I have a terrible tendency to take these classics too seriously and only realise belatedly —— wait, was that meant to be funny? 

With that new perspective on mind, this story is suddenly a lot more enjoyable, where you just gotta roll with the punches and enjoy the ride. 

It's a fascinating read to see how much Gothic romances have evolved, yet remained the same, since the og. The atmosphere and setting was really well set up with its long winding secret passageways and haunting castles. 

The plot twists are also absurdly fun, even if the characters are all so frustrating and irritating to read. I'm surprised not to have heard or seen any notable theatre adaptations of this, because I feel like this could be a really fun play. Especially with all the servants' dialogue. -- Actually, all of the dialogue in this story is great. 

Then, googling more about Walpole I have also learnt to appreciate the themes of the story more. Truly fascinating the way these characters and their motivations, wants and fears parallel Walpole's life. 

Wouldn't reread, but pls hit me up when they need someone put on this play lol. 

This book is Romeo & Juliet meets gothic. It's a classic novel so it has its flaws and clichés - women keep fainting for everything; other women immediately assume that they are dead... the usual.

In some parts is very confusing, a lot of characters with weird intentions and very melodramatic.

Overall, this book was not amazing but it was entertaining. 

A very convoluted story of legacy, rightful heirs, and especially mistaken identity rounds out what’s considered to be the first gothic novel. Nobody knew who anybody was in this story. Jk, but there were some important moments of mistaken or hidden identity that led to some silly and some tragic outcomes. There were some comedic moments too, but overall, it’s a pretty dark novel with a sprinkle of fate and prophecy magic that follows the downfall of a man mad with power who brings the people who love him down with him. 

I listened to a LibriVox recording narrated by Great Plains, who was amazing! The voices and the acting really kept me engaged in the plot. It’s pretty slow starting off, but picks up a lot in the last third. So if you do plan on reading this book, I recommend listening to this version because I likely wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much if I read it myself.