I've previously read the [b:The Mysteries of Udolpho|93134|The Mysteries of Udolpho|Ann Radcliffe|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1309376731s/93134.jpg|3253891] and the main complaints people have against that are the overly detailed descriptions and its overall length.

Both of these factors are absent from this shorter work but unfortunately its the poorer for the loss.

Without all that rich description it feels a bit colourless and without the length you simply don't have time to get a grip on the characters. Events move at a brakeneck pace and Radcliffe's usual method of suspense is undermined by how quickly it then gets resolved.

Its by no means terrible, there's some interesting bits including a very 'Sofie's Choice' situation.
However it manages to hit every cliche imaginable and has a number of elements very similar to those in Udolpho. And even if you havn't read any other Radcliffe this still manages to repeat itself on a couple of points despite its brevity. It's also very predictable.

If you want to read something like this you should probably just try [b:The Castle of Otranto|12923|The Castle of Otranto|Horace Walpole|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1390597628s/12923.jpg|46432] instead, which at least has some weird stuff to make things more interesting. ( )

A quick moving tale with all of Radcliffe's hallmarks: ruffians, mysterious disappearances, wild countrysides. In terms of entertainment I was satisfied, but it's thinness, when compared to The mysteries of Udolpho, is quite evident. ( )

Hilarious, though I don't know what I would have thought of it had I not read it during university with a professor to explain the genre, its value, and its intent. The symbolism is laughably obvious and wonderfully exaggerated. I don't even remember much of the story, but that's not really the book's point. Its point is simply supposed to spook you and to get you all caught up in the characters' many passions. As my professor taught me, this is the original cheap romance novel, and it should be loved for being just that. ( )