A review by vg2
The Castle of Otranto, Vathek & Nightmare Abbey by David Stuart Davies, William Beckford, Horace Walpole, Thomas Love Peacock
3.0
Quite a mixed bag:
The Castle of Otranto - 3*
Vathek - 2*
Nightmare Abbey - 4*
The standout story was definitely the last one, ‘Nightmare Abbey’, playing on gothic and romantic tropes to comic effect, with an amusing cast of side characters and a satisfying ending. ‘The Castle of Otranto’, dubbed the original gothic novel, was interesting and engaging, if a little flat at the end, but the collection as a whole was let down by ‘Vathek’, which felt messy, drawn-out and lacking in atmosphere.
The Castle of Otranto - 3*
Vathek - 2*
Nightmare Abbey - 4*
The standout story was definitely the last one, ‘Nightmare Abbey’, playing on gothic and romantic tropes to comic effect, with an amusing cast of side characters and a satisfying ending. ‘The Castle of Otranto’, dubbed the original gothic novel, was interesting and engaging, if a little flat at the end, but the collection as a whole was let down by ‘Vathek’, which felt messy, drawn-out and lacking in atmosphere.