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fairywren's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
grahamjohnson's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
emily_gaynier's review against another edition
5.0
Full disclaimer: I did not read one poem in this novel. I personally do not like poetry and if I had tried to read them, I would've given this book a much lower rating. You really don't need them to fully understand or enjoy the story, but they would add to the descriptions of the surrounding nature
I first heard about this book in Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey. Its been two years since I first read Northanger, so I don't remember what exactly drew me in to wanting to read the novel the characters all seemed to love. But I am so glad I got a hold of my own copy.
I loved every character in this story. Some not at first, but eventually I grew to love them. Even Madam Montoni. I really enjoyed reading from Emily's perspective. I agree that she cries and faints a lot, but she did show that she can be very brave. And who wouldn't cry in some of those situations?
I also really liked Valancourt. It was nice to see a hero who is willing to do anything to help those around him, all the while also being emotional and insecure when it comes to love. This is also the one of the few times where the miscommunication between the young lovers doesn't make me want to pull my hair out. I hate when characters just choose not to talk to each other, especially when they are dating or courting or whatever. While the couple should've talked more and Valancourt should've explained exactly his situation, neither character were fully in control of their emotions and Emily was getting wrong in formation through the grapevine.
I also really enjoyed Annette, even though the characters didn't seem to. I was actually picturing her as my coworker Annette the whole time. I just thought she was a nice bit of relief from the doom and gloom in the castle while also giving Emily and the reader more info about the castle.
Speaking of the castle, I really wish more of the story had been based in Udolpho. There was so much Radcliff could've expanded on, but instead she wrote poems. Montoni was super mysterious, mostly because we never got a full idea of his plans. I think his end game was just getting more money, but I would've liked to know more details. But we mostly got the story through Emily's POV and she didn't go snooping enough to really know much.
We also didn't get to Udolpho until about 200 pages in. I am glad we had a long introduction to Valancourt, because when the young lovers were separated I was tearing up. I was really rooting for these kids. But then we were only at Udolpho for a few hundred pages. Sure we got a different spooky location, but I wanted more of the OG spooky location. The story also started to drag at this point for me.
It was all still very enjoyable and I do not mind slow classics at all. I am looking forward to reading more from Ann Radcliff
I first heard about this book in Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey. Its been two years since I first read Northanger, so I don't remember what exactly drew me in to wanting to read the novel the characters all seemed to love. But I am so glad I got a hold of my own copy.
I loved every character in this story. Some not at first, but eventually I grew to love them. Even Madam Montoni. I really enjoyed reading from Emily's perspective. I agree that she cries and faints a lot, but she did show that she can be very brave. And who wouldn't cry in some of those situations?
I also really liked Valancourt. It was nice to see a hero who is willing to do anything to help those around him, all the while also being emotional and insecure when it comes to love. This is also the one of the few times where the miscommunication between the young lovers doesn't make me want to pull my hair out. I hate when characters just choose not to talk to each other, especially when they are dating or courting or whatever. While the couple should've talked more and Valancourt should've explained exactly his situation, neither character were fully in control of their emotions and Emily was getting wrong in formation through the grapevine.
I also really enjoyed Annette, even though the characters didn't seem to. I was actually picturing her as my coworker Annette the whole time. I just thought she was a nice bit of relief from the doom and gloom in the castle while also giving Emily and the reader more info about the castle.
Speaking of the castle, I really wish more of the story had been based in Udolpho. There was so much Radcliff could've expanded on, but instead she wrote poems. Montoni was super mysterious, mostly because we never got a full idea of his plans. I think his end game was just getting more money, but I would've liked to know more details. But we mostly got the story through Emily's POV and she didn't go snooping enough to really know much.
We also didn't get to Udolpho until about 200 pages in. I am glad we had a long introduction to Valancourt, because when the young lovers were separated I was tearing up. I was really rooting for these kids. But then we were only at Udolpho for a few hundred pages. Sure we got a different spooky location, but I wanted more of the OG spooky location. The story also started to drag at this point for me.
It was all still very enjoyable and I do not mind slow classics at all. I am looking forward to reading more from Ann Radcliff
mirias's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
hjswinford's review against another edition
4.0
This book didn't need to be but half its length. Truly. But as it was, I enjoyed it anyway. I definitely saw some of Jane Austen's inspiration and that aspect was fun. I found the writing pretty cozy and easy to read, despite its age.
malikasbooks's review against another edition
3.0
When you're ready for a 650 page book that's 25% boredom, 25% fascinating, and 50% swooning, pick up the Mysteries of Udolpho.
Okay, so I know I whined a LOT about this book while I was reading it, but starting in Volume 2 I got /really/ emotionally invested in the story. The heroine is useless and the hero is even worse, but the writing is beautiful (if overly-descriptive and comma-dense) and the intrigues are fascinating and *creepy* as hell.
Also honestly really disappointed that Mons. Du Pont didn't get the girl in the end.
Okay, so I know I whined a LOT about this book while I was reading it, but starting in Volume 2 I got /really/ emotionally invested in the story. The heroine is useless and the hero is even worse, but the writing is beautiful (if overly-descriptive and comma-dense) and the intrigues are fascinating and *creepy* as hell.
Also honestly really disappointed that Mons. Du Pont didn't get the girl in the end.
joshknape's review against another edition
2.0
I'm reading an abridged version of The Mysteries of Udolpho, having been warned that it's unnecessarily long (and poorly written); but I think I'll have to switch to the unabridged version. My abridged version chopped out so much content that I have no idea how Emily got into Montoni's castle and wouldn't have known Aubert had died if I hadn't seen it beforehand.
I don't know if this was Ann Radcliffe's first work, but I think she simply had no idea how to write prose. The entire text up to the point I'm at is too much poetry and not enough prose content; and the pleasant but extremely vague descriptions of all physical surroundings make it painfully obvious that Radcliffe had never visited France and probably knew nothing about it, and had probably only read about Italy. She more or less created some foreign places out of her imagination and slapped the names "France" and "Italy" onto them; they would have been better as fictional lands, because as depicted by Radcliffe, that's what they are. (I should mention that I haven't visited France or Italy myself, and don't know from experience that the environments in France and Italy don't resemble what Radcliffe claims.)
I have abandoned this book. It's boring and I had gotten so far only because I don't like not finishing what I start.
I don't know if this was Ann Radcliffe's first work, but I think she simply had no idea how to write prose. The entire text up to the point I'm at is too much poetry and not enough prose content; and the pleasant but extremely vague descriptions of all physical surroundings make it painfully obvious that Radcliffe had never visited France and probably knew nothing about it, and had probably only read about Italy. She more or less created some foreign places out of her imagination and slapped the names "France" and "Italy" onto them; they would have been better as fictional lands, because as depicted by Radcliffe, that's what they are. (I should mention that I haven't visited France or Italy myself, and don't know from experience that the environments in France and Italy don't resemble what Radcliffe claims.)
I have abandoned this book. It's boring and I had gotten so far only because I don't like not finishing what I start.
umbrelina's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5