The Mysteries of Udolpho: “On the pleasant banks of the Garrone, in the province of Gascony, stood, in the year 1584, the chateau of Monsieur St. Aubert.”
Finally, I have finished The Mysteries of Udolpho, the turtle coming in over the finish line of her own read-along. It was actually more like a last-minute buddy read but still everyone finished before me and I think a good number of you enjoyed the read.
I must say, Radcliffe surprised me. I had expected a novel infused with the overly dramatic, filled with unbelievable occurrences, overdrawn characters, and sentimentality galore. While there was a little of each within the novel, it was much less than I expected. Emily, the heroine, while she did faint on occasion, was actually quite strong and steadfast given her age and circumstances. I’m a little puzzled as to why she’s mocked so heavily in other reviews I’ve read.
