read. But in the other it was a bit to slow and wasn't a book i rushed to pick up when I had put it down. After DNFing the first time, I forgot about it. I only picked up again because I was so far in and needed to return it from the library soon
I really wanted to like this book but, in the end, I couldn't really stick with it. I won't say it's the worse novel ever written but if one word could be used to describe the writing style it would be "florid". I'm sure this novel was good for the times in which it was written, but the style used by Ann Radcliffe just didn't translate well, at least for me.
I made it……barely. It’s a gothic classic for a reason. Why are you reading Goodreads reviews for it?
Komplett review ligger her:
http://ebokhyllami.blogspot.no/2012/11/bokomtale-mysteries-of-udolpho-av-anne.html
http://ebokhyllami.blogspot.no/2012/11/bokomtale-mysteries-of-udolpho-av-anne.html
This was difficult to rate. The first third of the book was a melodramatic slog for me. If it wasn't for the Jane Austen connection I wouldn't have finished it.
The second third turned into a fairly interesting gothic novel which I found myself enjoying in a guilty pleasures sort of way. It was a bit frustrating as few of the mysteries introduced here are resolved.
The last third was essentially a Scooby Doo type ghost story which at first seemed entirely unrelated to the rest of the novel. Don't expect any answers. until the last ten percent of the book! I enjoyed this part of the book the best.
The romance here is frustrating as we don't get any conversation between Emily and Valencourt until the second half of the book. It also appears that Valencourt isn't worthy of her love, and it isn't clear to me why Emily remains so attached.
Many misunderstandings in this book could be cleared up by frank conversations which either do not happen or only happen in some secret place after midnight. No one gets any sleep in this book!
Lastly, take the historical setting with a grain of salt.
The second third turned into a fairly interesting gothic novel which I found myself enjoying in a guilty pleasures sort of way. It was a bit frustrating as few of the mysteries introduced here are resolved.
The last third was essentially a Scooby Doo type ghost story which at first seemed entirely unrelated to the rest of the novel. Don't expect any answers. until the last ten percent of the book! I enjoyed this part of the book the best.
The romance here is frustrating as we don't get any conversation between Emily and Valencourt until the second half of the book. It also appears that Valencourt isn't worthy of her love, and it isn't clear to me why Emily remains so attached.
Many misunderstandings in this book could be cleared up by frank conversations which either do not happen or only happen in some secret place after midnight. No one gets any sleep in this book!
Lastly, take the historical setting with a grain of salt.
What a tale. Artfully and evocatively written, I even fancied myself in the sublime scenery of the Pyrenees or the Gothic artifices of Udolpho.
Laden with affect and sensibility, the heroine’s behaviour at times appears slightly ridiculous (she has a habit of fainting upon being emotionally overwhelmed), the narrative carries her through. The rich descriptions of the natural settings and architectural spaces are interspersed with snippets of poetry, altering the narratives pace, alternatively heightening or breaking suspense. The final fifteen pages wrap everything up nicely, providing explanations and sees the end of Emily’s journey. I definitely prefer Radcliffe’s style if Gothic to that of Walpole and Lewis. I can definitely understand why people enjoyed her novel, even with the so-called explained supernatural.
If you’re in need of some romantic reveries and nostalgic dreamscapes, tinged with mystery and suspense and a smudge of romantic drama and intrigue, this book will most definitely do.
Laden with affect and sensibility, the heroine’s behaviour at times appears slightly ridiculous (she has a habit of fainting upon being emotionally overwhelmed), the narrative carries her through. The rich descriptions of the natural settings and architectural spaces are interspersed with snippets of poetry, altering the narratives pace, alternatively heightening or breaking suspense. The final fifteen pages wrap everything up nicely, providing explanations and sees the end of Emily’s journey. I definitely prefer Radcliffe’s style if Gothic to that of Walpole and Lewis. I can definitely understand why people enjoyed her novel, even with the so-called explained supernatural.
If you’re in need of some romantic reveries and nostalgic dreamscapes, tinged with mystery and suspense and a smudge of romantic drama and intrigue, this book will most definitely do.
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated