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The Monk

By Matthew Lewis
Penguin Classics
0.0 (0 reviews)
3.85 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 31,930 ratings, 3,278 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Monk by Matthew Lewis is a classic gothic novel that weaves a dark tale of ambition, corruption, and temptation within a Spanish monastery. It follows the succumbed journey of a pious monk named Ambrosio, whose virtue spirals into vice as he faces supernatural elements and forbidden desires. The novel explores themes of religious hypocrisy and the seduction of power.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3700
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy gothic fiction with thrilling and supernatural elements. It delves into themes of temptation, corruption, and the dark side of human nature, set against a backdrop of eerie monasteries and mysterious events, which might captivate readers who appreciate suspenseful and atmospheric storytelling.

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Shows the diabolical decline of Ambrosio, a worthy superior of the Capuchins of Madrid who is tempted by Matilda, a young girl who has entered his monastery disguised as a boy. Descending into a hell of his own creation, Ambrosio is driven to magic and murder in an attempt to conceal his crimes from the Inquisition.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Monk tells the story of Ambrosio, the esteemed superior of the Capuchins of Madrid, who succumbs to the temptations of Matilda, a fiendishly inspired seductress. Disguised as a boy, Matilda enters the monastery as a novice, causing Ambrosio to stray from his righteous path.

As his downfall progresses, Ambrosio falls in love with one of his penitents, ultimately murdering her to avoid being discovered. Nonetheless, his crimes are exposed, and he is subjected to torture by the Inquisition before being sentenced to death.

The novel, though extravagant in its blend of the supernatural, the horrific, and the indecent, contains scenes of significant impact and emotion. The Monk is a quintessential example of 18th-century Gothic literature, crafted partly in response to the works of Walpole and Radcliffe, and it enjoyed considerable popularity at the time.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Monk is praised for its rich and powerful imagination, distinguished by the variety and impressiveness of its incidents. The author displays a fervid creativity that captivates readers throughout the work.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780140436037

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 29 October 1998

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Notes by Christopher MacLachlan

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 24.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 302g

Pages: 416

Collections

Best Sellers at Book Hero Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Fiction General Fiction In Stock Books In-Stock Fiction Books Literary Fiction Matthew Lewis New Release Fiction Penguin Black Classics Penguin Books Penguin Classics Penguin Classics: General Fiction

About the Author

Matthew Gregory Lewis (1775-1818) was educated at Oxford after which he held a position in the British Embassy at The Hague. It was there in 1794, that he wrote the racy novel THE MONK, under the influence of the early German romantics. Its controversial publication in 1796, due to Lewis' new status as MP, earned him fame and the book a great deal of popularity. Christopher MacLachlan is a Lecturer at the University of St Andrews. He has published books and articles on Pope, Hume and Burns.

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  • The Monk
    The Monk by Matthew Lewis has been described as a 'Graphic, almost pornographic tale of darkness and evil' by the Guardian and as 'One of the most shocking Gothic novels' by the Independent. Noble and devout, Ambrosio is the abbot of a Spanish monastery and spends his days in prayer and preaching. However, his monastery is harbouring a malevolent force...
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    He was deaf to the murmurs of conscience, and resolved to satisfy his desires at any price. The Monk (1796) is a sensational story of temptation and depravity, a masterpiece of Gothic fiction and the first horror novel in English literature. The respected monk Ambrosio, the Abbot of a Capuchin monastery in Madrid, is overwhelmed with desire for a young...
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