From the Bookshelf of Around the World in 80 Books…
Find A Copy At
Group Discussions About This Book
No group discussions for this book yet.
What Members Thought
Completely outrageous gothic horror novel that has influenced just about everything gothic since it came out. It starts out a bit slow, but don't let that fool you.
...more
Evil nuns, pacts with the Devil, murder... I loved the critical look on religion and how thought provoking it is even today; back then it must have been hidden in the depths of bookshelves and read in secret during the night. The ending took me a bit by surprise, I did not expect that. Overall this can definitely be enjoyed by fans of over the top Gothic melodrama.
I really shouldn't have read so many reviews before I started on this - my expectations re. the "blood, gore and depravity" quotient were high, and not really fulfilled. Sure, a revered monk gets rather out of control, but eh, some of it sort of aspired towards being The Three Musketeers, and the parts on (view spoiler) were incidental rather than deliberate crimes. Ambrosio grated on my nerves after a while, but I must admit that the ending (view spoiler)
...more
Jun 17, 2009
Kristin
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
british-irish-lit
Aug 20, 2009
Vesra (When She Reads)
added it
Jan 28, 2010
Tracyene
marked it as to-read
Oct 25, 2010
Deedee
marked it as to-read
Dec 09, 2010
Terri FL
marked it as to-read
Aug 08, 2011
Tiffany
marked it as to-read
Mar 01, 2012
Anie
marked it as to-read
Nov 16, 2013
Dana Arbelaez
marked it as to-read
Aug 20, 2016
Elizabeth
marked it as to-read
Jun 23, 2018
Idit
marked it as to-read
Aug 30, 2020
Kathy Jo
marked it as to-read
Oct 12, 2021
Ann
marked it as to-read
Apr 15, 2022
C.
marked it as to-read
Aug 30, 2025
Grace
marked it as to-read
