evadis's review against another edition
4.0
Wow, this is probably the most crazy book I have ever read. But I really liked it.
under_the_radiant_stars's review against another edition
4.0
I read The Monk to get in the spooky mood and I really liked it.
This book was absolutely bonkers, name one weird gothic stereotype and The Monk has it.
Perverse evil protagonist? Check. Incest? Check. Ghosts, devils and witches? Triple check. Dark and moody settings? Oh yes. Murder? Check!
Another bonus is the fact that the style is engaging and not difficult even if it was written in 1796. The characters are not that deeply characterised and it’s a pity because both Ambrosio and Matilda being the villains of the story would have benefited from a more well-thought psychology. Given the scandalous nature of some of the plot twist (a pregnant nun and a monk raping an innocent girl) it’s a wonder that the author was not lynched, and even if it was obviously criticised, it was acclaimed by Lewis contemporaries (Byron included) and remained a best seller (or the editorial equivalent for the time) for quite some time.
This book was absolutely bonkers, name one weird gothic stereotype and The Monk has it.
Perverse evil protagonist? Check. Incest? Check. Ghosts, devils and witches? Triple check. Dark and moody settings? Oh yes. Murder? Check!
Another bonus is the fact that the style is engaging and not difficult even if it was written in 1796. The characters are not that deeply characterised and it’s a pity because both Ambrosio and Matilda being the villains of the story would have benefited from a more well-thought psychology. Given the scandalous nature of some of the plot twist (a pregnant nun and a monk raping an innocent girl) it’s a wonder that the author was not lynched, and even if it was obviously criticised, it was acclaimed by Lewis contemporaries (Byron included) and remained a best seller (or the editorial equivalent for the time) for quite some time.
farahezzeldean's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
nappobaby's review against another edition
3.0
This was a very strenuous read, which disappointed me in not being half as extreme or blasphemous as advertised by other reviewers - however I cannot blame the book itself for this. Really could have done without those long chapters about Lorenzo. Didn't care for his story much at all.
alessandro1's review against another edition
3.0
Some sections of the plots were a little slow to develop for today standards and it certainly is not an easy read.
Nonetheless, the story itself was overall enjoyable and full of innovative ideas for the time it was written.
Nonetheless, the story itself was overall enjoyable and full of innovative ideas for the time it was written.
naiapard's review against another edition
4.0
The mightiest monk in the land is caught in the throes of passion.
I did not give it five stars because the amount of 18 C misogynism, unfortunate but time appropriate, made me squint a bit too much. But I cannot hold this book to the today`s standards, and maybe that is the point.
Still, I wonder:
What did the women readers of that time make of the fiendish myrtle that put the virginal girl to sleep so a certain man can have his way? Maybe I am being too upfront.
Let`s take another example, what would those readers say about all the main female characters dying at the end of the book? But that question may be a bit tricky as they were for certain used with heroines` death. Their survival at the end of a novel/play was almost unheard of!
How could one woman that dared summon Lucifer himself live? How could a pregnant nun see the light of another day? But most of all, how could an old woman not die? Her purpose in life has already expired, be it that she could not have children anymore and all she wanted to do was to be a18C cougar.
I often times wondered if it weren`t for me being a female: would I have taken more joy out of reading books written before the #metoo movement? After all, this is "literature", this is art, this is not supposed to be real life.
Or maybe, exactly because this is not supposed to be real life, I have the expectation of my reading process to be an exercise into forgetting that the real world festers such expressions.
my exciting blog
I did not give it five stars because the amount of 18 C misogynism, unfortunate but time appropriate, made me squint a bit too much. But I cannot hold this book to the today`s standards, and maybe that is the point.
Still, I wonder:
What did the women readers of that time make of the fiendish myrtle that put the virginal girl to sleep so a certain man can have his way? Maybe I am being too upfront.
Let`s take another example, what would those readers say about all the main female characters dying at the end of the book? But that question may be a bit tricky as they were for certain used with heroines` death. Their survival at the end of a novel/play was almost unheard of!
How could one woman that dared summon Lucifer himself live? How could a pregnant nun see the light of another day? But most of all, how could an old woman not die? Her purpose in life has already expired, be it that she could not have children anymore and all she wanted to do was to be a18C cougar.
I often times wondered if it weren`t for me being a female: would I have taken more joy out of reading books written before the #metoo movement? After all, this is "literature", this is art, this is not supposed to be real life.
Or maybe, exactly because this is not supposed to be real life, I have the expectation of my reading process to be an exercise into forgetting that the real world festers such expressions.
my exciting blog
undercover_cactus's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-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
3.75
silverace's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0