Elizabeth Bonhôte (1744–1818)

Middling gothic novel that doesn't add much to the genre, but is interesting to read for those of us who love them! I really wish it was more developed, plot-wise, especially certain early events involving the mother (which I will not spoiler!). I love a good insanity plot, but alas, it was pretty much all glossed over.

However, as many people have commented, the footnotes are awful. An Oxford World Classics edition would probably make the book more enjoyable for new gothic readers, or at least not give away the plot and make wild assumptions about feminism in the 18th century.… (meer)

I have to admit I haven't read any gothic literature before (that I can recall anyway) and wasn't sure what to expect. This was a charming tale, light on the ghosts, lots of little mysteries to be resolved as the story unfolds, and probably one of the first feminist characters ever put into a tale.

The editor, Curt Herr, does a great job of explaining the gothic genre, and I loved the reference he made to the teen "detectives" of this book -Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew Too. There are plentiful footnotes throughout the book, but not really necessary to enjoy the story. I did appreciate that the footnotes were at the "foot" of the page and not placed collectively at the back of the book as so many other books are. It wasn't quite so distracting flipping back to read every footnote, so the the story flowed better.

Very pleasant reading, and once you get into the author's style of reading the prose was just lovely. It's not a page turning, can't put it down until it's done type of book, but one like Jane Eyre where you want to slow down your reading pace and savor every moment and word. It's also very nice to see how authors of previous centuries could spin a love story without all the gratuitous sex that is so prevalent in our current fiction.

Highly recommended for those looking to discover an old classic.… (meer)