The Castle of Otranto
Classics, Gothic, Horror
Horace Walpole
Penguin
1764
Paperback
160
English
March 18, 2023 March 22, 2023
10 Books in Translation in 2023, Reading by the Numbers, The Backlist Reader, Translated Book Goals
On the day of his wedding, Conrad, heir to the house of Otranto, is killed in mysterious circumstances. Fearing the end of his dynasty, his father, Manfred, determines to marry Conrad's betrothed, Isabella, until a series of supernatural events stands in his way. . . .
Set in the time of the crusades, The Castle of Otranto established the Gothic as a literary form in England. With its compelling blend of psychological realism and supernatural terror, guilty secrets and unlawful desires, it has influenced a literary tradition stretching from Ann Radcliffe and Bram Stoker to Daphne Du Maurier and Stephen King.
This Penguin Classics edition includes a full selection of early responses to the novel, as well as a critical introduction, chronology of Walpole's life and works, suggestions for further reading, and full explanatory notes.
What I think
The story is cute, but nothing special. The version I read is a bit difficult to read, as they adopt an old-fashioned style and don’t use the right direct speech signs. And there are some typos.
The story is obviously dated and it is noted that at the time women were subjected to the will of their father first and then their husband, but I’m happy with how the book ended.
