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The Castles of Athlin and Dunbayne
Ann Radcliffe's first novel is set in the Middle Ages against the melancholy beauty of mountains and rugged coasts of the Scottish Highlands, tells the story of the warring clan chieftains of Athlin and Dunbayne. One of the earliest Gothic tales (1789), it recounts low-born Alleyn's quest for
love and honour, and alternates scenes of passionate feeling with breakneck pursuits. The castle itself, in all its romantic sublimity, becomes the true focal point of the novel. Long out of print, this edition makes a little-known treasure available to modern readers.
love and honour, and alternates scenes of passionate feeling with breakneck pursuits. The castle itself, in all its romantic sublimity, becomes the true focal point of the novel. Long out of print, this edition makes a little-known treasure available to modern readers.
146 pages, Paperback
First published April 14, 1789
32 people are currently reading
1382 people want to read
About the author
Ann Radcliffe
601 books739 followersAnn Ward Radcliffe of Britain wrote Gothic novels, including
The Mysteries of Udolpho
(1794).
This English author pioneered.
William Radcliffe, her father and a haberdasher, moved the family to Bath to manage a china shop in 1772. Radcliffe occasionally lived with her uncle, Thomas Bentley, in Chelsea in partnership with a fellow Unitarian, Josiah Wedgwood. Although mixing in some distinguished circles, Radcliffe seemingly made little impression in this society, and Wedgwood described her as "Bentley's shy niece."
In 1787, she married William Radcliffe, the Oxford graduate and journalist. He often came home late, and to occupy her time, she began to write and read her work when he returned. They enjoyed a childless but seemingly happy marriage. Radcliffe called him her "nearest relative and friend". The money she earned from her novels later allowed them to travel together, along with their dog, Chance.
She published The Castles of Athlin and Dunbayne in 1789. It set the tone for the majority of her work, which tended to involve innocent, but heroic young women who find themselves in gloomy, mysterious castles ruled by even more mysterious barons with dark pasts.
Her works were extremely popular among the upper class and the growing middle class, especially among young women. Her works included A Sicilian Romance (1790), The Romance of the Forest (1791), The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794), and The Italian (1796). She published a travelogue, A Journey Through Holland and the Western Frontier of Germany in 1795.
The success of The Romance of the Forest established Radcliffe as the leading exponent of the historical Gothic romance. Her later novels met with even greater attention, and produced many imitators, and famously, Jane Austen's burlesque of The Mysteries of Udolpho in Northanger Abbey, as well as influencing the works of Sir Walter Scott.
Stylistically, Radcliffe was noted for her vivid descriptions of exotic and sinister locales, though in reality the author had rarely or never visited the actual locations. Shy by nature, she did not encourage her fame and abandoned literature as a pursuit.
She died on February 7, 1823 and was buried in Saint George's Church, Hanover Square, London.
This English author pioneered.
William Radcliffe, her father and a haberdasher, moved the family to Bath to manage a china shop in 1772. Radcliffe occasionally lived with her uncle, Thomas Bentley, in Chelsea in partnership with a fellow Unitarian, Josiah Wedgwood. Although mixing in some distinguished circles, Radcliffe seemingly made little impression in this society, and Wedgwood described her as "Bentley's shy niece."
In 1787, she married William Radcliffe, the Oxford graduate and journalist. He often came home late, and to occupy her time, she began to write and read her work when he returned. They enjoyed a childless but seemingly happy marriage. Radcliffe called him her "nearest relative and friend". The money she earned from her novels later allowed them to travel together, along with their dog, Chance.
She published The Castles of Athlin and Dunbayne in 1789. It set the tone for the majority of her work, which tended to involve innocent, but heroic young women who find themselves in gloomy, mysterious castles ruled by even more mysterious barons with dark pasts.
Her works were extremely popular among the upper class and the growing middle class, especially among young women. Her works included A Sicilian Romance (1790), The Romance of the Forest (1791), The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794), and The Italian (1796). She published a travelogue, A Journey Through Holland and the Western Frontier of Germany in 1795.
The success of The Romance of the Forest established Radcliffe as the leading exponent of the historical Gothic romance. Her later novels met with even greater attention, and produced many imitators, and famously, Jane Austen's burlesque of The Mysteries of Udolpho in Northanger Abbey, as well as influencing the works of Sir Walter Scott.
Stylistically, Radcliffe was noted for her vivid descriptions of exotic and sinister locales, though in reality the author had rarely or never visited the actual locations. Shy by nature, she did not encourage her fame and abandoned literature as a pursuit.
She died on February 7, 1823 and was buried in Saint George's Church, Hanover Square, London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
June 11, 2023
This was my first Radcliffe novel, and I'm happy to say it won't be my last. This was Radcliffe's first novel, and although I didn't love it, I found parts of it wonderfully fascinating, and the writing very accessible. Despite the book's short length, there is much packed into the story.
We are introduced to a feud between two families, and the events that happen during and afterwards. I thought the characterization was slightly flat and I wish they were elaborated on, and I thought the women were a little disappointing in the manner they acted around a male and their fear of exertion so therefore deserved an eye roll from my direction, but then I remind myself it went with the times. (We hope.)
The writing itself was detailed and interesting and I really appreciated the gothic atmosphere. Radcliffe is definitely a writer on my radar now.
We are introduced to a feud between two families, and the events that happen during and afterwards. I thought the characterization was slightly flat and I wish they were elaborated on, and I thought the women were a little disappointing in the manner they acted around a male and their fear of exertion so therefore deserved an eye roll from my direction, but then I remind myself it went with the times. (We hope.)
The writing itself was detailed and interesting and I really appreciated the gothic atmosphere. Radcliffe is definitely a writer on my radar now.
July 19, 2020
A fairly enjoyable but slightly predictable read. I found the characterisation a bit flat but enjoyed the writing.
April 22, 2018
This was Ann Radcliffe's first novel written in 1789. It is a story of two castles in Scotland who are enemies after the Dunbayne's Baron Malcolm kills the Earl of Athlin during a fight with both clans. Dunbayne is the victor & keeps fear in the Athlin Castles and all the occupants.Matilda raises her son & daughter after the Earl's death & tries to keep revenge of her husband at bay so her son will not be fallen too. Years later the son is not sure he should keep his promise to his mother not to seek justice for his father's death.Swooning, virtue & vice , sword fights, castles, dungeons & beautiful maidens are the main focus. I love this kind of book & it is fun to see how Radcliffe throws a few curves. Being familiar with her works I guessed right in on mystery but was still surprised. I enjoyed this story but it did not surpass her other novels. Worth the read for a lover of Gothic Romance
July 19, 2023
So much fun! This is the first book by Ann Radcliffe, which I had to read after the second (A Sicilian Romance) and I must say, I definitely enjoyed this more. It is slightly deficient in the delightful descriptions of the second, but the story line and the characters I definitely had greater feeling for. I do feel that in the beginning the descriptions are too vague e.g labeling peoples countenances or disposition as being stamped with virtue and it seems a tad overly convenient to have several loose panels or paved stones in their prisons enabling their escapes. But nonetheless, I felt for the lovers within, the whole storyline being embroiled in this clan/family feud I thought very effective, and whilst the ending was so very predictable (though maybe not at the time) it was written in such a way as to make me grin, not roll my eyes. I was thinking that if she really wanted us to get behind particular characters, one or two could’ve done away with the whole “not worthy of her hand as he is not of noble birth thing”, but that would’ve threatened the whole paternal revelation which is such a staple of gothic books.
Despite there being, in my opinion, a few defects, I got really into the story, with no hints of repetition- as in A Sicilian Romance- and really enjoyed the characters, bringing me much joy.
Despite there being, in my opinion, a few defects, I got really into the story, with no hints of repetition- as in A Sicilian Romance- and really enjoyed the characters, bringing me much joy.
April 28, 2015
I do love Ann Radcliffe's books, but this first attempt of hers is sort of pathetic. It's amazing to think that she went on to write such examples of Gothic perfection like Mysteries of Udolpho, The Italian, and Romance of the Forest.
If you are new to reading Radcliffe, I would NOT recommend starting with this book. There is next to no dialogue. The characters are not as developed as they could be. The plot twists are just a little TOO convenient. The story could have been fleshed out more and explained better.
But... there is this lovely little glimmer of the writer that she would eventually become, making it worth the read. The asides about human nature, the concise but pointed writing style, the suspenseful plot, the mysterious characters, the apparently supernatural events that turn out to be merely artifice - all these wonderful elements are still present, just waiting to blossom in her future novels.
If you are new to reading Radcliffe, I would NOT recommend starting with this book. There is next to no dialogue. The characters are not as developed as they could be. The plot twists are just a little TOO convenient. The story could have been fleshed out more and explained better.
But... there is this lovely little glimmer of the writer that she would eventually become, making it worth the read. The asides about human nature, the concise but pointed writing style, the suspenseful plot, the mysterious characters, the apparently supernatural events that turn out to be merely artifice - all these wonderful elements are still present, just waiting to blossom in her future novels.
July 9, 2024
For the completist, Ann Radcliffe's first slightly clunky attempt at a Gothic romance. In retrospect it's easy to see both the promise of better Gothics to come, and to isolate why her later work is so much more successful. Mainly it's the filigree that's enjoyable about Ms. Radcliffe's art. The plot here is serviceable, generally predictable, its complications and outcomes pretty much expected--using the two couples/double marriage at the end--with enough surprises and unexpected or secret complications--notably the killing off of the villain two chapters before the end--to keep a reader awake. Notably lacking here, however, are the Italian setting, the detailed landscape descriptions, and the faux supernatural elements that make Romance of the Forest, Mysteries of Udolpho, and The Italian so much better. Funny, but when I annually teach The Italian in my Gothic Literature course students complain about the romance's length and about having to wade through so much description of the Italian landscape, castles, ruins, Naples, not to mention the dark dungeons of the inquisition in Rome. I think that The Castles of Athlin and Dunbayne, however, proves that without such visual fluff, a romance plot, no matter how artfully handled, after so many centuries of separated lovers struggling to get back together despite kidnapping, pirates, dragons, and miscreant noblemen and/or importunate aunts, just isn't enough to hold our interest. Thank goodness Ms. Radcliffe shifted the scene to Italy and began injecting those ghostly visitations and long, beautiful descriptions of the rocky Apennines, solidifying the Gothic romance we now know so well for all time.
September 17, 2017
OK, you may not grant this four stars but I will. It's a delightful little book about an ill-considered attempt to avenge a murdered father, star-crossed lovers, dungeons, castles, treachery, ghostly sounds, and a lucky accident of birth.
I know how I have this book: As a young man, I read HP Lovecraft's "Horror and the Supernatural in Literature" and decided to read all the writing he mentioned. Mrs. Radcliffe featured prominently in this essay, and HPL always referred to her as "Mrs. Radcliffe". (Pre-Internet, so I had to literally go to a museum and look her up to find out her first name was "Ann".)
Anyway, the best way to think of Mrs. Radcliffe these days is the forebear of "Scooby Doo". Although predated by Horace Walpole, Mrs. Radcliffe basically created the Gothic horror/romance in its dominant form, with secret staircases, evil uncles, whistling winds that MIGHT BE GHOSTS! and other clichés that would become the "Old, Dark House" genre.
Now, keep in mind that the movie "Old, Dark House" came out in the '20s, and was sort of the bubble bursting for those particular horror tropes, which survive to this day and, as I said, are immortalized in the "Scooby Doo" cartoon series, and you get a sense of how profound an impact Mrs. Radcliffe (who was born in 1764!) had.
I do not know if this is her first book, but it's an early one, and a good starter to see if this is the sort of thing you'll like. Spoiler alert: You probably won't. She is very much a creature of her time and her prose is, well, not exactly florid, but lacking the spareness popular today on the one hand, and lacking (e.g.) the poetry of Mrs. Austen.
Northanger Abbey was Jane Austen's nod to Radcliffe, and it's probably better than any of Mrs. Radcliffe's novels, or at least possessing of a neoclassic sensibility more suited to modern tastes.
(This paragraph coming up could be considered a little spoilery so maybe stop reading here if you aren't familiar with the tropes of the Gothic horror.)
But I love this stuff, and really enjoyed this book, even though I knew—and this should not be a spoiler to anyone who has read a book written between 1750-1925—for example, that the star-crossed lovers would be saved by a suddenly revealed accident of birth. (Edgar Rice Burroughs used this device repeatedly in the Tarzan series: You can't get married because you're not noble/not white! But wait! You secretly are!)
It's a fun window into how people used to think. All the swooning ladies and would-be heroes constantly having their characters tested. The dark castles with their secret dungeons and even more secret passages. The romantic tying of noblemen's characters to the fates of their kingdoms. Etc.
This edition has a glossary and some explanatory footnotes in the back, so if you're interested in dipping your toe in to the genre and period, this is not a bad start.
I know how I have this book: As a young man, I read HP Lovecraft's "Horror and the Supernatural in Literature" and decided to read all the writing he mentioned. Mrs. Radcliffe featured prominently in this essay, and HPL always referred to her as "Mrs. Radcliffe". (Pre-Internet, so I had to literally go to a museum and look her up to find out her first name was "Ann".)
Anyway, the best way to think of Mrs. Radcliffe these days is the forebear of "Scooby Doo". Although predated by Horace Walpole, Mrs. Radcliffe basically created the Gothic horror/romance in its dominant form, with secret staircases, evil uncles, whistling winds that MIGHT BE GHOSTS! and other clichés that would become the "Old, Dark House" genre.
Now, keep in mind that the movie "Old, Dark House" came out in the '20s, and was sort of the bubble bursting for those particular horror tropes, which survive to this day and, as I said, are immortalized in the "Scooby Doo" cartoon series, and you get a sense of how profound an impact Mrs. Radcliffe (who was born in 1764!) had.
I do not know if this is her first book, but it's an early one, and a good starter to see if this is the sort of thing you'll like. Spoiler alert: You probably won't. She is very much a creature of her time and her prose is, well, not exactly florid, but lacking the spareness popular today on the one hand, and lacking (e.g.) the poetry of Mrs. Austen.
Northanger Abbey was Jane Austen's nod to Radcliffe, and it's probably better than any of Mrs. Radcliffe's novels, or at least possessing of a neoclassic sensibility more suited to modern tastes.
(This paragraph coming up could be considered a little spoilery so maybe stop reading here if you aren't familiar with the tropes of the Gothic horror.)
But I love this stuff, and really enjoyed this book, even though I knew—and this should not be a spoiler to anyone who has read a book written between 1750-1925—for example, that the star-crossed lovers would be saved by a suddenly revealed accident of birth. (Edgar Rice Burroughs used this device repeatedly in the Tarzan series: You can't get married because you're not noble/not white! But wait! You secretly are!)
It's a fun window into how people used to think. All the swooning ladies and would-be heroes constantly having their characters tested. The dark castles with their secret dungeons and even more secret passages. The romantic tying of noblemen's characters to the fates of their kingdoms. Etc.
This edition has a glossary and some explanatory footnotes in the back, so if you're interested in dipping your toe in to the genre and period, this is not a bad start.
August 6, 2017
I've previously read the The Mysteries of Udolpho and the main complaints people have against that are the overly detailed descriptions and its overall length.
Both of these factors are absent from this shorter work but unfortunately its the poorer for the loss.
Without all that rich description it feels a bit colourless and without the length you simply don't have time to get a grip on the characters. Events move at a brakeneck pace and Radcliffe's usual method of suspense is undermined by how quickly it then gets resolved.
Its by no means terrible, there's some interesting bits including a very 'Sofie's Choice' situation.
However it manages to hit every cliche imaginable and has a number of elements very similar to those in Udolpho. And even if you havn't read any other Radcliffe this still manages to repeat itself on a couple of points despite its brevity. It's also very predictable.
If you want to read something like this you should probably just try The Castle of Otranto instead, which at least has some weird stuff to make things more interesting.
Both of these factors are absent from this shorter work but unfortunately its the poorer for the loss.
Without all that rich description it feels a bit colourless and without the length you simply don't have time to get a grip on the characters. Events move at a brakeneck pace and Radcliffe's usual method of suspense is undermined by how quickly it then gets resolved.
Its by no means terrible, there's some interesting bits including a very 'Sofie's Choice' situation.
However it manages to hit every cliche imaginable and has a number of elements very similar to those in Udolpho. And even if you havn't read any other Radcliffe this still manages to repeat itself on a couple of points despite its brevity. It's also very predictable.
If you want to read something like this you should probably just try The Castle of Otranto instead, which at least has some weird stuff to make things more interesting.
April 17, 2018
Κυκλοφόρησε ανώνυμα το 1789, θεωρείται το πρώτο βιβλίο της Άνν Ράντκλιφ. Πρόκειται για ένα γοτθικό μυθιστόρημα που μου θύμισε τον Ιβανόη του Γούολτερ Σκοτ και τον Φρανκεστάιν της Σέλλευ. Στον Μεσαίωνα στην Σκωτία κυριαρχούν δυο αριστοκρατικές οικογένειες που ζούνε αντίστοιχα σε δύο κάστρα, στο κάστρο του Άθλιν και του Ντάνμπει. Ο καλός κόμης του Άθλιν και ο κακεντρεχής βαρώνος του Ντάνμπει αντιμετωπίζουν ο ένας τον άλλον. Φεουδαλισμός, ιπποτισμός, τάξεις, έρωτας, πάθη, μονομαχίες, αποκαλύψεις κρυμμένων παιδιών. Αυτό το μυθιστόρημα έχει όλα τα στοιχεία για να συγκαταλέγεται επάξια στις αγγλικές, γκόθικ νουβέλες του 18ου αιώνα. Γραμμένο με ρομαντισμό, μεστό όμως, δεν κουράζει με ατελείωτες περιγραφές, προβλεπόμενο σε μεγάλο βαθμό, παρόλα αυτά σου αφήνει το συναίσθημα της ολοκλήρωσης και της εξιλέωσης. Αναρωτιέμαι αν έχει γυριστεί ποτέ σε τηλεσειρά από το BBC ή το ITV, θα ήταν καταπληκτικό να το έβλεπε κανείς!
July 23, 2024
Spoiler alert: the Baron of Dunbayne murders the Earl of Athlin. Why? Well, because, he’s wicked and evil. There’s absolutely no need to actually sit down, and devise any other motivation, like land theft, an ancient grudge, a love conflict, or a misunderstanding.
The Highlands are romantic, walks in the Highlands are romantic, and reading poetry while walking in the Highlands is also romantic. Please note, this is not my tentative conjecture, based on the general atmosphere, carefully crafted by the author. I know these things are romantic, because Ann Radcliffe tells me so, in plain words.
The author interjects her personal reflections, mid-action, and completely out of context, without the slightest attempt to disguise them as the character’s inner monologue. And yet, before you can pause, and ask: what-the-fuck-was-that, the action moves on.
The emotional perturbations of every character are discussed in meticulous detail. Lady Mary goes from saintly exaltation, to romantic blushing, to a guilt trip, to a hysterical fear frenzy, changed to courageous determination and overcome by a spell of fainting in a matter of two minutes. Can you keep up?
The young Earl, imprisoned by the evil Baron, writes a sonnet – as one does – and drops it to the stone terrace below, where it might be discovered by Laura. Even in captivity, nothing can undermine the Earl’s “firmness.” That's a relief, I suppose.
The Highlands are romantic, walks in the Highlands are romantic, and reading poetry while walking in the Highlands is also romantic. Please note, this is not my tentative conjecture, based on the general atmosphere, carefully crafted by the author. I know these things are romantic, because Ann Radcliffe tells me so, in plain words.
The author interjects her personal reflections, mid-action, and completely out of context, without the slightest attempt to disguise them as the character’s inner monologue. And yet, before you can pause, and ask: what-the-fuck-was-that, the action moves on.
The emotional perturbations of every character are discussed in meticulous detail. Lady Mary goes from saintly exaltation, to romantic blushing, to a guilt trip, to a hysterical fear frenzy, changed to courageous determination and overcome by a spell of fainting in a matter of two minutes. Can you keep up?
The young Earl, imprisoned by the evil Baron, writes a sonnet – as one does – and drops it to the stone terrace below, where it might be discovered by Laura. Even in captivity, nothing can undermine the Earl’s “firmness.” That's a relief, I suppose.
August 7, 2014
This novel by Ann Radcliffe sets the scene with beautiful and mysterious landscapes, dangerous yet serene forests and a perfect family whose peace and tranquility is shattered by the evil actions of a neighbouring tyrant. Though faced with unimaginable challenges and the pains of true love, each character shines with a virtue and steadfastness that reproaches our own corrupt 21st century. Though, short, this novel doesn't in any way lack the excitement and adventure of any other Gothic novel. It is full of danger, love and shocking surprises that keep us on the edge of our seats; including a perfect ending which adds to the novels overall charm. I, personally, love a solid, happy ending, and I certainly wasn't disappointed. Our heroes and heroines are finally repaid for all the heartache, abuse and torment they endured throughout their stories. This story is full of sword-fighting, daring escapes, a handsome set of heroes and beautiful heroines, it's a tale of loyalty and love, complete with our very own evil villain, all the while taking us on the adventure of a lifetime. Overall, I give this novel a 8/10. My only complaint is that it's too short!
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July 8, 2016
Συνεχίζοντας την εξερεύνηση του φαινομένου Ann Radcliffe έφτασα ακριβώς στην αρχή. Αυτό είναι το πρώτο της μυθιστόρημα και μέσα σε αυτό μπορούμε να βρούμε πολλά στοιχεία από αυτά που θα τη χαρακτηρίσουν στη συνέχεια. Η ιστορία του διαδραματίζεται στα άγρια τοπία των highlands της Σκωτίας την εποχή της ακμής τους, ένα ιδιαίτερα ρομαντικό σκηνικό δηλαδή. Η κουλτούρα των highlands, βλέπετε, αντιπροσώπευε στα μάτια των Άγγλων της εποχής το αποκορύφωμα του ρομαντισμού, άσχετα αν τις δεκαετίες πριν τη συγγραφή αυτού του βιβλίου οι ίδιοι είχαν φροντίσει να την καταστρέψουν συστηματικά. Σε αυτό το ρομαντικό σκηνικό λοιπόν, διαδραματίζεται μία τυπική Radcliffeική ιστορία ηρωικών νεαρών, όμορφων εύθραυστων κορασίδων, ανήθικων εχθρών και σκοτεινών μυστικών πίσω από τους τοίχους απόρθητων κάστρων. Ίσως όχι τίποτα σπουδαίο αλλά η γραφή της Ann Radcliffe, ίσως εδώ σε μία πιο πρωτόλεια μορφή, έχει την ικανότητα να μεταμορφώνει αυτήν την απλότητα σε κάτι πραγματικά ωραίο. Οπότε το συμπέρασμα είναι ότι αυτό εδώ το βιβλίο είναι μία καλή αρχή για να προχωρήσουμε στα επόμενα έργα της.
June 21, 2021
This reads like a regency romance. The women are sweet and delicate and fragile. I literally broke into giggles at all the fainting and swooning. Usually I get frustrated by milsop females but somehow this one just hit my funny bone. Maybe it is that it is so old a story and it is well written for all of that it drives me batty. The men are almost as sweetly honorable or dreadfully, politely evil. if this were a movie, the villain would be the quintessential Stanley Snively, the hero Dudley Do Right and the damsel would be his Alice or was it Mary? This is a trope but it is a sweetly cute one. The bad guys fight and curse oaths that terrify the women. There are battles but no more information than that they draw their swords and battle. I cannot argue with the tropes because they are done perfectly for the time and without any offensive material. It is well worth the read if you can get past the thought that these are among the oldest written stereotypes of the medieval maiden rescued by the knight/lord from the ruffian bad guy who is a 'vile wretch'. I guess it is a 1930's black and white movie in words.
February 24, 2018
Ένα ρομαντικό κείμενο. Θεματική η αγάπη και η ανθρώπινη συμπεριφορά την εποχή του Ρομαντισμού. Έχει στοιχεία γοτθικού τρόμου στις περιγραφές των στοών των κάστρων ή των φυσικών φαινομένων της Σκωτίας. Εστιάζει όμως περισσότερο στις ανθρώπινες σχέσεις μελετώντας ανθρώπινα χαρακτηριστικά, τη βούληση που μπορεί να δώσει λύσεις σε δύσκολες καταστάσεις, αλλά κυρίως το πείσμα ενσαρκωμένο από τον Κόμη του Ντάνμπεϊν και την περηφάνεια ενσαρκωμένη από τον κόμη του Άθλιν. Ήταν χαριτωμένη ιστορία χωρίς ανατροπές με τη λύση να δίνετε από πράξεις που είχαν γίνει στο παρελθόν.
March 15, 2021
This is the first book Ann Radcliffe wrote and already you can her distinctive tropes in this book. Secret tunnels underneath castles, sadistic monarchs, melodramatic emotions, gloomy architectural atmospheres contrasted with the beauty of nature. I am such a sucker for her writing and I’m sad this is the last of her books I hadn’t read. I will definitely be re-reading all her books at some point.
June 23, 2024
Quite disappointed after A Sicilian Romance-I love Radcliffe's prose and stories but I will say her descriptions are LONG and repetitive in this one. There are also a good amount of characters that I personally found difficult to distinguish.
*I was (maybe still am?) in a reading slump so this could be a contributor to said review.
*I was (maybe still am?) in a reading slump so this could be a contributor to said review.
February 23, 2026
A relatively short and easy read, this was my first time reading anything by Radcliffe and I will definitely try to pick up a few more of her works. This was her first book, and it was pretty simple and straightforward. if you like Gothic novels, this is a solid one to introduce you to Radcliffes style.
July 28, 2025
The writing was good for Radcliffe's first novel and the story was okay. This is a blueprint for what would become Radcliffe's more mature and polished novels. The beginning was captivating and the gothic elements were there but felt forced. The middle starts to slow way down and the end was predictable but fine. I'm excited to continue reading her works.
January 5, 2017
"The Castles of Athlin and Dunbayne" is Ann Radcliffe's first novel . Although I wouldn't consider this a 100% gothic novel, it clearly set the way for the following novels that Radcliffe would write. The story takes place in the Middle Ages, where two clans from two castles (Athlin and Dunbayne) have been fighting over a family feud since ancient times. The lord from Dunbayne, Baron Malcolm killed the lord from Athlin, and now the son of the latter, Osbert, wants to avenge his late father by killing Malcolm himself. All the notion of the dreary castles, the imprisonment of Obsert and his friend Alleyn, the battles between both clans, and the treachery actions that take place in this novel, contribute slightly to the idea of what a gothic novel contains, even though, this time, there are no mysteries to resolve or "supernatural" occurrences. However, Radcliffe manages to succeed, as usual, by delivering us a story filled with suspense, action and drama, focusing the heroism on the man (Osbert or Alleyn) and mixing it with her love for romances. Alleyn is the clear example of a courtly lover, who wants to fight for her lady (Mary), just to protect her and see her happy, since he belongs to an inferior rank to hers. So, ladies in this novel are more passive and submissive to the men's actions. However, Osbert falls into the semiotic lots of time, when he constantly thinks of his mother and sister's wellfare, thus obscuring his own emotions or "manliness". Nevertheless, women here are willing to sacrifice themselves for the sake of their protectors, and their family, something which would change a bit later on, with Radcliffe's other novels, especially "Udolpho" or "The Romance of the Forest".
April 13, 2022
there's really no point in trying to compare this book with contemporary literature. it is a more interesting exercise to compare it with what i would gather to be ann radcliffe's most famous book The Mysteries of Udolpho
a book a i did enjoy
the main thing i could say about this comparison is how this book has potential . once i had finished it i just kept thinking (oddly considering i've been reading quite chunky books as of late) how this story could have benefited from being longer. you can definitely see the potential of what she shows in udolpho but it almost feels like she's not entirely certain yet that she can write a book of greater proportions. considering this was her first novel, i kept thinking about my own start while writing (not that i'm a published author--i wish) and how sometimes you put put a story and realise that beyond being a single narrative, it's more like the patient skeleton of a bigger story waiting to be cover (in flesh)
a book a i did enjoy
the main thing i could say about this comparison is how this book has potential . once i had finished it i just kept thinking (oddly considering i've been reading quite chunky books as of late) how this story could have benefited from being longer. you can definitely see the potential of what she shows in udolpho but it almost feels like she's not entirely certain yet that she can write a book of greater proportions. considering this was her first novel, i kept thinking about my own start while writing (not that i'm a published author--i wish) and how sometimes you put put a story and realise that beyond being a single narrative, it's more like the patient skeleton of a bigger story waiting to be cover (in flesh)
April 15, 2022
Fue la primera novela publicada por Radcliffe y eso tiene mucho mérito en la época en la que lo hizo y sobre todo por la vergüenza que sentía al ser identificada como autora en una sociedad en la que estaban muy mal vistas las mujeres que competían públicamente con los hombres en un oficio. Dejando esto de lado, eché en falta los elementos sobrenaturales que tan característicos son de lo gótico (no hay nada sobrenatural, todo tiene su explicación). De este género, destaco a continuación algunas frases y descripciones que aparecen en el libro:
- «Se agachó para ver lo que era y agarró la mano fría de un muerto. [...] Durante un rato se quedaron en un silencio turbador, incapaces de volver hacia atrás o continuar avanzando, hasta que una luz lejana que parecía surgir del final del descenso alumbró las paredes, y les descubrió una segunda escalera, y a sus pies el cadáver pálido y desfigurado de un hombre en una armadura...» (P. 67).
- «Para mayor seguridad sacaron a Osbert de la torre y lo encerraron en una parte más céntrica del castillo, en una habitación espaciosa pero oscura cuyas ventanas góticas, que apenas dejaban pasar la luz, le daban un aspecto tétrico capaz de helar un corazón de terror» (P. 112).
- «Las ventanas, del mismo estilo gótico que las anteriores, se encontraban cubiertas por una espesa hiedra que casi impedía el paso de la luz» (P. 117).
- «Su castillo estaba situado en uno de esos maravillosos valles de los cantones suizos en los que lo bello y lo sublime se unen armoniosamente; donde la belleza del paisaje se realza con la frondosa exuberancia de bosques y praderas, la dulce sinuosidad del arroyo y el apacible aspecto de las villas». (P. 133-134).
- «El recuerdo de su hermano pronto desapareció de la mente de Malcolm, cuya atención parecía volcarse enteramente en maquinaciones para satisfacer su avaricia y ambición» (P. 138).
- «El hombre a quien creía haber visto desapareció en la oscuridad de la habitación, el ruido de la armadura dejó de oírse y empezó a pensar que la figura que había visto y el ruido que había escuchado no eran sino fantasmas de una imaginación enferma, conjurados por la agitación de su espíritu, la gravedad del momento y la inmensa desolación del lugar» (P. 149).
- «el conocimiento de la puerta secreta, junto con la ayuda de alguien que lo guiara por los pasadizos del castillo» (P. 151).
- «La sorpresa lo dejó clavado en el sitio, y por un instante creyó hallarse ante una visión supersticiosa propia de aquella región» (P. 160).
- «Tras terminar su examen sin hallar ningún medio visible por el que el Conde pudiera haber abandonado la prisión, fueron presa del pánico y llegaron a la conclusión de que aquello era obra de un poder sobrenatural, y de inmediato dieron la voz de alarma» (P. 162).
- «Mientras tanto, Mary sufría todo el terror que una situación como la suya podía provocar. De camino hacia Dunbayne, había sido sorprendida por un grupo de hombres armados, quienes se apoderaron de la brida de su caballo y, tras entablar un combate fingido con sus sirvientes, se la llevaron inconsciente. Al recobrar el sentido se encontró viajando por un bosque, cuya oscuridad se hacía más profunda debido a las sombras de la noche. La luna, que se encontraba alta y arrojaba su luz entre los árboles, servía para mostrarle el siniestro aspecto del lugar y el número de los hombres que la rodeaban; y se vio atrapada por un terror que casi le hacía perder la razón. Viajaron toda la noche, durante la cual se mantuvo un profundo silencio. Al amanecer, Mary se encontró en la falda de un monte, cuyo aspecto le pareció una desolación infinita» (P. 229-230)
- «Mary se vio obligada a aguardar, aterrorizada y en silencio, la llegada de su destino. Continuaron la marcha por el agreste paisaje, y hacia el final del día se acercaron a una abadía en ruinas, cuyos arcos derruidos y torres solitarias se levantaban con un estupor fúnebre en la oscuridad del crepúsculo. La abadía era el único habitante de aquel yermo; un monumento diabólico y de antiguas supersticiones, cuya siniestra majestuosidad parecía imponer silencio y veneración. La fría humedad de la noche se dejaba sentir, y Mary, con el cuerpo agotado y el espíritu oprimido, yacía exánime sobre su caballo cuando el grupo se detuvo bajo un arco de las ruinas. Mary no se encontraba tan indispuesta como para permanecer insensible a lo que la rodeaba; la espantosa soledad del lugar y el aspecto solemne de la construcción, cuyo efecto se realzaba por las sombras que arrojaba el crepúsculo, llenaron de terror su corazón; y cuando los hombres fueron a bajarla de su caballo, gritó de angustia y desesperación. La llevaron sobre las piedras derruidas a una parte del castillo que antiguamente constituía el claustro de la abadía, pero que ahora se hallaba en ruinas y cubierto por la hiedra. Sin embargo, había un rincón en el extremo del claustro que había soportado con mayor fortaleza los estragos del tiempo; aquí el tejado estaba completo y las castigadas estructuras de sus columnas aún permanecían en pie» (P. 230-231)
- Alleyn: «La noche me alcanzó en estos páramos, y cuando caminaba abatido y confuso me sorprendieron unos gritos lejanos de terror. Aceleré el paso, pero el sonido que me había guiado cesó, y se produjo un silencio absoluto. Me paré a pensar, sin saber hacia dónde continuar, cuando observé una luz tenue que atravesaba la oscuridad; intenté seguir sus rayos, y me condujeron a estas ruinas cuya grave apariencia me produjo un impacto espeluznante. [...] Empuñé mi espada y corrí hacia delante; y no puedo expresar la sensación que me produjo encontrar aquí a Mary» (P. 245).
Hay muchas más referencias al gótico en la novela y me ha gustado muchísimo la forma de escribir de Ann. Pero, dejando estos aspectos de lado, encontré la obra previsible y carente de sentido en numerosas ocasiones. Hay situaciones confusas (¿las luces en las mazmorras eran de origen sobrenatural o simplemente provenían de los guardias? por ejemplo) o explicadas de forma demasiado rápida, casi un Deus ex machina (como en lo referente a Alleyn). Sin embargo, esta es una novela fundamental en el género porque es la base no solo de lo que vendrá de la mano de Radcliffe sino de otros autores en los que su obra tuvo una gran influencia.
- «Se agachó para ver lo que era y agarró la mano fría de un muerto. [...] Durante un rato se quedaron en un silencio turbador, incapaces de volver hacia atrás o continuar avanzando, hasta que una luz lejana que parecía surgir del final del descenso alumbró las paredes, y les descubrió una segunda escalera, y a sus pies el cadáver pálido y desfigurado de un hombre en una armadura...» (P. 67).
- «Para mayor seguridad sacaron a Osbert de la torre y lo encerraron en una parte más céntrica del castillo, en una habitación espaciosa pero oscura cuyas ventanas góticas, que apenas dejaban pasar la luz, le daban un aspecto tétrico capaz de helar un corazón de terror» (P. 112).
- «Las ventanas, del mismo estilo gótico que las anteriores, se encontraban cubiertas por una espesa hiedra que casi impedía el paso de la luz» (P. 117).
- «Su castillo estaba situado en uno de esos maravillosos valles de los cantones suizos en los que lo bello y lo sublime se unen armoniosamente; donde la belleza del paisaje se realza con la frondosa exuberancia de bosques y praderas, la dulce sinuosidad del arroyo y el apacible aspecto de las villas». (P. 133-134).
- «El recuerdo de su hermano pronto desapareció de la mente de Malcolm, cuya atención parecía volcarse enteramente en maquinaciones para satisfacer su avaricia y ambición» (P. 138).
- «El hombre a quien creía haber visto desapareció en la oscuridad de la habitación, el ruido de la armadura dejó de oírse y empezó a pensar que la figura que había visto y el ruido que había escuchado no eran sino fantasmas de una imaginación enferma, conjurados por la agitación de su espíritu, la gravedad del momento y la inmensa desolación del lugar» (P. 149).
- «el conocimiento de la puerta secreta, junto con la ayuda de alguien que lo guiara por los pasadizos del castillo» (P. 151).
- «La sorpresa lo dejó clavado en el sitio, y por un instante creyó hallarse ante una visión supersticiosa propia de aquella región» (P. 160).
- «Tras terminar su examen sin hallar ningún medio visible por el que el Conde pudiera haber abandonado la prisión, fueron presa del pánico y llegaron a la conclusión de que aquello era obra de un poder sobrenatural, y de inmediato dieron la voz de alarma» (P. 162).
- «Mientras tanto, Mary sufría todo el terror que una situación como la suya podía provocar. De camino hacia Dunbayne, había sido sorprendida por un grupo de hombres armados, quienes se apoderaron de la brida de su caballo y, tras entablar un combate fingido con sus sirvientes, se la llevaron inconsciente. Al recobrar el sentido se encontró viajando por un bosque, cuya oscuridad se hacía más profunda debido a las sombras de la noche. La luna, que se encontraba alta y arrojaba su luz entre los árboles, servía para mostrarle el siniestro aspecto del lugar y el número de los hombres que la rodeaban; y se vio atrapada por un terror que casi le hacía perder la razón. Viajaron toda la noche, durante la cual se mantuvo un profundo silencio. Al amanecer, Mary se encontró en la falda de un monte, cuyo aspecto le pareció una desolación infinita» (P. 229-230)
- «Mary se vio obligada a aguardar, aterrorizada y en silencio, la llegada de su destino. Continuaron la marcha por el agreste paisaje, y hacia el final del día se acercaron a una abadía en ruinas, cuyos arcos derruidos y torres solitarias se levantaban con un estupor fúnebre en la oscuridad del crepúsculo. La abadía era el único habitante de aquel yermo; un monumento diabólico y de antiguas supersticiones, cuya siniestra majestuosidad parecía imponer silencio y veneración. La fría humedad de la noche se dejaba sentir, y Mary, con el cuerpo agotado y el espíritu oprimido, yacía exánime sobre su caballo cuando el grupo se detuvo bajo un arco de las ruinas. Mary no se encontraba tan indispuesta como para permanecer insensible a lo que la rodeaba; la espantosa soledad del lugar y el aspecto solemne de la construcción, cuyo efecto se realzaba por las sombras que arrojaba el crepúsculo, llenaron de terror su corazón; y cuando los hombres fueron a bajarla de su caballo, gritó de angustia y desesperación. La llevaron sobre las piedras derruidas a una parte del castillo que antiguamente constituía el claustro de la abadía, pero que ahora se hallaba en ruinas y cubierto por la hiedra. Sin embargo, había un rincón en el extremo del claustro que había soportado con mayor fortaleza los estragos del tiempo; aquí el tejado estaba completo y las castigadas estructuras de sus columnas aún permanecían en pie» (P. 230-231)
- Alleyn: «La noche me alcanzó en estos páramos, y cuando caminaba abatido y confuso me sorprendieron unos gritos lejanos de terror. Aceleré el paso, pero el sonido que me había guiado cesó, y se produjo un silencio absoluto. Me paré a pensar, sin saber hacia dónde continuar, cuando observé una luz tenue que atravesaba la oscuridad; intenté seguir sus rayos, y me condujeron a estas ruinas cuya grave apariencia me produjo un impacto espeluznante. [...] Empuñé mi espada y corrí hacia delante; y no puedo expresar la sensación que me produjo encontrar aquí a Mary» (P. 245).
Hay muchas más referencias al gótico en la novela y me ha gustado muchísimo la forma de escribir de Ann. Pero, dejando estos aspectos de lado, encontré la obra previsible y carente de sentido en numerosas ocasiones. Hay situaciones confusas (¿las luces en las mazmorras eran de origen sobrenatural o simplemente provenían de los guardias? por ejemplo) o explicadas de forma demasiado rápida, casi un Deus ex machina (como en lo referente a Alleyn). Sin embargo, esta es una novela fundamental en el género porque es la base no solo de lo que vendrá de la mano de Radcliffe sino de otros autores en los que su obra tuvo una gran influencia.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2015
To be honest I totally missed that this book was set in the middle ages. If this had been my first Radcliffe novel I might be less harsh in my judgement. However, having read three previous novels (her masterwork Mysteries of Udolpho, The Romance in the Forest, and A Sicilian Romance), I found this, Radcliffe's first novel to be the least sophisticated. Moreover, in looking back at my order in reading Radcliffe, each previous novel seems to be the author's testing ground. The Castles of Athlin and Dunbayne include too many descriptive passages and poor timing. The scenes and suspense are interesting, however the pacing of the book is off. Radcliffe has some shining moments in this book, but again, it clearly wasn't her at her best.
If you are starting out with Radcliffe and only plan on reading one her books (everyone should read at least one) check out The Romance in the Forest. The length is not a huge commitment like The Mysteries of Udolpho and the characters are developed and more complex.
If you are starting out with Radcliffe and only plan on reading one her books (everyone should read at least one) check out The Romance in the Forest. The length is not a huge commitment like The Mysteries of Udolpho and the characters are developed and more complex.
October 8, 2013
This was a very enjoyable short novel by Ann Radcliffe (her first, I believe) relating a Highland Romance detailing a feud between two families (the Baron Malcolm and Osbert and his clan). The Baron, like all Radcliffe villains, is thoroughly nasty with lots of nefarious plans to inflict on any who dare to stand in his way. Osbert, like all Radcliffe heroes, is slightly ineffectual and ends up spending most of the action in prison. Poor old Mary (his sister) gets kidnapped twice before the ultimate (and utterly unsurprising) happy ending. Read it in around an hour and a half - and it wasn't a bad way to beguile the time away. Definitely recommend it.
December 20, 2023
This little novella reads as a practice exercise, which in a way it is. Running at breakneck speed from beginning to end, it spins a tale of greed, murder, revenge, and takes in its span prisoners immured for upwards of sixteen years, lovers doomed to part because of unequal birth, long lost children, skirmishes, ambushes, kidnappings, faintings, revivings – all given in narrative, with no pauses for speech except a kind of declamatory one occasionally. What really amazed me was how it held the reader's attention, despite its many shortcomings.
May 13, 2024
A book that, on paper, I should have enjoyed.
It was boring.
Second read: better upon a re-read, although it drags at the section that is chiefly focused on battle/warfare. Although the more you notice little similarities in tropes/events, the more you could make a case for this being the Scottish Phantom of the Opera
It was boring.
Second read: better upon a re-read, although it drags at the section that is chiefly focused on battle/warfare. Although the more you notice little similarities in tropes/events, the more you could make a case for this being the Scottish Phantom of the Opera
June 16, 2017
Definitely not as good as Mysteries of Udolpho. Very predictable and just a description of plot - in her Udolpho (the only other book by Radcliffe that I've read) book she has more character development (and dialogue).
October 16, 2018
I mean, there are mistaken identities, fainting heroines, castles, and creepy nobility. It has all the ingredients of a Gothic story, but Radcliffe's writing is not yet properly developed in this book. It's short, but A Sicilian Romance is better.
November 23, 2016
Packs quite a lot of plot into its short length, it becomes almost soap opera at some points. An interesting, entertaining read with plenty of dark passages, underground tunnels and lusty villains.
May 11, 2021
Cliché for modern readers, but one must respect a certain originality with respect to its own time. An enjoyable light-hearted, edifying read.
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