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victoria_2000 's review for:
The Mysteries of Udolpho
by Ann Radcliffe
After we finished reading Northanger Abbey, the book club wanted to read Catherine Morland's favourite story: The Mysteries of Udolpho. It's easier to understand (in hindsight) how Northanger Abbey was a parody of the Gothic genre after reading this book. The tropes are pretty clear.
It's an okay book, I think. The darker elements of the story make it a gripping tale, but the story falls short in numerous aspects. My main issue is the length. I'm not opposed to reading thicker books, but it is difficult to see why The Mysteries of Udolpho couldn't have just been ~200 pages shorter. Perhaps Ann Radcliffe did not think she needed an editor.
I'm also not fond of the protagonist, Emily, and her love interest Valancourt. Emily does not grow much as a character, in my opinion, and her chapters are full of pining. A recurring inside joke in the book club was that Emily either faints or cries in every single chapter. Valancourt is not particularly charming. In fact I'd say he's quite the opposite. Throughout the entire story, he's full of self-pitying and he seems to be incapable of having normal conversations. His speech is overly dramatic and after 600 pages, it became tiring.
Though I'm critical of this book, I did enjoy it. If I can find an abridged edition, I will consider rereading it in the future. It's worth giving this book a try if you're interested either in the Gothic elements or if you liked Northanger Abbey.
It's an okay book, I think. The darker elements of the story make it a gripping tale, but the story falls short in numerous aspects. My main issue is the length. I'm not opposed to reading thicker books, but it is difficult to see why The Mysteries of Udolpho couldn't have just been ~200 pages shorter. Perhaps Ann Radcliffe did not think she needed an editor.
I'm also not fond of the protagonist, Emily, and her love interest Valancourt. Emily does not grow much as a character, in my opinion, and her chapters are full of pining. A recurring inside joke in the book club was that Emily either faints or cries in every single chapter. Valancourt is not particularly charming. In fact I'd say he's quite the opposite. Throughout the entire story, he's full of self-pitying and he seems to be incapable of having normal conversations. His speech is overly dramatic and after 600 pages, it became tiring.
Though I'm critical of this book, I did enjoy it. If I can find an abridged edition, I will consider rereading it in the future. It's worth giving this book a try if you're interested either in the Gothic elements or if you liked Northanger Abbey.