The 1700-1939 Book Club! discussion

This is for the discussion of The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe (Volume One).

I'm enjoying it, up to a point. I'm at about chapter Four or so, and I have a feeling that when I finish the book I'm going to wish it had been about half as long. That said, I think it's worth reading simply for its importance to Austen and other great writers.

Gregory, I just started and am about to start chapter 4. Are we the only ones reading this?

I'm planning to read it, and I have it on my Kindle, but I thought I would read the Big Sleep first. But if this where the action is, maybe I will revise my plan.

I finished the first volume. I was on vacation so I haven't had a chance to discuss. I am really enjoying it. I need to see where the first part ends that way I don't spoil anything.

Things I find annoying: the main character faints too much and at times needs to speak up and explain herself better and not hold the information in. Some things are over dramatized but I expected that.

From the point I'm at she is keeping two secrets from us. One is a sentence she read on paper containing information her father did not want her to read and something she sees in volume 2. Why do you think Radcliffe has her keep these a secret instead of letting us use the information to make our own determinations?

I've made it to Chapter 4, but I don't think I have come across either of those "secrets" yet, and so far the main character has not fainted, so I guess it is early days. I am finding the prose a bit verbose, but perhaps when I get more involved in the story I will stop noticing that so much.

I'm still waiting for my library to source a copy, so I'll be coming in late for this one :(

I've made it to Chapter 6, but it is slow going for me. I've gotten past the first of the main character's faints, and it is an exceptionally useless thing for her to do when she does it. In Regency Romances, the heroine is often congratulated for not fainting. I guess that implies that there was some convention that delicate ladies fainted at the drop of a hat.

How are the rest of you doing?

Jamie wrote: "Why do you think Radcliffe has her keep these a secret instead of letting us use the information to make our own determinations?"
I think it is her style for building up suspense. It's worked on me. I'm on edge wanting to know what was the sentence she saw.
I really feel for Emily in dealing with her aunt, Madame Cheron. There isn't really anything Emily can do to prove her innocence when the accuser refuses to believe otherwise.

I have less than a hundred pages left. Over all it is very entertaining and I find my self anxious to know what is going to happen next. You do have to be prepared for slow parts, repetitiveness and overly dramatized scenes but I couldn't expect any less from this time period. It helps to embrace it. I am not really into the poems in the book. Does anyone have any they enjoyed?

I find most of the poetry to be more of a distraction than anything else. I've switched to listening to the audio book. I'm about three hours in, but the whole thing is 33 hours long.

Starting this one today. As a unabashed Janeite, I'm really looking forward to it. Possibly followed by a reread of Northanger Abbey... :)

Jamie wrote: "I am not really into the poems in the book. Does anyone have any they enjoyed?"
I skip the poetry. The plot is getting even thicker and I am really anxious for Emily.

I've tried to find a chapter summary (great to look back on) and discussion topics for this book without any luck. If any of you are able to fun something let me know. If you have discussion topics/questions throughout feel free to post them. I want to keep the discussion interesting :)

Also, has there been any movie adaptations? I couldn't find anything and this would make a great movie after cutting out some things.

I started this one yesterday on audio - so far I really enjoy it! I'm looking forward to join the discussion here.

I've listened to the first 10 chapters now, and think it's really picking up now. I have no idea what volume I'm at, since I'm listening to the audio :-/

Someone in one of my other groups is reading Udopho. She posted a wonderful link to this great article How to tell you're reading a gothic novel – in pictures

It even has a graph to show which book has the most fainting.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/inte...

Casceil wrote: "Someone in one of my other groups is reading Udopho. She posted a wonderful link to this great article How to tell you're reading a gothic novel – in pictures

It even has a graph to show which bo..."
It is a wonderful link. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Casceil wrote: "Someone in one of my other groups is reading Udopho. She posted a wonderful link to this great article How to tell you're reading a gothic novel – in pictures

It even has a graph to show which bo..."

Great link!

Yes, I love this link, thank you so much for sharing! I might use it in my review of this book when I get to it (I'm so late on my reviews).

I finally got my review ready! Casceil, I used your link in my review - it's so funny!

I ended up only giving this book 2 stars, however ...



The Beginning: On the pleasant banks of the Garonne, in the province of Gascony, stood, in the year 1584, the chateau of Monsieur St. Aubert.

If it weren’t for Jane Austen, I would never have dived into The Mysteries of Udolpho. But after reading about some of my favorite heroines being nearly frightened to death by reading this book, I had to see what it was all about.

I was more annoyed than frightened, however. Emily annoyed me almost from the very beginning. She’s such a goody-two shoes, I wanted to slap her. Or at least roll my eyes so hard that … my lashes struck her … or something. Radcliffe goes out of the way to make us sympathize with Emily. Example: Near the beginning when her father announces that they’ve lost all their money, Emily merely reminds him that they still have their good health and is not a bit sorry. Saint Emily shows absolutely no annoyance or regret that their financial security is gone. Because apparently only bad people care about money, and it’s very important that we like Emily and wish her all the best when we have to read about her struggles for 600 pages.

And that’s another thing: this novel is too damned long and I don’t have the patience for it. It could have been merely 300-400 pages. It should be easy – just delete all Emily’s weeping and fainting, and you have a much shorter and more tolerable novel.

A well-informed mind is the best security against the contagion of folly and vice. The vacant mind is ever on the watch for relief, and ready to plunge into error, to escape from the languor of idleness. Store it with ideas, teach it the pleasure of thinking; and the temptations of the world without, will be counteracted by the gratifications derived from the world within.

I read this one as a group read on Goodreads, and someone posted this brilliant link from The Guardian in the discussion thread: A graphic overview of how to tell you’re reading a Gothic novel. One of the clues is that the heroine faints a lot, and our Emily comes out the winner with 10 swoons! Click the pic below to see the article – it’s quite fun!



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I thought I had read 'Udolpho' as part of a three-volume anthology including Vathek and Rasselas, and also Otronto. But I guess it could not have fit in there if it is 600 pages. H'mmm.