The Monk by Matthew Lewis - My Book Review on Goodreads

The Monk by Matthew Gregory Lewis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

(Contains minor spoilers.)

I had heard little about this book when I started to read it so it was one of those literary journeys that I undertake on my own. At first, it started off in an interesting and attracting way. As the narration continued, I got bored (there was a lot of mediation by one of the main characters on past events). Once I finished the first 60 pages, the true suspense started. I was unable to put the book down as the events rose to a climax. Lewis' imagery and writing style are unique and amazing and absolutely befit his literary genre. Of course, there is a great load of criticism towards the church as Lewis' implementation of the tragic twist at the end shows.

All in all, this book deserves the 5 star rating I attributed to it not only for the wonderful gothic mood and atmosphere Lewis elaborately creates but also for the excellent way of arousal and suspense, and the alarming message behind the story for which his work has been censored during his lifetime.

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