Tag Archives: GRC

Gothic Reading Challenge

And yet another DNF

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GRC

 

The mysteries of UdolphoLately it seems I pick up quite a lot of books that turn out to be a DNF. I tried so hard to read (and like) “The mysteries of Udolpho” which is a book I have been wanting to read for a long time, actually ever since reading “Northanger Abbey”. The Gothic Reading Challenge was the perfect opportunity to finally tackle it.

According to Goodreads I started reading that book on June 26. You want to know how far I got? To page 48!

I was willing, I compared covers, I told you the book beginning, Udolpho turned up on my monthly reading lists – to no avail.  That book is so long winded, it defies description. Admittedly, at 880 pages I didn’t expect it to go medias in res, but the descriptions of scenery bored the hell out of me, and I didn’t want to read through 200 pages of them before the gothic “horror” would start. If it ever started I don’t know. 

I think it’s time to say good bye to it and just face the fact that the mysteries of Udolpho will remain a mystery to me.

Book beginnings on Friday

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I started reading “The mysteries of Udolpho” by Ann Radcliffe a few weeks ago as part of the Gothic Reading Challenge. I know it will take me a while before I finish this one, 875 page is quite a chunkster, and I never only read one book at a time.

Here are the first two sentences:

On the pleasant banks of the Garonne, in the province of Gascony, stood, in the year 1584, the chateau of Monsieur St Aubert. From its windows were seen the pastoral landscapes of Guienne and Gascony, stretching along the river, gay with luxuriant woods and vines, and plantations of olives.

Doesn’t that sound very pleasant indeed? The book is full of picturesque descriptions and I think I will take a few weeks before the suspense begins – if ever.

I was a bit too fast

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GRC

I thought I was done with my reading challenge planning for 2011, but, as always, something else came up. At Poppy’s blog I saw that she joined the Gothic Reading Challenge. The lowest level “A little Madness” is just the right thing for me. You are only required to read one book and that suits me just fine.

I have two books on my TBR list. Depending on which one I can get my hands on cheaper I will either read “The Castle of Otranto” or “The Mysteries of Udolpho”. Not sure I will be able to stomach more than one. I am somewhat wimpy when it comes to suspense.