The Mysteries of Udolpho

By: Ann Ward Radcliffe

Narrated by: Alison Larkin

This was the most popular novel of Radcliffe's time; Radcliffe's portrayal of her heroine's inner life raised the Gothic romance to a new level. The atmosphere of fear and the gripping plot continue to thrill today.

This is the story of the orphaned Emily St Aubert, who finds herself separated from the man she loves and confined within the Castle of Udolpho by her aunt's new husband Montoni. Here she must cope with an unwanted suitor, Montoni's threats, and the wild imaginings and terrors which threaten to overwhelm her.

Public Domain (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Excellent

First rate rendering of a most important classic.
While this novel is applauded as an early gothic, it is far too luxuriantly written to overlook the elegance and sheer beauty of its prose.

Wonderful Intriguing Mystery

This is a wonderful intriguing mystery. I enjoyed it very much; and, will read and/or listen to it again! Alison’s narration was very, very good!

If you enjoy old, Gothic tales this is for you!

I have come to love this story, and very much enjoyed Ann Larkin’s performance. It is definitely from a different time, so the pace is very different, but such a fun escape!

Absolutely dated but still wonderful

For me, old books like this one are like a trip back in time. This was a wildly popular book in its day, and it gives me a little thrill to know that Jane Austen read this same book! First, before you tackle this book, be aware that it's about the journey. If you just want to know what happens, you can probably find a summary in Wikipedia. If you want to savor the writing styles and customs of the 18th century, then jump in! Second, know that it takes hours for this book to get going--there is substanial setup, but it's all important. Later on, Emily is constantly in peril, which starts to become amusing after awhile! Third, you'll need a good vocabulary, or you'll miss the wry humor and some of the important plot points.

I almost gave up on this book within the first 8 hours because so little happened. I'm glad I kept with it because MANY things happen later on! Also, be aware that the women in this book are not strong heroines. They are constantly fainting, weeping, and becoming ill because of mental stress. They need to be rescued and they're dependent on strong men to protect them. Again, it's a trip back in time, and I think it provides a lot of insight into the way people of the time thought. You probably don't want to be like any of the characters in this novel, but reading about their exploits is still fun! I personally loved the gothic settings and the looming horrors. There are evil relations, supernatural goings-on, brave and loyal servants, dangerous criminals lurking in the landscape, stalwart hereos, and everyone seems to have secrets! I even enjoyed the detailed descriptions of the scenery and the various plants growing around (Emily did study botany, after all). It takes about a full hour to wrap up all the loose ends at the end of the book. Some of it is a bit contrived, but I found it worth the journey!

Long Winded but Beautiful, Dark and Sweet

The Mysteries of Udolpho is slow but beautifully slow. Yes, it has a slouching overbelly of a plot, and a self-righteous heroine so pious its infuriating, you want to give her a good spanking sometimes. But Radcliffe's shafting Alpine environments, ruined chateaus, gaping chasms and naked chambers of Gothic sexiness and horror, make the novel's mechanical mellodrama worth drudging through. Moreover, the writing, and particularly the interjecting poetry, is very sweet and Alison Larkin's voice is very flavoursome, seeming to shift from chaste English country girl to predatory Italian bandit with the seductive ease of a well educated mature lady of feminine omnipotence. If god were a woman, i'd hope she'd have Larkin's voice.
I would recommend this title to anyone interested in the history of the novel, Romanticism and the gothic romance in particular. Reading this book you can clearly see the bridge between Augustanism, Sentimentalism, Regency and Victorian Literature emerging. You can see Mary Shelley reading and loving this novel, just as you can see Charlotte Bronte reading and loving this novel. But yes, it is a long and hard read, and with many a moan and bump along the way. Indeed, i think the length of the novel says something about the desiring nature of Radcliffe's audience. For many a young lady in England in 1794, it must have been a long wait to get to the mysteries of Udolpho.