The Monk
Book description
Matthew Lewis's Gothic masterpiece, depicting a holy man slowly becoming entangled in a web of sin, The Monk is edited with an introduction by Christopher MacLachlan in Penguin Classics.
Savaged by critics for its blasphemy and obscenity, particularly since the author was a Member of Parliament, The Monk soon attracted…
Why read it?
2 authors picked The Monk as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
From the mind of a nineteen-year-old member of the English Parliament, this book inaugurated the splatter side of the horror tradition, and it freaked late 18th-century critics out. I love it for all its gruesome irreverence, for how far it’s willing to go for shocks, for its wild, gender-bending sexuality, and so much more.
Although I find parts of it genuinely disgusting, I think it’s more amusing than scary… that said, its inset storytelling and interwoven major plotlines are a hoot to follow. The corruption of the title character is so, so easy and goes so, so far.
The object…
From L.'s list on horror for stretching your mind to extremes.
The Monk mixes rich Gothic fiction with wonderfully light comedic moments to create a compelling story that feels more modern than its 1796 publishing date.
The two main concurrent stories allow the plot to develop from the romance of the early chapters into a dark glimmering tale of religion, romance, corruption, and downfall.
The book is gloriously written, especially if you can find a copy prior to the slightly sanitized fourth edition, which was written in response to controversy about the "immorality and wild extravagance" of the original. What better praise could a book obtain?
From Steve's list on classic Gothic that are still amazing today.
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