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melissajkelly's review
5.0
Having read two of the novels within this book; The Castle of Otranto and Frankenstein for my studies I thoroughly enjoyed both. Of course the Castle of Otranto was the first gothic novel to be written so it is bound to be far fetched but the plot although complex is compelling none the less. As for Frankenstein, Shelley's writing of it was amazing, it was made even more brilliant by the background research I had to do for an assignment on it. Would most definitely recommend to any avid gothic, horror story lovers.
hayesstw's review
4.0
After reading [b:Northanger Abbey|50398|Northanger Abbey|Jane Austen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388201718l/50398._SY75_.jpg|4039699], where the protagonist is a rather credulous and naive reader of Gothic novels, I thought I'd better read a couple to see just what it was that [a:Jane Austen|1265|Jane Austen|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1588941810p2/1265.jpg] was satirising, and getting four in one volume made it a bit easier to explore the genre.
I did not read [b:The Monk|43877|The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari A Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams and Reaching Your Destiny|Robin S. Sharma|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388189325l/43877._SY75_.jpg|43268], as I had already read [b:Melmoth the Wanderer|207313|Melmoth the Wanderer|Charles Robert Maturin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1373051517l/207313._SY75_.jpg|200656], which seemed to me to have exhausted that topic.
I did not read [b:The Monk|43877|The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari A Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams and Reaching Your Destiny|Robin S. Sharma|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388189325l/43877._SY75_.jpg|43268], as I had already read [b:Melmoth the Wanderer|207313|Melmoth the Wanderer|Charles Robert Maturin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1373051517l/207313._SY75_.jpg|200656], which seemed to me to have exhausted that topic.
june_englit_phd's review
5.0
A brilliant, brilliant quartet of early Gothic novels.
The Castle of Otranto: 4 stars. I found it comic in places, and rather abundant in euphemisms. Great story though, and the foundation of many subsequent Gothic novels.
Vathek: 4 stars. Seemed to be more fantasy-gothic, but very haunting, especially at the end.
The Monk: 5 stars. My personal favourite in this collection. It was scandalous in its day, but all the elements of a good gothic ghost story are included in it. Loved it.
Frankenstein: 5 stars. Highlights the difficulties of the "alien"/"other" in society, and the destructive effects of exclusion. The reverse of Stoker's "Dracula", I was left feeling quite sorry for the monster.
Highly recommend this collection - I know I will be re-reading it more than once.
The Castle of Otranto: 4 stars. I found it comic in places, and rather abundant in euphemisms. Great story though, and the foundation of many subsequent Gothic novels.
Vathek: 4 stars. Seemed to be more fantasy-gothic, but very haunting, especially at the end.
The Monk: 5 stars. My personal favourite in this collection. It was scandalous in its day, but all the elements of a good gothic ghost story are included in it. Loved it.
Frankenstein: 5 stars. Highlights the difficulties of the "alien"/"other" in society, and the destructive effects of exclusion. The reverse of Stoker's "Dracula", I was left feeling quite sorry for the monster.
Highly recommend this collection - I know I will be re-reading it more than once.
jessicacwrites's review
This was a book I read for school, so I won’t be rating it.
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