Ann Radcliffe
1794
Around 700 pages
I am not sure why the "female imprisoned by tyrannical rapist while nobody does anything" is such a popular genre. However, this is actually quite a good novel and hey, without it, we wouldn't have Northanger Abbey.
Emily St. Aubert becomes an orphan and is forced to live with her aunt and her scheming uncle. Although Emily is in love with Valancourt, her uncle attempts to bully her to marrying a rich count. Will she be able to find a man to save her and most importantly, will he be hot?
It's a little hard to take this novel, just like it was with Pamela and Clarissa. Of course, I wish that Emily was strong, less melodramatic, and tougher. But that doesn't stop this book from being damn entertaining, if a little too long. At least, we finally get a female author!
RATING: ****-
Interesting Facts:
Heavily referenced in Northanger Abbey.
UP NEXT: Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
2 comments:
I think you liked this book better than I did. It is nice to get some female authors on the list, but I often sat with a feeling that Radcliffe was sitting alone in her chamber having romantic dreams based on a little too many romantic novels. I think it would be a good companion piece to The Female Quixote.
In that instance, Radcliffe sounds like me! So maybe that's why I liked it!
Good call on The Female Quixote. Also Northanger Abbey
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