Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #44570 in Books
• Published on: 2003-12-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Customer Reviews

Sick and Disturbing...but Great!
The synopsis for this book details how it was considered profane and obscene by the original late 18th century readers, how there was outrage at it, with most books from this period, we as modern day readers can't undrstand why the old readers would react in such a way. With Matthew Lewis' the monk it is entirely understandable.

The plot revolves largely around a few weeks in the life of Ambrosio, a monk in Madrid who has lived for the last thirty years without having commited even the slightest sin. Then, a woman disguised as a male monk infiltrates the monastry with Ambrosio in, proffesses her love for him, and evetually seduces him. From then on, Ambrosio gives into each sin and each temptation that presents itself to him, resulting in him starting to rape and murder, before eventually selling his soul to the devil.

The novel is written in a very graphic manner, and is very disturbing, not a book for the faint hearted, but no matter how sick and disturbing it gets, it remains a compelling read throughout, and you will find yourself wiling away hours at a time to progress through this rivetting read. I would reccommend it as one of the finest pieces of Gothic fiction ever written.

just awesome
Written by Matthew Lewis during a short period of ten short weeks when he was just nineteen, "The Monk" proved to be a controversial novel at the time that it was written. Faith, deception, loyalty, sorcery, murder, Satanism, incest, rape, ghosts, and the inquisition gave the novel the popularity it has retained until today. Even though its plot made the novel controversial when it was published in 1796 to the point where it as held to be blasphemous and resulted to censorship, Lewis nevertheless gained in popularity.
The story is basically about Ambrosio, who as an enfant was found at the doors of the abbey, stirring talks that he was a divine-sent child. He grew up to become an ostensibly pious and deeply revered Abbot of the Capuchin monastery in Madrid, a fit in holiness that aroused the resentment of the devil who decides to plot his fall. The devil plotted the fall through the working of a young female who disguised and became a novice under the tutelage of Ambrioso, the immaculate monk. Ambrioso's fall is plotted through out the later stages of the novel as his fight with the deep passions of his body, the machinations of the devil and his attempts at redemption. Anti-Catholic in nature, this Gothic classic is perhaps the best in its genre. I am certain the author enjoyed every moment while he was writing it because the story flowed all the way through to the end. A recommended classic.
Also recommended: THE USURPER AND OTHER STORIES, THE MYSTERIES OF UDOLPHO, DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE, THE UNION MOUJIK

Lewis was way ahead of his time.
If you like Gothic and Romantic fiction (as in Romanticism, not romance)then this is a must. Written at the same time William Blake was composing his etchings, at the end of the eighteenth century. It was originally banded for being to contraversial as it supported revolution in the uk. Back then it was massively popular and the first editions completely sold out before the government could do anything about it. Written by a very young Lewis (in his late teens), it tells of an adventure that befalls a number of characters belonging to the spanish bourgeoisie. The main focus is on a holier-than-thou monk who is seduced by demons to become the devil's instrument. The story has everything; murder, rape, incest, adultery, banditary, rioting, the supernatural, torture, etc.
If you enjoy classic fiction then you will definitely enjoy this. It is written in a surprisingly modern fashion. Personally I think if it was re-introduced as a modern day work of fiction then very few would realise that it is over 200 yrs old. If you're not into classical fiction, but are more of a modern reader, then I think you'll still enjoy it.
It is the only book that MGL wrote, but it is one of Britain's greatest ever literary works that has been all but forgotten. It's time it was remembered!